road trip games for 4 year olds

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PS PK K 1 2 3 48 Comments

Road Trip Activities for Kids Ages 2-8

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We are planning a very long drive this week.  We’re hitting the road before sunup and driving until way past bedtime.  As a survival strategy I’ve prepared a giant set of road trip activities for kids.

(This post contains affiliate links. Click here to see my full disclosure policy.)

In just a short while our family is going to be taking a road trip.

A very loooong road trip.

As in, start driving at 3 AM and reach our destination after 10 PM.   With five kids ages 7 and under.

And no, we don’t have a DVD player in our van.

This may sound a little crazy, but seriously?  Putting all seven of us in a hotel room with a baby still waking up every two hours sounds a whole lot crazier.  So I’ve been working at a creating and collecting a variety of activities to keep my crew busy for our big adventure.

I have seen some amazing DIY lapboards on Pinterest.  But I don’t sew beyond buttons.  I don’t do well with wood, foam, or stretching fabric.  I don’t even cut a straight line.  So this is my version of a DIY lap board.

Find a cheap magnetic baking tray (tip – they’re not all magnetic; check first).  This 9 x 13 tray cost 99 cents.   Then get some markers or crayons and hot glue magnet strips to them (even adhesive strips can use that extra glue).

Anything to keep my toddler from dropping a marker every five seconds.

The sketchpad was from the dollar bin at Target.

Books on CD

Our number one activity on long car rides is reading.  Thankfully, my Seven and Five can read on their own. But my Four in particular does not have patience for long trips, and he’s not ready to read independently.  I’ll read aloud periodically, but it’s not something I want to do for ten hours!  That’s where books on CD come in.  I borrow them from the library, store them in my CD holder , and reserve multiple copies of each book so each of the big kids can follow along.

I also referred to my Best Picture Books for Kids Pinterest board and found a huge stack of new-to-us books to take along.  (The hard part has been keeping my kids from reading them before the big trip!

Road Trip Printables

I searched high and low for free road trip printables. These were the best I could find because not only are they from talented bloggers,  they’re also easy to download and print.

The beautiful road trip drawing prompts (empty road and truck) are from Picklebums.

The lovely hand-drawn BINGO games are from Housing a Forest.

The simple and colorful Road Trip BINGO is from This Reading Mama.

For children who can read, Interstate BINGO is another fun printable from This Reading Mama.  My Five and Seven will enjoy this one.

The Car Scavenger Hunt is from a giant set of road trip printables from 123Homeschool4Me.

Sticker Scenes

This reusable sticker pad from Melissa and Dog is totally awesome as is.  But I wanted to find a way to make it work in the car. The scenes are too large for laps, and definitely for our little trays.  So I decided to cut each scene in half and cut the stickers into sections.  Then each child can have part of a scene and a set of stickers to play with.  The scenes won’t be as striking as they would be with the full sheets, but you can’ t be choosy when you’ve got seven people jammed into a seven-passenger van.

Conversation Cards

These are 100 conversation starters in the form of “would you rather” questions. I love these!  Would you rather have a pet chicken or a pet elephant? Would you rather lounge  in a pool of marshmallows or M & M’s?  Learn more and get your free printable cards (or simply a list of questions) in this post .

Drawing Prompts

This Complete the Picture drawing pad from Melissa and Doug  is brilliant.  It’s definitely too advanced for my Two and probably my Four. But I think it’s something my older two kids, ages five and seven, will really enjoy.  I had to trim the pages to fit them into the small baking sheets.

Beginning Sounds Coloring Pages

I don’t do a lot of worksheets with my preschool boys, but a car trip is the perfect time to pull some out.  I created this set of 26 coloring pages.  They simply need to color the pictures on each letter that begin with that letter.  You can get the free printable in this post .

Magnetic Matching Activities

I created these simple matching activities for my Two.  He loves this sort of thing, and it will give him something to do when he’s starting to get antsy.  Since there are magnets on the back of each piece to keep him from spilling them, I’m hoping that this will be easy and fun. This does take some time to assemble, but I think it will be worth it.  See the tutorial and get the free printables in this post.

Color by Number Addition Pages

My Seven asked for color by number pages.  I wanted to create something that would challenge her as well as give her something she enjoys, so I put addition facts on these fairy tale characters.  You can get the set of ten free pages by visiting this post .

Magnetic Pattern Block Activities

We already have pattern blocks, but for this trip I bought a magnetic set of blocks  so the kids can use them on their baking sheets.  I found the large pattern block activities at PreKinders.  I printed a transportation , snowflake , and animals set.  The kids can each set a paper on their board and cover it with the magnetic blocks.  I also printed the small set of designs from Kelly’s Kindergarten and bound them with a ring . (You will need to shrink her designs before printing them if you want them small.)  My older kids can recreate these pictures on their boards.

Snacks, Snacks… and More Snacks

And what would a long car ride be without snacks?  We don’t usually have prepackaged snacks at our house, but I’m making this trip an exception.  I’m packing mini chocolate chip cookies , honey graham sticks , crispy cheddar crackers , granola bars ,  and bunny snacks .  I’m also packing some dry cereal (a rare treat – our kids have plain yogurt with just a sprinkle of cereal for breakfast), string cheese, snap peas, and baby carrots.  Plus a brand new water jug  filled with ice water.

We’re ready for our trip!

After I pack the suitcases, of course…

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Reader Interactions

48 comments.

August 10, 2018 at 7:54 am

Thank you so much for your great roundup of ideas! We are traveling in Canada through Ontario and Quebec, to see sights in New Brunswick and P.E.I. I’m looking forward to using your ideas on our trip! Blessings! 🙂

August 13, 2018 at 9:08 am

You’re welcome!

September 9, 2017 at 3:01 pm

Just stumbled on this site and am delighted. I’d like to offer an alternative idea for your travel activity tray which offers built in storage. 1) Buy a roasting tin and a baking sheet that fits on the top of the roasting tin. 2) Attach magnetic strips around the top of the roasting tin, and on the bottom of the baking sheet. The sheet needs to exactly cover the roasting tin. 3) Place either a magnetic sheet, or magnetic strips on inside base of roasting tin. 4) Magnetic sheet to fit base of baking sheet (if big enough you can ignore stage 2) You can now add magnetic strips to crayons, organza bags from Poundland/Dollar store, toys. These things can be safely stored in roasting tin. The combined roasting tin/baking sheet are now a storage/lap tray. Little items can be stored in the organza bags or magnetized to stay in the storage area or to be used on the tray. You could also spray paint the roasting tin/baking sheet, drill small holes at one end and using whatever you choose can be hung from the seat in front. For very young children safely secure small magnets in small stuffies, these can be stored in the roasting tin and then stuck on to the baking sheet.

October 5, 2017 at 12:56 pm

What a cool idea, Lucy! Thanks so much for sharing it!

October 5, 2016 at 9:03 am

I love these ideas! We are planning to drive to Disney in February with another family. The thought of four little girls ages two and five on a 20 + hour car ride is terrifying the parents.

Anna Geiger

October 7, 2016 at 5:24 pm

Yes, I get it! 20 hours is a long time. Snacks will be your best friend. 🙂 In December we are planning a road trip to Texas with all six kids. I think it’s about 15-20 hours… I’ll have to pull out some of these to use again!

December 22, 2015 at 6:39 pm

Thank you so much for all of the wonderful ideas and resources. I’m now actually looking forward to our upcoming road trip with our 2 and 4 year old boys (plus an infant, but she won’t be participating in the activities :)).

January 1, 2016 at 5:54 pm

You’re very welcome, Cassy! I hope you have/had a great trip!

December 14, 2015 at 9:22 pm

Thank you so much!!!!! I got a 17 hour car trip coming up and didn’t want to go out and buy a ton of things for my preschooler to do. Yes we are breaking the trip up but he is not a great car rider so this is exactly what we need.

December 19, 2015 at 3:46 pm

I hope you have a wonderful trip, Cora!

Stephanie H

March 11, 2015 at 10:00 pm

Thank you for the wonderful ideas and printables. We are ready to venture out on a 15 hour drive for Spring Break with a 7 and 2 year old. Thanks to your post my “Activity Box” is complete and I have something checked off my to do list! THANK YOU!

March 20, 2015 at 6:35 am

Yay! I hope you have (had) a wonderful trip!

January 9, 2015 at 11:02 am

Man, you are so creative!!! Thank You sooo much for this!! We’re leaving in less than a month, this is doable!!

January 12, 2015 at 4:30 pm

Way to go for getting started ahead of time, Jennifer! I hope you have a great time and as peaceful a car ride as possible. 🙂

December 28, 2014 at 5:58 am

I am probably the first dad in here. This is really cool stuff. Thanks for sharing all this. I am printing away as I speak

December 28, 2014 at 2:42 pm

Not quite the first, but maybe the second. 🙂 I hope you have a great (and somewhat quiet) trip, Nick!

July 24, 2014 at 5:15 am

I loved your Tip Me Tuesday link. {thanks girl!} Would you like Tip Junkie to feature your blog post to over 200,000 creative women? If you upload this blog post into your Tip Junkie craft room using at least 2 images, 2 steps, and blog post URL then I can easily feature it in my RSS feed, home page, and all my social networks instantly. {squealing with delight} ~ Laurie {a.k.a. the Tip Junkie} http://www.tipjunkie.com/post/how-to-add-a-craft-room-project-on-tip-junkie/

July 24, 2014 at 5:19 am

Yes, yes, yes, Laurie, of course! Thank you!! I will head over to do that right away. I was just thinking yesterday I was going to send you a note to thank you for your Mom Blog to Money Blog course. I completed it this summer and learned so much, just in time to apply everything I learned to a site redesign coming next week. Excited! Thank you!!

July 14, 2014 at 8:57 pm

Thanks so much for these! I’m traveling 16 hrs with a 4, 2.5 & 10 month old so looking for some activities to keep us all sane

July 17, 2014 at 8:02 am

That’s a long trip, Ali – been there! I hope it goes well for you and that you have a nice peaceful trip. 🙂

July 9, 2014 at 10:02 pm

Thankyou so much, this is exactly what i was looking for to amuse my kids on our next trip!! Thankyou so much for sharing!

July 17, 2014 at 8:01 am

You’re welcome, Steph! I hope you have/had a peaceful ride :).

June 20, 2014 at 12:01 pm

These are some AWESOME suggestions. I’m planning a vacation for July and we’ll be traveling roughly 13 hours in a car with a 2 and a 5 year old. Thanks so much for sharing!

July 9, 2014 at 5:32 am

You’re welcome, Brandy! I hope your kids stay content on your long trip!

May 28, 2014 at 8:17 pm

This post couldn’t have come at a better time for my family. In the next month, we are taking 3 16 hour road trips. I have a 1 year old, a 2 year old, and a 4 year old and we will definitely be using some of your ideas! Thank you so much for all your hard work. We are planning on driving from 9pm until we get there!

June 1, 2014 at 7:53 pm

Good for you for driving through the night! We are probably a little older than you, as that’s pretty hard for us. On our way to our destination we ended up getting the kids up at 4:30 AM with the plan that they would go back to sleep for a few hours. Nope! Not sure if leaving even earlier is a good or bad idea..

little island studios

May 28, 2014 at 11:17 am

Great Ideas! We traveling and always looking for ideas…love to bring magnetic fun!

June 1, 2014 at 7:52 pm

Love your recent post about Virginia Beach… my home town!

May 28, 2014 at 9:16 am

My family is flying from SC to WA this summer. My daughters are 7 and 6, but the 6 yo is more like a 4 yo. The color pages will be WONDERFUL for them to do on the planes and at grandma and grandpa’s house when they claim to be “bored”. Thanks a lot for these wonderful resources.

June 1, 2014 at 7:51 pm

You’re very welcome, Christine! We are currently enjoying our vacation, and the pages we did not do in the car (mainly the Melissa and Doug activities) have been great to fill some time at our destination.

May 27, 2014 at 2:24 pm

Can’t wait til you get here!

May 27, 2014 at 7:48 am

I love this!! We regularly make a 9-10 hour car journey to see family and am always looking for ideas to keep my pre-schoolers entertained (without having to reach for dropped bottles or toys every few minutes!) Thank you.

June 1, 2014 at 7:50 pm

You’re very welcome! I hope your kids enjoy a few of these ideas. As it turned out, my kids were happiest with the coloring pages, books on CD, and drawing pads. They did a little bit with the magnetic shapes and of course loved the snacks most of all. 🙂

October 25, 2018 at 8:03 pm

Thats great! ??

[…] Finally, when it comes to making your car as child-friendly as possible, do remember to think about ways of keeping your little ones entertained.  […]

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[…] The Measured Mom takes care of entertainment for kids aged 2-8. […]

[…] that’s not usually the case for kids. If you want them to be on their best behavior, kids need to remain entertained throughout the ride. There are many ways to keep your kids busy, but snacks are a favorite. Bring a […]

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[…] with Kids can be difficult at times, but there are ways to keep the whole family happy. There are plenty of activities that you can prepare to make sure your kids are entertained and excited the entire trip. Be […]

[…] a complicated DIY craft for the kids to do in the car. That’s why I absolutely love this DIY Lapboard craft from The Measured Mom, which is about as easy as it gets. Once finished, your kids will have a nice […]

[…] reach. Then print a variety of free games and coloring pages to keep the kids busy. Find additional road trip activities for kids ages 2-8 here. – The Measured […]

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[…] reach. Then print a variety of free games and coloring pages to keep the kids busy. Find additional road trip activities for kids ages 2-8 here. – The Measured […]

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The Best Road Trip Games for Kids to Get Off Screens and Enjoy the Ride

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Verywell Family / Lecia Landis

Road tripping with the family can be an adventure—and sometimes it’s actually an easier way to get where you’re going than air travel. But since kids can get restless on car rides , equipping your vehicle with the best road trip games for kids is essential to an entertaining journey.

“Having a few age-appropriate options for entertaining kids on a long car ride will help make the trip smoother,” Sara Huberman Carbone, MD, a pediatrician at One Medical in Orange County, California, told Verywell Family. “Consider choosing some activities kids can do on their own and some that involve the whole family to help mix things up.”

Games can be especially helpful for kids who are prone to car sicknesses or if you are aiming for a screen-free ride. “Games that encourage looking outside of the car, such as ‘I Spy,’ will be the best option for someone who is prone to car sickness,” Dr. Huberman Carbone says. “Avoid games where the child needs to look down and focus on a screen or book.”

We looked for games for kids that are easy to play, don’t have a lot of loose parts to lose in the car, and are fun for a variety of ages to create this list.

Here are the best road trip games for kids.

• How We Selected
• What to Look For

Why Trust Verywell Family

Best overall, regal games original travel bingo.

Courtesy of Amazon

No reading required

Space saver 

Easy to play

Not super exciting

Order a second set for more than four boards

Get ready for easy, family fun with this set of four travel bingo game cards. We love that no reading is required to play, because each card features images (plus words) of what players need to find while on the road . The shutter slide cards are self-contained, so there are no small parts, and the flat cards are easy to store in a travel bag or glove compartment. While not a flashy, innovative game, bingo is a classic for good reason, and this set will keep kids looking out the window with the hopes of filling their bingo card.

Key Specs: Age Level: 5 years old and up | Number of Players: 1-4 (more with additional purchase) | Number of Parts: 4 boards

Best Open-Ended Play

Rafi nova union square x rafi nova mo-on-the-go bag.

Courtesy of Rafi Nova

Fun for all ages

Fits into included bag

Inspires creativity

Some kids may want more direction or a specific game to play

Founded by parents with a background in education and travel, Rafi Nova focuses on ethically made products with a focus on giving back. You’ll feel good purchasing this activity bag that provides hours of open-ended fun for kids of all ages. Included in the zippered tote are items like play dough, a magic doodle pad, markers, reusable color form stickers, and much more. Twelve activity cards feature prompts and ideas for how to use all the items in the bag. Since it all packs up in the included bag, this set can move from the car to a restaurant, hotel, or any other destination. Key Specs: Age Level: 2 years old and up | Number of Players: Any | Number of Parts: 20+

Best for Toddlers

Haba town maze magnetic puzzle game.

Self-contained

Educational

Promotes fine motor skills 

Lamination may show signs of wear

If you’re stumped by how to keep your toddler entertained without a screen, look no further than this magnetic, self-contained puzzle game. The object of the game is to use the attached magnetic pen to move balls to the garage of corresponding colors. This STEM toy can improve hand-eye coordination while promoting independence and concentration.

Key Specs: Age Level: 2–5 years old | Number of Players: 1 | Number of Parts: 1

Best for Preschoolers

Melissa & doug water wow books.

Self-contained with pen storage included

Requires water

Best for solo play

If you’ve never heard of Melissa & Doug’s Water Wow! Books, you’re in for a treat. The paint-with-water coloring books are reusable and mess-free, providing a fun and contained coloring experience for young kids. There are countless themes like outer space, animals, vehicles, fairy tales, and ABC practice, so it’s easy to find an appealing topic for your kids. Grown-ups will appreciate that there’s a storage spot in each book to hold the water pen.

Key Specs: Age Level: 3 years old and up | Number of Players: 1 | Number of Parts: 2

Best Open-Ended Play, Runner-Up

Wikki stix travel playset.

Open-ended fun

Unlimited number of players

Clean, quiet, and fun, Wikki Stix are flexible, shapeable sticks of wax-covered yarn that come in a variety of colors. The safe, non-toxic, and American-made toys are amusing for all ages and great for open-ended play. The travel playset comes with everything kids need to stay busy, including 144 sticks in 12 colors and a 12-page booklet of awesome ideas to get the creative juices flowing. Kids can stick their creations on car windows or use them on any flat surface like a book cover or a plate. The handy carrying case is perfect for holding all your kiddo’s creations. 

Key Specs: Age Level: 3 years old and up | Number of Players: Unlimited | Number of Parts: 150+

Best for Older Kids

What do you meme shotgun.

Fun for older kids

Self contained in drawstring bag

Driver can participate

Reading required

Some mature cards

A fun family game, this choice is super easy to play: One player reads the prompt card, and the rest of the players play that card. Simply keep moving through the deck and prompts may be “would you rather” questions, trivia, or more. While the age recommendation is for 12 years old and up, many reviewers say they can play with younger kids and can skip cards that may seem too mature. We like that this is something the driver can also play—as long as they’re not reading!

Key Specs: Age Level: 12 years old and up | Number of Players: 2+ | Number of Parts: 200 cards, drawstring pouch, and instructions

Would You Rather? Made You Think! Edition

Option to make questions into a game

Reading required for at least one player

Learn all about your family and laugh a lot with this interactive book that’s also crafted as a game. The book is chock-full of “would you rather” questions. If you choose to make this into a game, select one “judge” in your group, and each person will need to provide humorous, creative, or logical explanations for their answer. The judge then selects who wins each round. If you don’t want to make it a game, just read the questions, and each traveler can answer while likely laughing and learning more about their family in the process. This type of game passes Dr. Huberman Carbone’s requirements for ideal road trip games too. “Games where kids use their imagination, ask and answer questions, or sing songs can be fun without requiring unsafe movement in the car,” she says.

Key Specs: Age Level: 7 years old and up | Number of Players: Unlimited | Number of Parts: 1

Best Card Game

Skillmatics guess in 10.

Self contained in card packs

Variety of topics have wide appeal

Reading is required to play with the cards

Fun and portable, this game could be played with two to six players or with your group broken into teams. The goal is to ask questions to guess what’s pictured on the card, with the help of clue cards and bonus questions. This kid-friendly game comes in lots of categories including animals, legendary landmarks, foods around the world, dinosaurs, and more. For younger kids, there’s a junior version that’s geared toward 3-to-6-year-olds that doesn’t require reading and is still lots of fun.

Key Specs: Age Level: 6 years old and up | Number of Players: 2 to 6 | Number of Parts: 50+ cards

Best Trivia

Who knows more kids or adults trivia.

Engages the whole family

Trivia questions build knowledge

Need more than one adult to play

Pit the adults in the car against the kids in this fast-moving trivia game. With two card decks—one for adults and one for kids—you’ll breeze through the category questions and try to gain points for your team. A well-rounded team is helpful since the categories include pop culture, history, science, and random facts. You will need more than one adult to play, since the adult driver can’t safely read the cards, but they can still answer the questions.

Key Specs: Age Level: 8 years old and up | Number of Players: 2 or more | Number of Parts: 600+ cards

Best Board Game

Hasbro gaming travel battleship.

Exact same as full-size game

Engaging game 

Ability to “pause” game

Limited to two players

Tiny pegs are easily lost

Travel Battleship is just like the full size game, only smaller and more portable. Made with boards that store all the parts and easily close, the game can even be “paused” for bathroom breaks simply by closing the boards. While fully portable, the pegs are small and can get lost or dropped in the car, so it’s best for older kids, especially those that really enjoy Battleship. 

Key Specs: Age Level: 7 years old and up | Number of Players: 2 | Number of Parts: 50+ small pieces, 2 boards

Final Verdict

We suggest going with the classic Regal Games Original Travel Bingo because it’s reusable, compact, and can even be played by those prone to car sickness. For a fun, portable option that could either be a simple conversation starter or a competitive game, the Would You Rather? book is tons of fun and easily engages a car full of people. 

How We Selected the Best Road Trip Games

To come up with this list, we consulted with Sara Huberman Carbone , MD, a pediatrician at One Medical in Orange County, California to discuss what to look for in a road trip game.

We aimed for games that offer a variety of activities, work for different age needs, don’t require movement, have a range of prices, and aren't loud or distracting to the driver. Other factors included our expert recommendations, shipping and return policies, and availability. User reviews (and complaints) were also helpful to find games that live up to their promises of quality and customer service.

What to Look for in Road Trip Games for Kids

Use these tips to find the best games for the kids in your family. 

Find a game that fits the age level of your group. If it’s too easy, the gameplay will move too quickly or not keep kids engaged. If it’s too hard, kids won’t want to play. Use the age recommendations on the packaging for a helpful guide. 

Number of Players

A car can only hold so many people, so the key to successful road trip games are ones that can be played alone or with a limited number of people. 

Game Requirements

Since you’ll be playing these games in a car, avoid games with lots of loose pieces. We found games that don’t require a flat surface or table to play, since that’s nearly impossible to maintain in a moving car. 

“Select a game where the child can stay safely in their seat with their seat belt buckled,” shares Dr. Huberman Carbone. She reminds us to think of the driver. “Avoid games that may cause the driver to become distracted by noise, lights, or other activities.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Aim for some classics here—they’ve been around forever because they are fun. Games like I Spy, 21 Questions, Hangman, and Tic-Tac-Toe are all fun, free, and require little to no materials. For musical fun, try taking turns to be the car DJ and have a family sing-along.

Kids love surprises and love being in charge. If you are bringing a variety of road trip games, don’t reveal your stash all at once. Let them decide something fun on the trip—whether that’s a rest stop treat, which tourist attraction to visit, or what songs play for their 30-minute DJ shift, they’ll appreciate the chance to be the boss. For a break between games, try family-friendly podcasts or audiobooks that will pass the time and engage the whole family.

There’s a mix of preventative and in-the-moment steps you can take. “Distracting your kids with music or audiobooks can be helpful, as well as opening the windows intermittently to increase ventilation,” Dr. Huberman Carbone says. “Offer a light snack prior to travel and avoid heavy meals. There are over-the-counter medications that can be taken prior to travel which may help to prevent motion sickness. Families can reach out to their pediatrician to discuss if medication is a good option for their child and if so, what the proper dosage is.”

Maya Polton is a former marketing manager and current freelance writer who covers food, home, and parenting. She’s also the mom of a 12-year-old son, 9-year-old son, and 5-year-old daughter. Maya’s kids like to play lots of games in the car including a family favorite of “Who Am I?” with people ranging from well-known celebrities to hard-to-guess family acquaintances. When her crew tires of games, playing DJ is always a popular option.

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Home » Blog » Travel » 25 Fun Road Trip Games for Kids (Printables, DIY & More!)

25 Fun Road Trip Games for Kids (Printables, DIY & More!)

With spring and summer right around the corner, there’s a good chance you’ll soon be spending a lot of time traveling around visiting families, going to summer camps, and taking summer vacations with the kids.

As a result, you’ll probably be spending loads of time in the car, and if you have kiddos, you’re going to want to prepare some ways to keep them entertained!

Introducing: The Best Road Trip Games for Kids!

My kids would be 100 percent content if I let them just watch movies during road trips, but why not utilize that time to let them learn, communicate, and make fun memories? With the fun road trip games and activities below, with a bit of preparation, you can keep your kids entertained for hours in a way that’s interactive and educational. 

Yes, it will take a little bit of preparation, but with most of these, you prepare one time and then you have everything done for upcoming trips!

1. Road Sign Scavenger Hunt

Thanks, TripSavvy!

This was my favorite road trip scavenger hunt printable that I found, but there are hundreds more if this isn’t what you are looking for. This will keep the kids paying attention, talking, and will for sure strike good friendly competition up in the car!

Plus, this is one that all ages can do. You do not have to be able to read to be able to do this! Just match!

2. “Find That Thing” Scavenger Hunt

Thanks, Carla!

Here is another road trip scavenger hunt game that I found, but this one is only for readers. It is a little more advanced, but the objects are a little harder to find! I would suggest this one for your 4th – middle school-aged kids! They will love this.

3. Make Face Magnets

This is one of the best road trip games for toddlers! They will LOVE this game!

Just find pictures of faces online or even use pictures of your own family member’s facial features and allow your child to build whatever face they want! All you need to do is put a little magnet on the back of each paper and you are good to go!

Thanks, TheIowaFarmersWife.com !

4. Cookie Sheet Chalkboard

This one is so fun! All you need to do is go out and buy some chalkboard paint , paint your cookie sheet, and hand your child some chalk ! They will be entertained for hours on end just drawing away.

This is a super inexpensive way to entertain your kids and you won’t be wasting paper on coloring books! You can just erase and draw over and over again!

Thanks, SunnyWithAChanceOfSprinkles.com

5. Alphabet Pictionary

This one is awesome for any little kid just learning their ABCs but can honestly be used with kids of all ages. All you have to do is print out these printables , put them in a binder , and hand them out to each kid! Let them bring along crayons , pencils or markers and draw away!

Hours will have passed by the time they draw something for each letter . Once everyone finishes, Mom or Dad could judge the drawing and give out a winner for each letter!

Thanks, Lalymom!

6. Travel Memory Game

All you need to make this awesome road trip game is some felt , scissors , glue , and cardboard ! After a little prep, your child will be able to play either with siblings or by themselves, all day long.

This is SUPER easy to make and will last a long time . Not to mention how cheap these supplies will be! Your kids will adore this handmade memory game set.

Thanks, Kids Activities Blog!

7. Truck Spotting/Car Spotting

This is a huge hit in my house for little boys! All you need to do is print this out, hand them a pencil, and see who can spot the most trucks first. Your boys will love this!

Some of these trucks are a little dated and you won’t see too often (like the TV van with the satellite on top) so I would suggest just having a timer and seeing who can get the most in the specific amount of time!

Thanks National Post! 

iSpy is one of my favorite go-to car games but sometimes it is hard to think of things to SPY! I found 2 lists that were perfect for car rides! They are suited well so that you will be able to find everything right from the window of the car.

This will take up a good 30-60 minutes and can be played over and over again!

Thanks, A Pretty Life in the Suburbs & Live Laugh Rowe !

9. License Plate Game

All growing up I played this will my siblings and my kids still play it today!! This awesome printable will help your kids keep track of all the license plates they’ve seen throughout the trip.

I would suggest this one for the longer road trips that go across multiple states . If you’re stuck in one state the entire time, you might not see too much diversity!

Thanks, TheSuburbanMom!

10. ABC Spelling Game

I love this idea! It’s a road trip game that’s fun and educational . And we all know how it goes when a little one is learning to read and write. They are all so eager to learn and this is such a fun way to help them improve their spelling.

All you need is a metal lunch box , magnetic tape , and alphabet letters ! Give your child the lunch box and tell them which words to spell!

You could be sitting in the front seat saying, “dog” “meow” “purple” “truck” and they could be in the backseat spelling away! Or, you could give their sibling little flashcards with words to help quiz them along the way!

Thanks, As the Bunny Hops!

11. Roadtrip Bingo

Bingo is an awesome option when you have a car full of kids! What I love to do is simply give them a book or a notepad, let them set their board up, and simply use fruit snacks or goldfish as markers!

The first one to get a bingo gets to call out the objects the next time. My kids could go on and on for hours with this! I’m sure yours will too!

Thanks, Everyday Reading!

12. Travel Journal

A travel journal is a great way for your kids to pass the time, practice their writing, and write down all the fun memories they make while on family vacations . You can find many different options of printables for a travel journal but I like the one above because it is good for all ages.

Maybe attach a blank piece of paper to the other side and have them draw their favorite part of the day and write a paragraph about what they loved the most about today! Your kids will love to look back on this once the trip is over.

Thanks, Voluntown Housewife!

13. Word Search

Word Searches are fantastic ways to pass the time while in the car. What I love to do is put them in sheet protectors , hand them a dry erase pen , and let all your kids have a try!

This way you will only have to print out one puzzle and they will all get to use it. All they need to do is wipe off their writings once they are done!

Thanks, iHeartNapTime!

14. Would You Rather?

This game looks amazing! I haven’t tried this one yet, but I am going to totally make this for our next road trip. All you have to do is print out the questions and make the book! You will then have dozens of questions for your kids.

This will entertain them for such a long time and they will love it! And if you’re planning a Disney vacation , this is even more perfect.

Thanks, GetAwayToday!

15. Racetrack Binder

I love this idea. You could fill up a little 3 ring binder with word searches, puzzles, games, and maybe even their journal and then add this little race track to the end . You’d then have an entire binder full of road trip games.

With this one, your little kids will love pretending to drive their race car all around as you are on your road trip. Just head here and print out the printable! All you have to do is put it in the sheet protectors and you are good to go!

Thanks, Design Dizzle!

16. Ticket Time

If you have kids that love to ask, “Are we there yet?” This is the game for you!! All you need to do is determine how long your trip will be. If it will be 6 hours, give each kid a baggie with 12 tickets in it (one ticket for every 30 minutes).

After 30 minutes go by, they can hand you a ticket. If they ask, “are we there yet?” they don’t get to turn in a ticket. Once the trip has ended all the kids who have given back all the tickets can get a treat!

I love this simple idea! It helps the kids know how much longer they have left without even having to ask!

Thanks, Crafting Chicks!

17. Car Ride Presents

This idea takes a little prep, but I love the concept of this. This sweet mother decided that she would make a hand-made gift for her kids each time they went on a road trip. Whether it was a journal, a doll, a bracelet, etc… she wrapped it up and took it on the trip with them.

I think this would be an awesome motivator to help your kids be on their best behavior. Tell them that if they behave, they can open their present in the last hour of the trip!

Note: This doesn’t have to be extravagant or expensive.. just give them a handmade treat that they would love! Check out these Homemade Gift Ideas Perfect for Any Occasion for ideas.

Thanks, Grey Luster Girl! 

18. Brain Quest

My kids love these games! Their cards are awesome and will get your kids thinking. There are different decks for different ages and they will keep your kids entertained forever .

The deck is full of questions that your child will quickly need to answer. This can be played with siblings or with you leading it! Whatever works! If you’ve never tried this game, you need to! It’s the greatest.

Check it out here!

19. Geography Quiz

Make it a competition and your kids will love it even more. I even have a little prize sometimes for the winner.

20. Dry Erase Activity Book

This is one that can be 100% customizable . All you need to do is gather a bunch of printables that your child can use over and over again. I found word searches, essay prompts, coloring pages, and crosswords.

All you need to do after is laminate them! You can either go to a store to get this done or do it yourself! Afterward, punch holes in the paper and let your kids draw away. This book will last forever because all you’ll have to do is erase the markings and start over after every road trip.

Thanks Simply Kierste!

21. Hangman

This is the perfect game for road trips. It is a wooden slab that has letters that you can flip over and a dry erase marker. All you need to do is throw this in the car and it is there ready for them to play. My kids love this and it keeps them occupied for hours and hours. 

22. Road Trip Grab Book

I decided to put this as the last homemade game because it is the perfect way to combine all of the other road trip activities and games I have mentioned above. All you need is a 3 ring binder and some pencil cases .

Once you have those, all you need to do is fill each pencil case with different activities. You can put coloring pages, legos, treats, cards, etc. Honestly, anything you want! All you have to do is fill it up and hand it to each child.

You can customize each binder and fill it with things specific to them OR give everyone the same thing . I like to put all the same things in each binder just to avoid the fighting!

Thanks, MamaPapaBubba!

23. Premium Scratch and Sketch Art Notes 2 Pack

This is the perfect item for any of your children that love to doodle. This pad will eliminate crayons, markers, and pens because all the colors are already there under the paper! Once they draw, the colors will appear. Your kids will love these.

24. Travel Scavenger Hunt Card Game

This game is perfect to play in the car. All you need to do is put it in the pocket of your car and let it sit there. Whenever your kids are bored, they can pull it out and use it! They will love having it around to keep them entertained on long rides.

25. Games on the Go

If you’re looking for a bunch of simple road trip games in a compact format, this Games On the Go product is perfect. It has 50 games and can fit right in your pocket!

Final Thoughts

I hope that you found some car games that struck your attention on this list! Give a few of them a try on your next road trip and let me know how it goes.

I know that sometimes as moms we just DREAD long trips in the car, but with the right preparation, you can have the best road trip ever!

What road trip activities do your kids love doing in the car? Comment below! I can’t wait to find out.

Essential Road Trip Item:

This would be awesome on the back seat of your car to keep snacks and supplies off the ground! There is nothing I love more than squished fruit snacks or crackers ALL OVER THE CAR 😉 and this will prevent that from happening!

Plus it will keep your kids energized while they play all the road trip games above. Check it out on Amazon here .

This post was insanely helpful. Thanks for all your hard work putting this together.

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28 Fun Car Road Trip Games For Kids And Families

By: Author Nakia Pullen

Posted on Published: September 29, 2023  - Last updated: March 23, 2024

It seems that family road trips are making a comeback, especially for people who are interested in seeing the country from the ground instead of the air.  

We all have the advantage of knowing how kids can start to feel antsy during road trips because we have experienced it ourselves as children.  

Having a list of things to do during road trips is helpful for the entire family.  The miles go by much more quickly for a child who is busy and parents have the joy of happily entertained children.

With all the things you already have on your to do list for going on trips (which includes packing for pretty much everyone!), we thought you would appreciate some assistance with the in-car entertainment!

These games do not have to be complicated at all. 

For most of them, you only need your imagination and the optional piece of paper, so there is no worry about overpacking the car with a ton of activity related paraphernalia.

Keep this list at the ready for that time (probably within the first hour of your trip) that you hear the words dreaded by most parents….”I’m bored!”  or, my personal favorite, “Are we there yet?”

You will be able to quickly change the vibe in the car by introducing any of the fun road trip games we have listed below.  Best of all, you might all have a ton of fun and be at your destination before you know it!

Road Trip Games For Kids

1. Play Road Trip Bingo

I remember looking at road signs a lot when I was on a long road trip as a child.  Younger kids would love playing road trip bingo to make the miles go by faster.

A great way to help supplement this game is with this colorful and fun  road trip BINGO printable .  Playing this game will help the kids keep their eyes on what is outside instead of spending hours on screen time!

2. Have A Road Trip Scavenger Hunt

One of the best ways to pass the time is to have the kids have something to look for.  

Our  road trip scavenger hunt printable  will help set you up to get started with fun ideas for your next road trip.

The kids will be on such good behavior because they will be so busy looking for all the of items of their scavenger hunt!  

For an added bonus, the winner could have the first choice of a treat at a fast-food restaurant!

3. See Who Can Find More Of Each Color Car

This next option is a road trip classic!  It is a great game especially for kids who are getting more familiar with colors.   

Everyone looks to see how many cars of each color they are able to find along the way.

To help keep track of the cars, we have this cute  car color find printable  to help keep track of everything.  

You could also include bonus points for unusual colors, interesting designs or trucks with different store logos on them!

4. Spot Items Of The Alphabet

Starting with the letter A, spot items on your trip that start with corresponding letters.  This is definitely a game that can include the entire family. 

 If you have little ones, it may be better to take turns and help them so they do not get lost in the shuffle of competition.  

5. Ask Each Other Fun Questions

Road trips are great ways to get to know each other even better than you already do!  Asking each other different questions can really give you a new insight into each member of your family.

The sky is really the limit with what types of questions you can ask.  Sometimes the easiest way to start on these questions is to ask some that make your kids laugh.  

A funny example of this would be  gross would you rather questions !  In addition to gaining instant interest, these questions will also get everyone laughing.

If your road trip happens to be during the summer, you can try out some great  summer would you rather questions  to celebrate the season of sun and fun!

Other questions that will get your kids chatting include  fun questions to ask kids  and the ever entertaining  this or that questions .  

You will definitely be surprised at the variety of answers you get as well as the priceless insight you may get into the personalities of the people in your family! 

The most important thing is to listen and take in the answers from your little ones!

6. Tell Funny Jokes

There is nothing better than hearing jokes from little kids!  It’s one of my favorite car activities.

If your joke bank is running low, we have you covered with  jokes for young children .

If you have kids that have outgrown their car seats and may have a more sophisticated sense of humor, we have also included  jokes for older kids .

Leave room for your kids to bring up jokes they have heard or even better, jokes they have made up by themselves!

7. Play Sevens

Each person in the car takes turns counting and anytime the number is a multiple of 7 that person has to say BUZZ or else they are out.

If you need to modify this game for younger kids, you can start with multiples of 2 and maybe work in teams so that an adult can help.

8.Play Cows And Graveyards

Each person in the car counts the number of cows they see, but when you see a graveyard, it cancels everyone’s cows. Designate one person to keep a tally of cows and graveyard losses.

The person with the most cows at the end wins.  

9. Play Hey Cow

If you spot a herd of cattle, one player rolls down their window and YELLS “Hey COW!!” as loudly as they can. You get one point if the cow looks at you.

10. Play I Went To The Market

The person who starts says “I went to the market and bought (something that starts with A- apple, maybe). The next person has to remember apple and add something with B.

This memory game will give everyone’s brain some needed exercise!

11. Play The License Plate Game

Who knew that you could use license plates to help teach your kids about United States geography?  That is precisely what this classic game is all about.  

Print off a map of the United States for each family member.  The maps will be used as score cards for everyone- kind of like a bingo card.

During the long car ride, each person keeps an eye on license plates of the cars on the road.  If the license plate is from the state you are in, it counts for zero points.

If the license plate is from a state touching the state you are in, it counts for one point.  Every state that touches a one point state is worth two points and so on.

When someone spots a license plate, they must call out the state to get the point for themselves.  This is a perfect way to help your kids learn about different states and their locations!

At the end of your long trip, you can tally the points on each score card to declare a winner!

12. Play Guess The Animal

This is one of the best games to keep everyone busy and learning at the same time.  

One person thinks of an animal and everyone takes turns asking only yes or no questions to figure out what animal that person chose.

For young kids, your best option is to keep answers and questions more simple to meet them where they are in their animal knowledge.  

However, the entire family will be surprised at how much your kids really know about animals!

13. Play Name That Person

Select a person in a passing car and make up their life story.  The story can be as silly and magical as you want.  

Make sure you give them a good backstory and a lot of side characters to follow the main character on their life story journey. 

14. Play The Strange And Unusual Game

Each time someone sees something strange or unusual, they get a point.  

15. Play The Counting Game

One person in the car starts with 1, then someone else (randomly without being signaled) says 2. If two people say it at the same time, you start back at one. The end goal is to get to 20.

You will be amazed at how much this will make everyone laugh!

16. Play Name The Song/Artist

Playing this game is such a good way to have your travel music playlist work double duty for you!  

It is also a one of the better road trip activities to take part in for those of us who experience motion sickness and have a challenge looking at things inside the car while it is moving.

There are a few variations of this game.  You can play the beginning of the song to see if people can guess it.  

You can also have someone say the lyrics to a song and everyone guesses.  

Make sure you have a kid safe playlist that has songs that kids of all ages can identify!

17. Play Triple Threat

Someone says three random nouns and the other people in the car have to tell a story about the three items.  

You could either have one person tell the tale, have each person tell a different story, or have everyone take turns and be involved in the same story.  

No matter what you choose, this game will score high in the creativity and fun category!

18. Have A Rock Paper Scissors Tournament

Among some of my favorite road trip games has to be rock paper scissors!  Make sure you go over the rules: rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper and paper beats rock.  

If there is a tie, the people who tied get to go against each other again until there is no tie.  The people who lose could wash the car windows on the next stop or help get snacks for the winners.  

The tournament could resume after each car stop.

19. Play Punch Buggy

Also called Slug Bug or Punch Bug, this game consists of looking for Volkswagen bug vehicles.  Make sure the kids are clear on what one looks like before you begin!

When someone spots a bug, he or she lightly punches the person next to them and says “Punch Buggy!”.   A variation of this can be to include the color of the bug vehicle that was spotted.  

You can designate a person to keep a tally of each family member’s finds.  Designate one point for a found bug and take away a point for each time punch buggy is called in error.

Go over the level of punch with your kids to start or you can change the rules to have them tap each other.  Sometimes the excitement of the game can lead to and overexcitement in the punch category!

That being said, keep the game light and fun and give each other kudos for their finds.  The only out of bounds area for this game is when passing by a Volkswagen dealership, or else mayhem may ensue!  

The winner can be declared the bug champion of the trip!

20. Play Mystery Phrase

It’s like telephone, but you spell the phrase out in a person’s hand.  To help ease the guessing a little bit, you could come up with themes, like summer items, animal names or shapes, for example.

This game is sure to get the laughter going in the car!

21. Play Fortunately, Unfortunately

This storytelling game will help you all create a story with tons of exciting ups and downs!  

The first person says something like:” Fortunately, I remembered to bring sunscreen”, and then the next person says something like “but unfortunately, it made my skin green!” and so forth while telling a silly story.

Every sentence starts alternately with Fortunately or Unfortunately, thereby changing the story for better or worse with each sentence.  Kids will enjoy the general silliness of this game!

22. Play Mad Libs

These road trip-themed Mad Libs are perfect for your next trip!

If you would like to reuse stories, depending on the length of the drive, you can put them in clear pocket folders and use erasable markers to fill in each blank.

23. Play I Spy

Each person starts their turn with the phrase “I spy with my little eye….”  and then they give some form of description about an item they happen to see out the window of the car.

For example, someone might say “I spy with my little eye something green” and then everyone else in the car starts guessing items outside that are green until someone guesses correctly.

24. Play The Quiet Game

For the times when things have gotten too loud and rambunctious (especially in the back seats!), this game will help chill things out, at least for a while!

As the name suggests, the point of the game is to stay quiet.  The last team or person to stay quiet the longest, wins the game.

While I can not guarantee that this game will last long, it will give at least a short break and most likely end in laughter!

25. Play The Category Game

One person chooses a category and a letter (for example, animals and the letter G).  Then each person takes turns naming items in this category that start with the chosen letter.

So for our example we would have gorillas, goats, giraffes, gerbils, etc.  The first person who can not think of a word for the category is out and gets to pick the next letter.

The remaining players continue to name items in the category, but now using the next letter that was chosen.  You continue to play the game this way until everyone but one person is out.

The winner gets to choose the next category and letter for the next game.

26. Play The Name Game

The first person in this game starts off with the name of their choice.  Then the next person has to figure out a name that starts with the last letter of the first name and so on.

For example: Adam, Mary, Yolanda, Aiden.  Anyone who can not think of a name or repeats a name already used is out.  The last person left at the end wins the game!

27. Play Two Truths and a Lie

One player tells everyone two things that are true and one thing that is a lie.  Everyone else has to guess which of these is the lie.

This can be quiet challenging since you are most likely traveling with people who know you pretty well!

28. Play Tic-Tac-Toe

For this simple game you can use a piece of paper and pass it back and forth.  If you want to do something a little different, you can find tic-tac-toe magnets and use a small cookie sheet to stick them to.

For a bonus, you can add other fun magnets with pictures of the alphabet that can encourage some independent play as well!

We sincerely hope that this list will help ease some of the pressures that can come with a long road trip.  

Time together with family can be wonderful, but it can also feel like a lot when you are all crammed in a small space for hours at a time!

While not every minute has to be life changing and amazing, it is good to have a plan to keep the kids (and adults!) busy and happy.  

Remember that it is also ok for the kids to do their own thing at times as well.  While it is nice to do things together, you also need a break every now and then and that is definitely ok!

Have fun and enjoy those sweet moments where you are all enjoying yourselves and laughing so hard that your eyes are watering!

Happy trails and as always, you’ve got this!

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Saturday 7th of October 2023

What an incredible post about fun car road trip games for kids and families! I absolutely love the idea of "See Who Can Find More Of Each Color Car." It's such a fantastic way to engage everyone in the car and keep them entertained while enjoying the journey. "Play Name The Song/Artist" is another brilliant game that brings the joy of music into the road trip experience. And let's not forget about "The Quiet Game" – a classic game that can provide some much-needed tranquility during long drives. Thank you for sharing these fantastic ideas! They really make car journeys more enjoyable, memorable, and filled with laughter.

Brenda Kosciuk

Thanks for the appreciation!

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[…] to a great start (or end!) to your next trip! I hope these road trip games are […]

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Creating Really Awesome Fun Things

26 of the Best Road Trip Games For Kids

Updated on June 21, 2023   |  By Jamie Dorobek   |   1 Comment

I’m not opposed to electronics on long road trips, but I would prefer my kids to be curious and engaged in the world right outside of the car window. Plus what kid wants to stare at an iPad for 10+ hours? (Never mind, don’t answer that, ha!) You have to switch it up on a road trip with kids. This list of 26 road trip games for kids makes time fly on the road with kids!

* A giant thank you to Toyota for letting my family borrow a Toyota Highlander for our 12 hour road trip to Seaside, FL! What a difference a car can make! My favorite features include reclining bucket seats, rear AC control in the front of the car, and the 3rd row bench seat! 

If you’re in the market for traveling with kids, don’t miss these posts:

• Tips for long road trips with a baby
• 16 Tips for road tripping with toddlers
• Tips for traveling with a baby via airplane
• Traveling with a  mobile lap baby via airplane
• Tips for  flying with a toddler

Pipe Cleaner Car Games

Who knew pipe cleaners could save the day on long car rides? The are very cheap, colorful, and not messy. Here is an awesome  deal on a pack of 200 pipe cleaners , and here are 3 pipe cleaner activities to do in the car.

1. Stringing Beads on Pipe Cleaners

This is just as simple as it sounds, bring a small tupperware or zip lock bag of pony beads and let the kids make bracelets and necklaces. I always like to suggest that the kids make a necklace for whomever you are going to visit whether that is Grandma or Aunt Kelley. Also, if you don’t have pony beads on hand, noodles or Cheerios work great too!

2.  Pipe cleaner sculptures

Another simple pipe cleaner car game for kids is making sculptures. My kids love challenges, so I like to say things like, “I challenge you to make a pipe cleaner monster.” or “I challenge you to make a pipe cleaner accessory.” Prizes are great motivators too. We do simple things like a dum dum or a single Starburst. Below is the pipe cleaner accessory my son made for me.

3. Are We There Yet Game

This simple pipe cleaner road trip game for kids will put the “Are We There Yet?” questions to rest.

Here’s how you play the “Are we there yet” pipe cleaner car game:

• Before you start your road trip, decide how long you will drive each day, an estimate is just fine.
• Gather enough pipe cleaners for each kid to have one for every hour you drive.  You could also do one pipe cleaner per 30 minute increments if your kids are younger.
• Prep the car by making a loop around the car handle on the ceiling with string and running it across to the other side above their heads. This is so the pipe cleaner chain does not have to dangle in their faces for the entire car ride.
• Explain before you take off that every hour (or half hour) you will hand out a pipe cleaner to each child. Instruct them to make a loop with the pipe cleaner.
• To make this activity take a little longer, have the kids string pony beads on the pipe cleaner, leaving enough room to twist the loop shut.

Felt Car Crafts

Like pipe cleaners, felt is another inexpensive craft material that does not make a mess. Which is exactly why pipe cleaners are perfect for a road trip! Here is an awesome deal on 42 pieces of colorful felt squares . For these felt car activities for kids we are going to make scenes. To prep this craft, cut out the scenes before you leave on your trip. I typically suggest cutting 3-5 scenes and putting them all in a galloon zip lock bag for the kids to go through at their own pace.

Next, glue one felt sheet to a clip board. Clip the ziplock bag under the clip. This gives a nice hard surface to play on and keeps everything well contained.

4. Felt House

For the felt house scene, cut out the different parts of the house. Things like, windows, door, roof, flowers, tree, and grass.

5. Felt faces

Cut out a head shape and then go wild with faces. Here are a few to start with, frowns, smiles, teeth, big eyes, small eyes, freckles, lashes, noses, short hair, long hair, and hats. For more felt face tips and tricks, check out this post from C.R.A.F.T.

6. United States

Cutting out the 50 states takes a little prep time, but is a lot of fun for the older kids.

7. Ice Cream Cone

Cut out a cone and multiple scoops of ice cream. Then, add the toppings! Things like sprinkles, a cheery, and even gummi bears are fun for kids. The same thing can be done with a pizza!

Cut out a blue rectangle for the ocean and then add fish, seaweed, coral, clams, sharks, and even a scuba diver!

Travel Journals

Older kids are the natural fit for keeping a travel log, but this can be done with little ones too. Younger kids can draw pictures, cut out pictures from magazines and travel brochures, or add stickers. I like to assign a portion of the day to writing when the car should be quiet.

Pro tip: f you sign up with your destination’s visitors bureau, you can request free catalogs.

9. Travel log for older kids

First, have the kids make their journal. The free approach to making a travel journal is to take an old cereal box, and cut out a front and back for the book. Cut large pieces of white paper out and glue them on the cardboard to create spaces to write and color.

After the travel log is made, consider giving kids a prompt to write about each day. Here are a few fun prompt ideas:

• Today I have seen the color ______ the most because…
• The best thing I’ve seen on the road today was…
• The best food I’ve had on the road trip so far is…
• Describe what you see out of the window right now.

10. Travel log for preschoolers

Younger kids will love this activity too, just make sure to have a few more supplies on hand. I love to bring map pencils, stickers, tape, at least one magazine, glue sticks, and scissors to keep the younger ones excited about their travel journal.

Cardboard Box Top Road Trip Games

The following 4 car games for kids all use a cardboard box top to contain the supplies. I’ve found that a printer box top works best since it has sides and you can typically get one for free at your job.

11.  Travel Chalkboard Table

All you need for this is black construction paper and chalk. Simply hand your kiddo the materials and let them get to work. Another fun idea is to paint the inside of the box lid with a few coats of chalkboard paint.

12. Coloring Box Top

This is as simple as adding a few sheets of paper and coloring utensils. Another idea is to use a hot glue gun to attach a clip board to one side of the box to secure the paper to the lid.

13.  Cardboard Box Mini Train Table

This is a big hit with the 4 and under crowd who really love trains. Consider using 3M strips to stick 3-4 train track pieces to the box top. I don’t recommend sticking them all to the box, part of the fun is completing the track. This can also be down with a car race track. Just use a permanent marker to draw a race track on the lid and give your child cars to race.

14.  Sticky Letters

For this road trip activity, you will need duct tape, contact paper, buttons, and of course, a cardboard box top. You can find the free printable dotted alphabet needed for this activity on C.R.A.F.T.

Printable Road Trip Games for Kids

What would a road trip be without a rousing game of roadside bingo or the license plate game? There are so many awesome blogs and sites to hit up for free road trip game printables! Three of my favorites are listed below. I ended up purchasing a few re-usable road trip bingo cards from Amazon. My 6 year old loved it! Again, a prize is always a fun idea, these crazy balls were our bingo prizes .

15. License Plate Bingo

I love this free printable from Today’s Creative Life . It’s a single sheet of paper with a place to check off every state you find. I like to do this one with the whole family.

16. Road Trip Bingo

Urban Bliss Life has an adorable free prinatble road trip bingo.

17. Restaurant I-Spy

This road trip game is exactly what it sounds like, you have to keep your eyes peeled to find all the fast food joints. Grab the free printable at 3 Boys and a Dog . I love that this printable is made with logos, so it works well for little ones too.

Books on Tape

18. audiobooks.

Download the Audible app to your phone for free, and then you can buy audiobooks through Amazon that get sent right to the app. You can listen to the audio books as much as you’d like! Here is an awesome list of 35 audio books for kids from Everyday Reading . Some of the books come with images and some do not.

19. Record books with your voice

To record most children’s books all you need is your cell phone. I love this idea for little kids who enjoy hearing your voice.  Don’t forget the actual books! Having the child follow along with your voice in the book is a great early reading skill. Here is very simple tutorial for recoding your voice using Voice Memos on an iPhone .

20. Pod casts for kids

Here’s an awesome list of pod casts for kids that adults will enjoy too . Did you know that Cookie Monster has his own pod cast?!

Road trip snack games

Everyone loves road trip snacks! Turn food into a game and everyone wins a little peace and quiet on the family road trip.

21. Food Memory Game

I bought this food memory game for a long road trip this Spring Break and it was a hit! It’s a snack and game all in one. Bring a pack of colored  candies (liked M&M’s) to easily refill the holes. My kids played this game at least 20 times on the road trip and have played it at home with friends too. There are 18 snack compartments big and each compartment is only big enough for about 2 Cheez-Its or 12ish pistachios.

22. Twizzler Writing

Grab a package of the rope twizzler pull and peel, not the traditional braid and a clip board or lap desk to have kids practice their letters. You can print and laminate (or stick in a ziplock bag) large letters for the younger ones to trace. Call out words of things you see as you drive past and have the older ones spell the words out. The best part is clean up is a synch… and a tasty snack!

23. Bead organizer snack packs

While this is not exactly an activity, you will be amazed at how long it keeps them busy. Buy one bead organizer per child and fill it with snacks in each little compartment. You can also bring stickers for the kids to use to personalize their snack boxes.

Here are some simple road trip snack ideas I’ve used before:

• Cranberries
• Carrot sticks
• Cucumber slices
• Marshmallows

24. Letter treats

This educational “game” reinforces letter recognition and letter sounds. I bought a container of Trader Joe’s Schoolbook Cookies , and every hour or so we did a quick letter session that inevitably ended in eating cookies.

• For my 4 year old, I would hold up a letter cookie and ask, “What sound does this letter make?” Then, I would ask her to name the letter and then she got to eat the cookie.
• For my 6 year old, I asked him to name 3 words that start with x letter.

Road Trip Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

The last 3 road trip games for kids are specifically for youngest travelers.

25. Post-It Notes

This is seriously as easy as handing your toddler a stack of Post-It notes. Then let them go wild sticking notes any where they want. Another method I’ve used is to stick a ton of notes to an empty oatmeal container and let the child pull them all off. The empty oatmeal container serves double purpose as a storage spot for extra Post-Its and coloring supplies.

26. Learn something new

My son and I worked on numbers on a long road trip to Florida and it was amazing what 10 sessions of  5 minutes each can do over a one week period. By the end of the week, he could identify the numbers 0-9! This would work well with letters, multiplications facts or states and capitals for older kiddos.

27. Asking older kids to read/ teach/ sing to the younger ones

This is on of my personal favorites because if the older kiddo agrees, it’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. Maxwell is 4 and he will sing his 2 year old sister songs and “read” her books for fun. This typically only lasts for 5ish minutes, but 5 minutes increments add up fast.

If you are looking for more travel tips with kids, I’ve got you covered:

I hope we have inspired you to pack a few inexpensive road trip games for kids before you hit the open road! Just remember, don’t use all your tricks at once. Try to stagger the activities so that you never run out of things to do!

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July 8, 2021

Brilliant! Thank you!

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Easy Play to Learn Activities and Printables for Little Learners

40 + Road Trip Activities for Kids

3 Year Olds , 4 Year Olds , ACTIVITIES , FALL , INDOOR PLAY , KINDERGARTEN , OUTDOOR PLAY , Play to Learn Activities , PreK , PRESCHOOL , Printables for Kids , Road trip/Vacation/On the Go/Airplane Ideas , SEASONAL , SPRING , Summer , SUMMER , TODDLER , TOP ACTIVITIES , WINTER We use affiliate links and may earn commission from purchases made through those links.

Table of Contents

Are you looking for road trip ideas for toddlers, preschool, kindergarten and for kids? 

I’ve got you covered , i’ve compiled a list of over 40 ideas so that you can relax, have a smoother trip and it includes fun activities to do in the car or on the go (road trip ideas for kids) , some of the ideas mentioned have been very helpful for myself and others., some have been very helpful for mamas all around the world. , a few of these road trip with kids’ ideas are from parents who have commented in a group i moderate about the methods that were helpful for them , i have added them to this list as well and i hope this gives you an all around better set of ideas that are not just my own but ideas from other mamas who have found what they tried was super duper helpful too , related: is it summer time for you here are over 70+ summer activities for kids and some will work for on the go too , how do you make a long car ride fun , i’ve compiled this list for ages 2-7. , it is a wide range of road trip with toddler ideas, fun road trip games for 3 and 4 year olds, and things to do on road trips with 5,6 and 7 year olds , i hope you can find which category best suits you and your lo. , some of these activities will also work with a differentiated set of ages while some won’t. , what can you do on a long car ride , there are many fun ideas and kids activities you can bring forth for kids on a long car ride. , some ideas are bringing coloring books, mess free water coloring books, busy bags, busy books.. , i’ll be going through more things to do during a road trip below , how do you make a road trip fun , i always say a playlist of good music your family loves, snacks, and a wholesome set of activities by age  will do wonders , i’ll be sharing below some ideas that can make your road trip go smoothly for the family , do you have any other fun ideas you may have tried to make for the best road trips with kids , related: here is a free color match/fine motor printable you can take on the go, what can kids do on a road trip , depending on your child’s age, there are many fun things for kids to do on a road trip . , here is a list of fun things to do on road trips that can work for a differentiated set of ages with the same deck of cards., toddlers can play with a deck of cards. , preschoolers can practice matching the 2’s with the 2’s and the 3’s with the 3’s with that same deck of cards. (on a tray. i’ll elaborate more on this below.), 5,6,7 year olds can play a game of go fish and other fun card games your lo can think of. , road trip activities for 2 year olds, what are some travel activities for toddlers, how do toddlers survive a long car ride , here are some tips and ideas on how to make the best of a long car ride with a toddler, i like to have on hand educational toddler apps on my phone/tablet as a side hand in case i need it. , but first and foremost, busy bags, busy bags, busy bags.. these are a wonderful set of pencil holders or crayon boxes to store small invitations to play (i’ll elaborate more on this below.), coloring books, notepads, post it notes, water wow books, finger puppets, a deck of playing cards, a plastic tray (i cannot stress this enough. it is a wonderful tool to use with invitation to play activities.) think of an airplane tray where you eat your food on. , painters tape for a fun fine motor activity, “remove the tape” from the plastic tray. , snacks, snacks, snacks and more snacks. 😀, toddler books (for a list of our favorites, check out this post right here .), stickers for sticking on a notepad or window stickers for sticking on the window. , busy book – here is one that has a few pages that will work for toddlers as well , sing the daddy finger song together. , and, these are just some of the many ideas i’ll be sharing in this post. , i hope you find some of them helpful , next up: long car rides with toddlers.., how should i bring my toddler on a road trip, how do you keep a 2 year old entertained on a long road trip, here are some ideas on road trip essentials for kids:, if you are going on a road trip, make sure to have roadside assistance readily available in case of any emergency (flat tire, no gas..) , a comfortable and well placed car seat for your toddler. , when my oldest was smaller we used to have an organizer that strapped to the back of the drivers chair (for toddlers, strap this to the front of the back seats as toddlers should ride in a rear facing car seat.) these are great for storing their toys so they can easily grab them. , choose any of the fun activities mentioned above for a road trip (some more ideas: games, flip books, cd’s for learning about the alphabet, fun songs they like to sing along to, i spy color games…), be sure to take extra stops and breaks as children shouldnt sit in a car seat for more than 2 hours at a time if they are 2 years old. , take your trip around your toddlers nap time. this is so that they can take a nap when you are starting on your road trip. , lastly, avoid taking your trip around any traffic or rush hour. , related: looking for an awesome busy book for on the go check it out here, so, how do i entertain my 2 year old on a road trip , these are just some ideas that can be helpful for entertaining your toddler on a road trip , of course, busy books, quiet books that contain matching games will be very helpful and we have a couple of amazing resources that can be well prepared for taking on a trip 😀, and, they are great for siblings too , 2 year olds, 3 year olds and 4 year olds can have fun learning with some of the activities in our preschool learning binder. , all of the activities will work for preschoolers and some of the activities will work for toddlers.  , road trip activities for 3 year olds, how do i entertain my 3 year old on a road trip , i myself have a 4 year old at the moment. , so, i know that some of the activities that work for toddlers will also work for her. , however, it may not hold on to her attention as long as they do with a toddler. , she needs a bit more of a challenge and i’ve got some ideas and things to do on long car rides that can be helpful. 🙂 , how do you entertain a 4 year old on a long car ride , here are some tips and ideas for keeping 3 and 4 year olds entertained on a long car ride trip: , car activities for 4 year olds, much like the tray i mentioned above, there is an actual kids car seat tray exclusive item they sell on amazon that is probably about the coolest product i’ve ever seen. , if your preschooler is still napping, plan your trip around nap time. , if you are leaving at night time, your preschooler will most likely sleep throughout most of the trip. , busy bags, busy bags, busy bags.. prepare some busy bags for fun kids activities on the road. (i’ll elaborate more on this below this post.) , download educational games on the tablet/phone., also, download your child’s favorite movie or a set of tv shows they like watching. , take a busy book on the go busy books are amazing on the go treasures. , insert stickers, playdough, craft sticks, magnifying glass, a deck of playing cards into a pencil holder for a fun set of activities for your lo on the go. this is a type of busy bag 🙂 , preschool activity binder busy book printable (great for on the go)..

Preschool Activity Binder Busy Book Printable

How do I keep my 4 year old busy? 

These are just some of many ideas that are so very helpful in keeping my lo and others entertained in a car ride or on the go. , i hope some of these road trips with kids ideas are helpful in keeping your 3 and 4 year olds busy when you’re on the go, car games for 6 year olds , how do i entertain my child on a long car ride , on top of having a 4 year old, i also have a 7 year old 🙂 , 5, 6 and 7 year olds can enjoy all that 4 year olds enjoy but on a completely different level and in a more advanced approach. , for example, with the deck of playing cards, they won’t just play with them. , they will actually use them to play a game of go fish or any other card game you can think of 🙂 , 6 and 7 year olds can also explore the world around them once at a rest stop. , if you are stopping near a place that has many trees like oregan or washington, you can take a breath of fresh air and enjoy talking about the different things you see in this new state you are in. , collecting small treasures and bringing them back to your home will allow for a fun spark of imagination and pretend play traveling around the world kids activity. , i am getting ahead of myself. 🙂 , so, for now here are some ideas on how you can keep a 5, 6 or 7 year old entertained: , educational games on their tablet. , books, books and more books. , coloring books, notepads and markers, crayons and pencils/pens. , snacks, snacks and more snacks., a deck of cards, board games, mad libs.., i see something… and i spy games by looking out the window. , puzzles, open ended toys, and toy figurines. , music to sing along to together. , movies, tv shows and educational shows. , road trip games (road trip bingo, road trip card games, road trip uno.), pack lots of crayons, markers, gel pens.., creative car games for car trips with kids, my senses activity binder free printable (great for on the go)..

Senses Learning Activity Binder for Preschoolers and Kids

How do I entertain my kids on a long car ride?

Fun ideas for long road trips…, all in all, fun educational games on their tablet/ audiobooks, books, card games, coloring book and markers will do the trick , i hope you enjoyed some of the ideas mentioned above for things to do on a road trip with 5,6 and 7 year olds , can you think of any other fun ideas that maybe you have tried and that was very helpful , leave me a comment below letting me know maybe it can be super duper helpful for other mamas too 😀, games to play in the car with family, what are some games to play in car with kids what about games to play on car trips with family , board games, i see something.. , musical cd that everyone can sing along to. , best road trip games .

This post contains affiliate links.

Here are some ideas of the best road trip games for kids:

(tap the images below to learn more.) , travel tray.

Road games for kids

Games to play in the car with toddlers

Car games for preschoolers

Roadtrip games

Games for car rides

Games to play in the car for kids

Fun car ride games

Fun games for road trips

Road trip games for family

More Road Trip Games for Kids

Road trip activity ideas for Kids

Preschool roadtrip printables

Things to do on a long car trip.., if you haven’t checked out some of our printables, please do so , some of the activities will work amazing for on the go and to make your trip fun, such as the busy books, quiet books and some of the matching activities , hope you have a beautiful and amazing road trip 🙂 , related products, looking for free printables and activities.

Need a simple and effective set of hands-on, low prep printables? Here is one of my Early Learning Freebies just for you!

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March 26, 2021 at 10:50 am

Amazing ideas for kids. I will share this article with my family groups and i am sure this will be very helpful for all parents for make interesting journey with their kids. Keep sharing!

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Family Life

Fun Road Trip Games for Kids that You Can Prep in 3 Minutes or Less

Created On: March 6   |   Updated: March 29   |   Leave a comment

Have a long car ride with kids coming up soon? Use these fun and easy road trip games for kids to keep your little ones entertained without electronics! These easy games to play in the car are perfect for all kids, toddlers to teens.

You’re 30 minutes in to an 8 hour drive and you’re already hearing “Are we there yet?”.

The bag of snacks has somehow already disappeared, and your kids are already bored of the games that were supposed to entertain them for the next 7 1/2 hours.

So, what’s a Mom to do?

Back in the day, before 8 year olds had their own iPads and cell phones, we had to get creative with our road trip entertainment.

I remember taking road trips to Florida with my family and playing fun games that my Mom seemed to just make up on the fly. Games like “My father owns a grocery store and he sells…” – I’m sure that’s not the proper title of that easy road trip game, but I DO know that it was a favorite of me and my siblings.

And I remember playing the game “Dots” with my sister in the backseat. I’m not sure who invented that easy and addicting road trip game that just requires a pad of paper and a pencil, but I’m pretty sure it was my grandma. 🙂 We used to sit around her kitchen table and play for what seemed like hours on end.

So, yes, there is such thing as non-battery powered road trip fun!

If the batteries in your kids’ iPads are beyond dead, and every page in their coloring books has been scribbled on, then try one of these easy games to play in the car with kids!

*This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click a link and make a purchase then I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure here .

Fun Road Trip Games for Kids that Don’t Need ANY Supplies

Alphabet grocery store game.

That’s what I’m calling it, anyway! Your kids will LOVE this easy game, PLUS it will help them use their brains (rather than their two thumbs like that handheld electronics device!).

Here’s how to play the Alphabet Grocery Store Game:

• Pick one person to go first.
• The first person thinks of something that is sold in the grocery store that starts with the letter “A”. Or, if you don’t want to go in alphabetical order, they can choose ANYTHING that’s sold in a grocery store.
• Player one says, “My father owns a grocery store and he sells something that starts with the letter _____”. ( Insert the first letter of whatever they are thinking of ).
• The other players try to guess what grocery store item player one is thinking of.
• Whoever guesses correctly gets to take the next turn.

The great thing about this fun car ride game is that it requires absolutely NO prep work! No printing anything out prior to leaving the house, no pen and paper, nada!

So, when the kids start to get cranky, just shout out “My father owns a grocery store and he sells something that starts with B”. If your kids are younger, it could be “bananas”, but if you’re playing this road trip game with teens, it could be “bouillon”.

And for teens, you can use multi-word items, giving the first letter of each word as a hint… like “C-B” for “chicken breasts”.

Alphabet Sign Game

This easy road trip game for kids was another one of my favorites growing up. It’s fun to play, and it’s GREAT for elementary aged kids that are familiar with the letters of the alphabet. This is another game to play in the car that doesn’t require a road trip printable or pen and paper.

Here’s how to play the Alphabet Sign Game:

• Everyone starts at the letter “A”.
• All players look out the window for a billboard or street sign that has the letter “A” on it.
• Once someone finds the letter “A”, he or she points it out to the rest of the car riders, and then moves on to letter “B”.
• Each sign can only be counted for ONE player, so if Lucy finds the letter “A” in a Subway sign, then no one else can use a letter from that sign.
• The person to get through the entire alphabet first wins!

Alphabet License Plate Game

The Alphabet License Plate Game is played the exact same way as the sign game above, except that instead of looking for the letters on billboards, you look for letters on license plates.

So everyone starts by looking for letter “A” in a license plate number (not the state). Each license plate can only be used by one player, or you can omit that rule to make the game easier for younger kids.

The Color Game

This road trip game for toddlers is great if your kids don’t know their letters yet.

Here’s how to play The Color Game:

• Pick one of your kids to go first.
• Say the name of a color and a number 1-5. Or, if you packed flashcards in your car ride bag, then you can draw a color and a number card.
• The first player has to look out the window and find the proper number of items in that color. For instance, if you say “Yellow 3”, then your child needs to find 3 yellow items.

20 Questions – By Theme

Here’s how to play 20 Questions for an easy car ride game:

• Pick a category – Food, animals, etc.
• Player one thinks of something in the category, but doesn’t tell everyone what it is. For instance, if the category is animals, they could pick “dolphin” as their secret item.
• All other car riders ask questions Yes or No questions to try and guess what player one’s secret item. For instance, does the animal live on land?
• The object of this easy road trip game is to try and guess the secret item in LESS than 20 questions. Once 20 questions have been asked, player one tells what the secret item is, and the next player gets a turn at picking the secret item.

I Spy – Colors or Letters

I know you’re familiar with the classic I Spy game… and it’s probably a classic because it doesn’t require ANY supplies, and it’s perfect for kids of all ages.

You can play I Spy with colors (“I Spy something yellow”) OR for a fun car ride game for older kids, you can play with letters (“I Spy something that starts with letter F”).

Road Trip Games for Kids that Use a Pen and Paper

If you’ve packed some pencils and paper for your car ride, then you can have your kids play one of these fun road trip games.

My girls have also played these easy car ride games using a BoogieBoard ( affiliate ). If you’ve never heard of a BoogieBoard, then you need to check them out!

BoogieBoards (not to be confused with the surf toy!) are perfect for car rides because they can be used to play writing games, to draw pictures, etc. without worrying about your kids getting pen marks on your cloth seats.

License Plate Game

So many car ride games to pass the time can be played just by looking at license plates. If you’ve got a pen and paper, you can easily make up your own license plate game. Here’s one variation of the classic road trip game:

How to Play the License Plate Game:

• First, set the duration for the game… will the game last for one hour or the entire length of the car ride.
• Set different point values for different states or license plate numbers. For instance, a personalized plate can be worth 2 points, a neighboring state can be worth 1 point, and 2 of the same letters or numbers in a row can be worth 3 points . License plates for the state that you are driving through could be worth 0 points to make the game a little more difficult.
• Then, pass out pens and paper to your kids. Let them keep track of what license plates they see by writing down the state and using tally marks.
• When the time has expired, add up everyone’s points and the highest score wins.

This 2 person road trip game is great for older elementary-aged kids. I remember playing this game with my sister for hours on end in the backseat.

It may sound complicated, but it’s actually really easy once you get the hang of it…

Here’s how to play the Dots game on your next road trip:

• Draw a grid of dots on a piece of notebook paper. Leave enough space to connect the dots to make 1/4″ to 1/2″ squares. Draw your dots on the lines of the notebook paper to help keep your dot grid straight. Or, you could easily play this game on dot grid bullet journal paper.
• Pick someone to go first.
• The first person draws one line connecting two dots. The line can ONLY be horizontal or vertical and it can only connect TWO dots. No diagonal lines.
• Then, the second person draws a line connecting two dots. He or she can build on the first person’s line, or start their own square from scratch.
• The object of the game is to be the person that draws the 4th side of the square.
• Whoever finishes a square by drawing the 4th line gets to put his or her initials inside that square.
• The person with the most initials on the page at the end of the game (when all of the dots have been turned into squares) wins!

This is an easy game of strategy, and it’s PERFECT for car rides!

Hangman & Tic Tac Toe

These classic road trip games don’t take long to play, which means that your kids could end up blowing through an entire pad of paper pretty quickly. This is where the BoogieBoards ( affiliate ) come in handy, because once your kids are done playing one game, they just push the button to erase the screen and start another game!

Printable Road Trip Games for Kids

These printable activities for car rides are GREAT to pass the time without electronics devices! You can print these road trip activity sheets off before you leave for a long trip, and laminate them to use them over and over again with dry erase markers!

Road Trip Scavenger Hunts

Printable scavenger hunts are a great way to pass the time on long car rides. Have kids search for specific road signs, restaurants, or cars.

You can grab my printable Road Trip Sign Scavenger Hunts and other car ride games for kids HERE!

Road Trip Questions for Kids

Use the time on your road trip to get to know your kids more and encourage them to talk to you instead of burying their faces in an iPad.

You can grab my printable list of Questions to Ask Kids in my FREEBIES library (I’ll send you the password as a FREE gift when you subscribe to my FREE email newsletter!)…

OR, you can check out my 100 Questions to Ask Kids Printable Cards HERE!

Just print out the PDF on card stock, cut into question cards, and let your kids draw a card!

We used the question cards as dinner table conversation starters recently, and my girls took 15 minutes to answer the very first question. So with 100 different question cards, this is a GREAT way to take up time and make the car ride go by a little faster.

Printable Road Trip Bingo Cards

This Road Trip Restaurant Bingo from The Suburban Mom is a fun take on road trip bingo games.

Or, you can grab my Printable Bingo Cards (with 3 different cards) in my Road Trip Games Bundle HERE!

Printable License Plate Game

I LOVE this FREE printable license plate game from The Suburban Mom! Just print it out before you leave for your car trip, and pass out the printables to your kids when the road trip boredom sets in.

Printable Road Trip Word Search

Printable word searches are also great for car ride activities. Here’s a great car trip word search you can grab for FREE from Artsy Fartsy Mama!

Other Fun Road Trip Games for Kids to Beat Boredom

If you’re more of the Amazon Prime type of Mom (no judgement!), then here are some awesome car games for kids that you can buy. By the way, if you’re NOT an Amazon Prime Mom then check out this post on How Amazon Prime Can Make Mom Life Easier!

Travel Bingo Cards

We have these travel Bingo cards and my kids LOVE them! These road trip bingo cards make PERFECT car ride games for toddlers!

Rubbernekkers – Everyone’s Favorite Travel Game

Rubbernekkers is a highly-rated road trip card game for ages 8 and up. This fun game pits car riders against each other to spot the items listed on their cards.

Wikki Stix Traveler Playset

My kids used to LOVE playing Wikki Stix when we went out to eat. I remember being first introduced to Wikki Stix at a little cafe in Jackson Hole, WY, where they gave out mini packs of the fun moldable wax sticks and encouraged kids to make designs on the walls.

This Wikki Stix Traveler Playset is PERFECT for fun road trip activities for toddlers! And they’re reusable so you can take them to restaurants or on road trips over and over again.

What are your favorite road trip games for kids to play in the car? How do you keep your little ones entertained when the iPad just doesn’t cut it anymore? Leave me a comment down below!

And don’t forget to PIN this post for when you’re prepping for your next car ride!

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Best Road Trip Games for Young Kids: 15+ Free Printables

Need free printables to keep young kids busy on a family road trip? Me, too! Here are my favorite road trip games for kids aged three to about eight.

I’m planning a four-day cross-Canada road trip with three kids between three and seven. On my own. No tablets or DVD players. Yikes! My husband will be driving the moving van, so entertainment is solely up to me. How to stay sane?

Well, I found some GREAT free printables for family road trips online. Many are for kids older than mine, so it took some sifting. 

But, wow! There are some INCREDIBLE free road trip activities out there. Here I share my favorites with you.

Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links to excellent travel-related products. This means that if you use the links below to make a purchase, we’ll receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!

How to use these free printable road trip games for young kids:

• Print them out and put them into a binder. This gives your child a portable desk, AND keeps everything together and tidy. 
• Slip them into sheet protectors , where it makes sense. This is an easy and cheap way to make them reusable. 
• Add a zippered pouch with crayons, washable markers and dry erase markers. 

And wa-la! Hours of quiet time. (Here’s to hoping!)

1. Road Trip Banner

But FIRST! Pinterest is FULL of fun ideas for family road trips, and this is one of my favorites. 

A simple, visual way to “map out” your road trip for your young kids is to string it up in your car! Use string, yarn or even gold duck tape as the road, like Grey House Harbor . Include your overnight stops. Interesting landmarks you’ll see along the way. Planned stops. And then move your car along as you go.

I’m guessing my kids will still ask, “Are we there yet” a million times. But at least I have something to point to. And it’s fun for me, too!

Use my simple Road Trip Banner Printable to create your own!

2. Free COLORING MAPS Printables for Family Road Trips

For simple maps young kids can color, head to Where Exactly Maps . Where Exactly Maps provides free printable map coloring sheets perfect for inspiring your little travel wanderer.

Maps include United States, Canada, Europe, United Kingdom, North East Asia, Africa and South America. Each one has two versions: simple, with only the country name, and complete with province/state names. 

While there, also check out the tectonic plates coloring sheet and labeling printable! A great road trip printable for your little geologist. Can work for both older and younger kids.

3. Road Trip COLORING PAGES for Young Kids

I love the coloring pages from Doodle Art Alley . They have a fantastic variety, and appropriate for various ages and skill levels. Countries and states or provinces. National parks. Transportation. Plus so many other fun ideas, like seasons, nature, animals and princesses.  

Two other great kids coloring pages for family road trips are:

• Transportation Color By Number Printables from Captain Coloring Book. Includes a ship, plane and helicopter. These are great for preschoolers because they’re color-coded.
• Vacation Color By Number Printables from All Kids Network. A huge variety, including beach, ice cream and transportation printables. These simple coloring pages have the color words for the legend so they’re great for early readers. 

4. TRAVEL BINGO Free Printables Game for Family Road Trips

There are a LOT of travel bingo printables out there. Most are best for USA-specific road trips, with license plates, flags, signs and fast food restaurants only found there.

Here are my two favorite travel bingo printables for kids that work for pretty much any road trip location:

• Meander and Coast : Super cute, has a good variety of things and is mostly country-generic. The only thing is the American flag, which isn’t a big deal to me.
• Stuffed Suitcase : A fun road trip games printables pack, including four versions of travel bingo and calling cards. Because more than one kid means you need more than one version, of course! I also love the “I Spy” game. The rest of the pack is fantastic for older kids.

Open to buying an all-in-one road trip printables bundle? Check out this one from BE Family Travel on Etsy.

5. Easy Road Trip WORD SEARCHES for Young Kids

I’m a big fan of word searches. When I was young, my mom had search races with me and let me win sometimes! Good memories. And they’re great for early readers. So long as they’re easy. 

Here are some great easy road trip word search printables:

• Easy Summer Word Search from Puzzles to Print. An easy, friendly word search with eight words. The longest is only six letters. 
• Let’s Take a Trip Word Search from Word Game World. More challenging, with 20 words. Most words are short. The longest is sunglasses. 
• Short Vowel Word Search from Teachers Pay Teachers. This word search isn’t specifically about road trips or travel, but it’ll work! It’s perfect for early readers to build confidence and have fun coloring, too.

For a small cost, you might just want to purchase this easy road trip package from Little Wiggles Design on Etsy. It’s fantastic for ages 3 to 5.

6. “I SPY” Road Trip Games for Young Kids

A fantastic resource for “I Spy” free printables is Paper Trail Design . They’re the perfect balance of easy AND challenging for young kids. How is that possible, you ask? Well, take a look! 

The images are simple, but of various sizes. Quantities are all below 10, but together sure add up. You have plenty of fun themes to choose from, like ice cream, mermaids and Star Wars. Or classic options, like transportation, camping, road trip, animals and weather. 

Other great “I Spy” printable games for road trips include Outdoor Adventure and Summer Fun from Picklebums.

What should they pack in their suitcase, carry-on or road trip bag? Check out this Kids Vacation Packing List . 

7. “I SPY ” RACE Game Printables for Family Road Trips

A fun and easy twist on the “I Spy” road trip game is Awesome Alphabet Road Trip I Spy Printable from Sunny Day Family. It’s cute, and it’ll take early readers a while to get to Z! 

For early readers, they can simply cross off the letter when they see it. Stronger readers and writers can write out the word or license plate combo they saw.

8. Simple Road Trip SCAVENGER HUNT Printable Games for Young Kids

There are a lot of road trip scavenger hunt printables out there. Similar to travel bingo printables, I found many had USA-specific items that wouldn’t work that great for my young kids on a cross-Canada road trip.

But I DID find a couple of great generic ones! My favorite is from Make and Takes (illustrated by Juliann Law ). The items on the list can be found on any road trip. Like power lines. Birds. Bike. And the pencil-sketch style of these drawings is beautiful. I I hope they inspire my own little artists! 

Another road trip scavenger hunt printable I love is this car color search from Productive Pete . A simple concept, perfect for building confidence and working up to the tougher ones!

9. DRAWING PROMPTS Printables for Family Road Trips

My five and seven year olds LOVE drawing. We go through SO. MUCH. PAPER! So, these free drawing printables from Picklebums are perfect for young family road trips.

My favorite free printables for road trips include:

• Road Trip prompts, like “what’s in the truck” and “where does the road go.” The last one is SO Mary Poppins!
• Make a Face is a great reusable drawing prompt. Put it in a sheet protector to use with dry erase markers. I can hear the laughter!
• Drawing Challenge Cards is excellent for early readers. Plenty of drawing prompts for hours of entertainment. You could also pull a card out whenever they get bored. 

You may also like TIPS for Traveling with OLDER PARENTS

10. Road Trip DICE DRAWING Games for Young Kids

During online learning, my daughter’s kindergarten teacher had them play this roll-a-monster game from Embracing Motherhood. It’s been SUCH a hit in our household! I bought large dice for each of my kids. And wa-la! A perfect free printables road trip game for young kids.

Here are my favorite roll-and-draw free printables for young kids:

• Roll-a-butterfly from Printoteka. Because butterflies are awesome.
• Roll-a-monster (3 options) available on ARTimus Prime.
• Drawing games from Drawing How to Draw, including roll-a-face and roll-a-landscape.

Put them to work AND get them excited for your family trip! Check out this Kids Packing List with Pictures . Even preschoolers can use it!

11. PUPPET THEATER Road Trip Activities for Young Kids

My goodness, there are SO many super cute finger puppet printables on Pinterest! If your kids are into animals, fairies, princesses, or robots, just pick your favorites! I’ll prepare a set for my 2 year old, and let my oldest two color and cut out their own. 

Here are three of my favorite finger puppet free printables for family road trips:

• Animal Finger Puppets from Highlights. Print in color, cut out and tape into rings. As easy as you get!
• Farm Animal Finger Puppets from Arty Crafty Kids. Kids can color before cutting and taping into puppets.
• Noah’s Ark Animal Finger Puppets from The Confident Journal. No taping involved, but you may want to pre-cut the finger holes. 

If you’re open to paying a small amount, you really should check out the finger puppets from Pukaka on Etsy. They’re SO cute! Family puppets. Monsters and aliens. Monkeys and circus performers. And characters from your favorite kids book.

Note: I highly recommend printing at least two copies per child. Even if you print onto cardstock, I can see these ripping pretty quickly. And then there’d be tears. SO. MANY. TEARS. Consider yourself warned!

12. GLASSES Printables for Family Road Trips

Check out these free printable glasses from Picklebums. I LOVE this idea for dressing up and making the family road trip extra exciting. Combine them with a crown , and you’re all set.

13. Road Trip MAZE Printables for Young Kids

Mazes can be a great way for young kids to pass the time on a road trip. Choose from many different themes that your kids are interested in on Pinterest. 

Here are my favorite mazes for family road trips:

• Vehicle mazes and country mazes from Muse Printables. This huge collection of easy mazes is perfect for family road trips.
• Seasonal Mazes from Superstar Worksheets. Beautiful free printables to celebrate the changing of seasons.
• Transportation mazes from Emma Pelling at Smiling Art. Elegant and unique. My seven and five year olds will love coloring them in. Plus the counting challenge, too.

14. PLAYDOUGH MATS Free Printables for Family Road Trips

Check out these playdough mats from Picklebums. Slide these into sheet protectors and you have perfect playdough entertainment for a family road trip. Add a pitstop challenge! Have them find leaves, flowers and pebbles to use in their creations. 

My favorite free playdough mat printables for road trips include the bugs and pirates sheets. You can also support this shop by paying a nominal amount for the city playdough mat.

You may also like Best Trips with MOM

15. TRAVEL KIT of Free Road Trip Games for Kids

Here’s one of my favorite travel activity packs for young kids, offered free from Somewhat Simple . It has a few special gems that set it apart.

Like the Made You Laugh jokes, which my daughters will absolutely LOVE. The color Slug Bug travel game, which is simple enough for all three of my young kids to play. And the Do Not Open Until tags, which are perfect for building fun and anticipation along the way. Think: Bubbles for a playground stop and glow wands when it gets dark!

16. TRAVEL JOURNAL Free Printables for Young Kids

Keeping a travel journal is SUCH a great habit to teach kids. On my first solo trip, my mom gave me a journal. And I’ve been keeping them and re-living my travels from them ever since!

The style of travel journal for young kids will obviously be different from older kids. Since my kids are new to writing and practicing their sounding skills, I want a travel journal with a blend of writing and drawing. 

Here are my favorite FREE road trip journals for young kids:

• Travel Journal Printable by Dover Publishing. Simple writing prompts with images for weather and rating. 
• My Vacation Printable by Five Marigolds. Cute and friendly style, with simple writing prompts and a drawing section.
• Travel Journal Template by Kids Travel Books. A cute 26-page, A to Z kids travel journal with writing and drawing prompts. Some pages are best for international travel but most work for any type of trip. 

In the end, I had a specific vision for a kids travel journal to engage my early readers, and couldn’t find it. So, I built it myself. If you’re open to a small purchase, check out our Kids Travel Journal Printable for Early Readers .

What are your favorite road trip printables for young kids? Any tips for the rest of us? Share in the comments below!

Enjoy this post? Please SHARE with your friends!

You may also like:

• How To PLAN a Road Trip You’ll LOVE in 7 Steps
• Best Kids Travel TRAYS For Cars, Planes and DIY
• Kids Travel JOURNAL For Early Readers
• Kids Vacation Packing List

Featured photo credit (car with kids): hwilson8 from Reshot

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40 Free Printable Road Trip Games & Activities

By: Author Jacquie Fisher

Posted on Published: May 19, 2023

Categories Travel Fun

Grab these free printable road trip games & activities for your next car trip and keep the kids busy!

We are gearing up for a HUGE family car trip this summer and I’m on the look-out for some road trip activities to keep the kids off their phones & busy en route 😉

40 Free Road Trip Activities & Games for Kids

Since we love to travel, I’ll be sharing a handful of posts over the next few months with lots of tips & ideas for family travel!  We’re also sharing many of our favorite travel items along with affiliate links to each so you can see if they’re a good fit for your family too. (Be sure to see our 40+ Road Trip Essentials & Car Organization Items too!)

Here are a few of the ways we get ready for a trip:

• Keep the car organized with these 27 Track Hacks & Road Trip Tips
• If your kids enjoy audio books, movies or educational apps, be sure to sign up for the Amazon FreeTime Unlimited FREE Trial before you go!!
• Have ad-free on-demand music for your trip: Try the Amazon Music Unlimited 30-Day Free Trial
• Grab this FREE Printable Road Trip Planner: 10 Things to do Before Your Next Road Trip
• And check out these NEW ideas — 15 Road Trip Printable Games & Travel Activities !!

The trip is going to be much longer than we thought — 10 days through 11 states covering 2600 miles!!

I know – crazy!  But we’re really looking forward to it — we believe that family travel is a great way for kids to learn all kinds of things.

It’s going to be a monster of a trip with lots of overnight stops and quite a few hours in the car.

Soooo …. time to start planning on how to keep everyone busy, happy and fed 😉

How Do You Entertain Kids on a Road Trip?

It’s the age-old question — how to keep kids busy and engaged on long car rides?!  The first thing I always tackle is putting together a binder for the trip that’s chocked full of fun (& free) printable activities.

I’m telling you — this little binder has been a huge help on our trips!

The fact that our kids have had something to look forward to each morning when we load up the car is incentive enough for them to not drag their feet when we have to pack up.  And it’s been wonderful to have a way to keep them writing and reading using fun activities on our trips.

I’ve included links below for each of the resources we’ve found including affiliate links for items that will help you put together your own road trip binder.

Tips for Making a Road Trip Binder

I have three goals when I create a car trip binder for kids, tweens or teens:

1.  Include surprise activities they can do both on their own & with others in the car

2.  Find fun things that will keep them off the tech for a while

3.  Get the kids interested in the places we’re visiting on our trip — because that’s one of the reasons we travel, right?!

First, print off a variety of travel games & activities!

I search for games they really enjoy (for example, Mad Libs are a big hit with us right now) and fun pages like coloring or design printables.

We also play the license plate game as a family every summer so that’s a big one for us too!

I look for maps & activities that highlight places on our travel route, worksheets that share fun facts about the states we visit and anything that gets them writing — like some fun travel journal pages.

Printable Road Trip Games for Kids, Tweens & Teens

Here’s a huge selection of printable road trip games & activities to make things easier for you!

Just choose the ones that fit your child’s age and ability! Or if your short on time, check out the 15 printable road trip games & travel activities in our Road Trip Pack!

• All for the Boys has some wonderful car activities — 12 pages of mini games & puzzles the kids will love!!
• Enjoy some fun family discussions with this free set of 20 Questions to play with your kids !
• I love this Travel Battleship game from Mothers Home!
• Play the License Plate Game with this free printable state map.
• Salt and Pepper Moms has a fun printable car game sheet and a travel journal page too.
• FreePuzzles.net has 6 printable car games including mazes, hangman and car bingo.
• Enjoy these 5 printable car games from In the Playroom (for US & UK travel).
• I Heart Organzing has some wonderfully colorful Road Trip BINGO and Alphabet I-Spy to keep the kids entertained.
• And you know how much we adore Scavenger Hunts!  Here are a few gems:
• Road Trip “Find It” for Tweens from Carla Schauer
• City, Suburb & Rural Scavenger Hunts from Mom’s Minivan
• Make & Takes has a fun coloring scavenger hunt too

If you need more ideas, browse all the Printable Road Trip Activities and Games on Etsy too!!

And if you happen to be heading to Disney World or Disneyland, check out this set of printable Disney Games & Activities for your trip!!

Road Trip Activities & Travel Printables to do in the Car

Try these Kids’ Travel Journal pages that are perfect for encouraging a little writing & recording the trip while on the road!

For some great state-by-state learning, visit Education.com and print out the State Puzzle Sheets for each state on your trip.

I like to include a Kids’ Road Atlas or map with the binder too.  We get ours free with our AAA membership and it’s a great for kids to learn map reading skills!

Activity Idea: Have your kids highlight the route you’re taking in the atlas and they can follow along as you drive.

Younger kids might enjoy driving a Hot Wheels car along the route as you travel.  Older kids will be intrigued to see what interesting places you might be passing en route.

More Kids Activities for a Road Trip

If your kids have a cell phone or camera, print this FREE Photo Scavenger Hunt for them to complete on the trip!

Enjoy this Hotel Scavenger Hunt from Moms & Munchkins if you’re spending the night on the road.

Picklebums has these cute and open-ended Road Trip Drawing Prompts.

Doodle Art Alley has a set of Summer Coloring pages that can be used individual or as a family coloring activity.

How to Organize Car Games & Activities in a Binder

Next, I organize all the printables into a Road Trip binder!

One thing that works well for us is to sort the pages by travel day. This way, I know that each morning of our trip there will be new activities for our kids to do!

I separate the printables using manila folders (which is great in case we want to pull out the items for one day).  Then I use a 3 Hole Punch with all the printables & manila folders and insert them into the binder.  Each set is labeled with the date so it’s easy to see.

In addition, I include a 3-Ring Pencil Pouch with the following items:

• a nice set of Colored Pencils ,
• a regular pencil & pencil sharpener,
• and an eraser.

We don’t bring markers in the car ( I learned why the hard way ).  And crayons tend to melt in the summer heat. So when we travel, we’ve found that a set of colored pencils is the way to go 😉

We also love to have these Storage Folding Lap Desks so the kids have an easy place to read/write during our trips!

I also put their summer reading logs (see all the FREE Summer Reading programs here!) in the back of the binder. We do a lot of reading & audio books in the car ( grab a copy of this free Summer Reading Log to use on the trip !).

Last, I created a fun cover for the binder along with an autograph page for the back of the binder. It’s fun to have when you’re visiting a lot of family so everyone can sign a fun note.

Here’s a front & back cover for the road trip binder you can download for FREE!

There you go — step 1 in preparing for the Ultimate Summer Road Trip!

More Road Trip Ideas:

15 Printable Road Trip Activities & Travel Journal for Kids & Tweens

The Ultimate Road Trip Guide: Why Getting There is Half the Fun

10 Things to do Before Your Next Road Trip {with free printable checklist!}

More Summer Ideas:

20 Amazing Summer Scavenger Hunts

105 Activities that Make Awesome Summer Memories

5 Best Road Trip Games for Kids

S ince our family’s move within driving distance of the beach, we try to make the trip at least a few times each summer. We’ve also taken longer road trips, including up and down the east coast. It’s a great way to travel, but kids can definitely get bored and impatient during the drive.

One way to keep children entertained on long car trips is by playing games, and today, I’m sharing five of the best road trip games for kids.

5 BEST ROAD TRIP GAMES FOR KIDS

1. license plate bingo.

This is an oldie, but a goodie. Print the  license plate game page , and fill it in. As you see a car from each state, you will fill in that state on your map. The first one to get  BINGO,  or fill in their map, wins.

You can also just list all the states on a sheet of paper (all 50 are listed at  this link ), and then cross them off when you see a license plate from that state. How close will you get to spotting all 50?

Articles may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases (at no additional cost to you).

2. MAD LIBS

My kids have always always liked  Mad Libs . Pick up some of these books to take on your trip (you can  order them here ), or print off some of these  Mad Libs sheets free here .

3. MEMORY GAME

Another game that will help pass the time on a long car ride is this Memory Game — the first person begins the game with the letter “A,” and says “A is for ___________.” (Fill in the blank with any “A” word, or you can decide on a theme, such as animals or food.) The second person continues with the letter B, but they must first repeat “A is for __________.” You continue the game with each person repeating the letters and corresponding words that came before as long as you can.

4. TWENTY QUESTIONS

Here’s another old favorite that’s perfect for long car rides. One person thinks of something the others have to guess. The remaining players take turns asking yes-or-no questions, usually starting with “Is it animal, mineral, or vegetable?” The players continue to ask questions to try to guess the answer, but only up to 20 questions.

5. SCAVENGER HUNT

Try a road trip scavenger hunt to keep kids busy while you’re traveling. You can come up with your own list of items to hunt for while you’re on the road. Just think of things you’ll see on the highway or while passing through towns or cities. You can also print scavenger hunt lists. We have a  printable scavenger hunt list for you here.

Do you have any other ideas to keep the kids busy on a long road trip? What do think are the best road trip games? Leave a comment below.

______________

Also read —

Looking for Road Trip Activities for Kids? Pick up These Free Printable Travel Games

All About Me Worksheet Printable

Check Out These Pet-Friendly Hotel Chains Before Your Next Vacation

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20 Fantastic & Fun Travel Toys for 4-Year-Olds

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It’s hard to believe our little guy will be four in less than six weeks. As we prepare for his birthday, we recently went through his travel toys and donated the ones he has outgrown. We created this list of the best travel toys for 4-year-olds as we prepare to purchase a few gifts for his birthday.

Disclosure: Kindly be aware that certain links provided below may be affiliate links. If you decide to purchase through these links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It’s important to note that I am an Amazon Associate and earn from qualifying purchases. For the comprehensive disclosure statement, please click here .

We’ve learned our lesson from overpacking; we only purchase a few toys before we head to Costa Rica (a day before his birthday). Since we’ve been a full-time travel family for nearly three years, travel toys are our specialty.

I love looking at toys, so writing these guides is fun.

A few toys on this list are also on our other travel toy guides, but that is because they are great for toddlers in general.

Related Post: 25 Best Travel Toys for 3-Year-Olds

Table of Contents

Best Travel Toys for 4-Year-Olds: Puzzles

Our son loves puzzles, which makes me happy because I grew up putting together puzzles. I am hoping it is something we can do together when he gets a little older.

Puzzles are great travel toys for 4-year-olds because they help develop skills; such as fine motor skills, patience, problem-solving, memory skills, and increased attention to detail.

If you have a toddler that likes a challenge, puzzles are one of the best travel toys for 4-year-olds.

Related Post: Our Favorite Travel Snacks for Toddlers

Note: We like to use these reusable bags to store his puzzle pieces and snacks.  

Coogam Wooden Pattern Blocks

Coogam Wooden Pattern Blocks are perfect for flying with toddlers . This puzzle has 36 easy-to-grip pieces with a storage box and cards to show your toddler how to make each design.

This puzzle set takes the frustration of building away. It promotes color and shape recognition while encouraging your little one to follow directions.

Each card is double-sided, with the image on one side and the pieces needed on the other. There are over 50 cards included keeping the fun going on and on.

We are purchasing this puzzle set for our long-haul flight to Portugal in a few months. It’s also perfect for creativity-challenged parents like myself.

I can follow directions like a pro. I cannot think of something and make it happen; that’s what my wife does, which is why we’re a great team.

Wooden Pattern Blocks Price

Related Post: 9 Tips for Flying Budget Airlines with Kids

Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards

We included the Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards for toddlers that need more pieces to create their masterpieces.

This puzzle set comes in a wooden box, making it easy for your little one to clean up.

There are 10 design templates to help your little one get started, or they can use their imagination to create something else.

With 120 pieces in six different shapes, there is more than enough for your little one to stay busy while flying.

This puzzle can help your little one’s fine motor skills, focus, patience, spatial awareness, and hand-eye coordination. If you have a little one that loves puzzles, I highly recommend this puzzle set.

Pattern Blocks and Boards Price

Coogam Wooden Hexagon Puzzle

If your toddler needs a challenge, the Coogam Wooden Hexagon Puzzle is the perfect travel toy for your 4-year-old. It is easy to play while challenging your little one to think.

To start, place a few pieces in the puzzle and leave out a few for your toddler to finish. As your toddler gets older, leave out additional puzzle pieces.

There is an instructional guide on how to place the pieces. This puzzle is a great way to bond with your toddler on a flight or for older siblings to help their younger ones.

We are purchasing this puzzle to challenge our little guy for an upcoming flight to Portugal. He likes to tell me to practice my puzzle skills because he solved a few tangrams before me.

This means war. Yes, the competition is serious in our family.

Wooden Hexagon Puzzle Price

Melissa & Doug Take-Along Magnetic Jigsaw Puzzles

Melissa & Doug Take-Along Magnetic Jigsaw Puzzles is a 2-in-1 activity puzzle that younger toddlers will love.

The pieces stick to the magnetic surface, which is perfect for traveling. There is a carry handle, which makes it easy for your little one to be independent.

This puzzle includes search-and-find activities as an extra challenge once the puzzles are complete, so more bang for your buck.

If you are looking for an engaging puzzle, this is one of the most popular travel toys for 4-year-olds.

Magnetic Jigsaw Puzzles Price

Best Travel Toys for 4-Year-Olds: Art & Activity Books

Activity books are one of the best ways to keep toddlers entertained on airplanes or road trips. Your little one is occupied and learning, so it’s a win/win for everyone.

Here are some of our favorite activity books for 4-year-olds.

Related Post: 50 Road Trip Activities for Toddlers

My First Sock Puppets

My First Sock Puppets is a fun activity for kids and adults to do together on a flight. The kit has everything you need to create a sock puppet.

Make a sock puppet and put on a show with your little ones. Peel and stick the pieces to make a wacky character for a puppet show.

We love using puppets to play with our little ones, so this is a great road trip activity for toddlers since it can get a little loud.

My First Sock Puppets Price

Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol Adventure Bay Sticker Book

If there is one thing that toddlers love and parents hate, it’s stickers. Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol Reusable Sticker Book is perfect for your little one to tell their own story in Adventure Bay.

These stickers are reusable, making them easy to remove and stick on different pages as your toddler pleases. Your little one can help Paw Patrol save the citizens of adventure bay from quirky mishaps.

The spiral-bound notebook is easy for toddlers to carry in their backpacks. There are over 75 stickers to keep your toddler busy.

This sticker book is a 3-pack, so there are different scenes for your toddler to tell their stories.

If you have a toddler that loves Paw Patrol, this is the best travel toy for your 4-year-old.

Melissa & Doug Sticker Book Price

Crayola Dry Erase Board Travel Pack

Crayola Dry Erase Board Travel Pack is a traveling dry-erase board for little artists. Everything your little one needs to draw on the go.

This traveling art studio includes five dry-erase markers, an E-Z clean eraser cloth, and decorative clings. It’s a great way for your mini Picasso to draw without the mess.

The tri-fold design makes it easy to store everything in one place.

Crayola has been around forever and is our favorite brand for anything coloring related.

We love the Crayola Color Wonder Mess-Free sets too, but we’ve included them on our other travel toy guides, so we went with a different one for 4-year-olds.

Dry Erase Board Travel Pack Price

Read More: 15 Best Crayons for Toddlers

Crayola Travel Sets

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Melissa & Doug On The Go Activity Pad

Melissa & Doug On The Go Activity Pad is a fun combination of activities and games to keep your little one engaged while traveling.

You can leave this activity pad in the car for road trips or quick trips to the grocery store.

The activity pad is dry-erase, making it perfect for your little one to use over and over.

Some games are too advanced for 4-year-olds, which is good for helping your little one develop and learn.

Overall, this is a fun activity pad for quick trips or flights with your toddler.

Disney Frozen Learning Board Price

Related Post: Best Car Seat Travel Trays

Boogie Board Play n’ Trace

Play n’ Trace is a reusable doodling board for kids that helps them learn to draw and write through tracing.

The semi-transparent design allows your child’s creative flow without limitations, while the artist palette grip makes it easy, even if they’re still developing their fine motor skills!

It’s a great way for 3 and 4-year-olds to learn how to write. Your toddler can trace over anything, then quickly erase it with a push of a button.

We recently purchased this travel toy for our soon-to-be four-year-old. I think it will help our toddler with writing letters. Plus, it’s a hassle looking for somewhere to print pages for him to practice in different countries.

This travel toy requires batteries, but it includes two AAA batteries, so your toddler can begin writing out the box.

Play ‘n’ Trace is the best alternative to carrying worksheets and wasting paper.

Play n' Trace Price

Brain Quest Preschool Q&A Cards

Brain Quest Preschool Q&A Cards is a fun learning game for 4-year-olds preparing for kindergarten. It’s a great way to interact with toddlers during a road trip or while flying on an airplane.

I like these cards because they promote screen-free learning. It’s an engaging way to encourage vocabulary building, counting, reading, spelling, and counting.

What I love about these cards is their versatility. There are over 300 questions to keep your little one from getting bored.

For families with kids in different age groups, there are questions for toddlers as young as 2 to kids as old as 11.

Brain Quest Preschool Q&A Cards Price

Related Post: The 15 Best Crayons for Toddlers

Brain Quest Questions for All Ages

Disney Frozen Learning Board

Explore the world of Olaf and his friends with the  Disney Frozen Learning Board .  This learning book is the perfect toddler road trip activity for your next family vacation.

There are find’ems and picture puzzles galore in this write-and-erase board book. The activities are age-appropriate, making them challenging without your little one getting frustrated.

Your little one can wipe the pages clean and play again with the included dry-erase marker. They can begin working on developing math skills while building their vocabulary.

If your toddler isn’t a fan of Frozen, there are other Disney characters, such as Mickey Mouse, Paw Patrol, Minnie Mouse, and Pixar friends.

Disney Learning Boards

Best Travel Toys for 4-Year-Olds: Games

Games are a fun way to pass the time on a road trip or during a long-haul flight with toddlers. They are also screen-free ways to interact with your kids while traveling.

These games are toddler friendly and can be played by themselves or as a family.

Related Post: 18 Toddler Road Trip Essentials

Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere – Bingo

If you are heading on a road trip with little ones, then  Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere – Bingo  is the perfect travel game for your toddlers. It’s a great way for everyone to get in on the fun, plus you can have some  fun prizes . 

There is a spinner, no need to keep track of cards or balls for this game. The game board is magnetic, with playing pieces big enough for little hands.

The cards have pictures, making it easy for your toddler to identify the items on their playing card. It’s a fun way to develop their observation skills, hand-eye coordination, and vocabulary.

This brand has other fun road trip games for toddlers and older kids, including checkers, tic-tac-toe, hangman, chess, and boredom buster.

Take 'N' Play Anywhere - Bingo Price

Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere Games

Spot It! Junior Animals Card Game

Spot It! Junior Animals Card Game is a game just for toddlers, which makes it perfect for traveling. It’s a way for toddlers to learn about over 30 animals and develop their vocabulary.

Spot it! Jr. animals is a simple game for children that requires observation skills and memory function to play. The game is fun for players of all ages, both toddlers and adults.

There is a diverse array of 30 cards which range from cuddly creatures like penguins or panda bears; to wilder ones such as lions.

The goal of the game is to Spot It first. The animals may vary in size and position, but there is always one, and only one, match between any two cards.

As your little ones get older, you can add more cards and see who finds the matches first. At the end of the game, the player with the most cards collected wins.

Spot It! Junior Card Game Price

Related Post: 25 Best Travel Board Games

Melissa & Doug Flip to Win Travel Memory Game

Melissa & Doug Memory Game is a fun travel game for road trips. This travel game is great for kids from 2 years old to seven.

Younger toddlers can work on learning animals, colors, fruit, vehicles, and shapes, while older kids can develop their memory. It’s  screen-free entertainment  that also helps your little ones learn.

The frame is wooden, making it great for rough toddlers. There are seven double-sided, laminated, themed game cards included.

Two kids can play at once, so there is no fighting between kids to play this memory game.

Melissa & Doug is one of my favorite brands for toddlers. Their toys help promote learning and development while having fun.

Melissa & Doug Memory Game Price

Magnetic Activity Tin

Magnetic Activity Tins are a fun way to keep your little ones entertained while flying or during long road trips.

The games come in a travel-size tin, so it’s easy to put in your  toddler’s travel backpack .  There are different games, so your little one can play for hours without getting bored.

These games help promote imagination, strategy, problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity.

I recommend playing the games and working on the activities with your toddler. It will keep them occupied longer, and it’s a great way to bond with your little one.

Magnetic Activity Tin Price

Magnetic Activities

World of Disney Eye Found It Card Game

World of Disney Eye Found It Card Game is my favorite travel game for preschoolers. It is the perfect game for long-haul flights with toddlers.

The travel-size card game features artwork from all of our favorite characters. In each realm, there are iconic objects that you have to find.

I love the illustration on the cards. It’s like walking through memory lane of some of your favorite childhood Disney movies.

The realms are scenes from The Lion King, Radiator Springs (Cars), Lilo & Stitch, 101 Dalmatians, Sleeping Beauty, Hundred Acre Wood, Moana, Alice in Wonderland, Neverland, and so much more.

You can also give other players clues about what square they may need assistance finding!

This race will leave everyone feeling like a winner because when someone finds an object on their side, they get rewarded with double points.

It is not as complicated as it sounds in writing. Your little ones will enjoy this game of an upcoming road trip or flight.

Disney Eye Found It Card Game Price

Related Post: 21 Travel-Themed Board Games

Best Travel Toys for 4-Year-Olds: Fun Toys

There isn’t much difference between the travel toys for 3-year-olds vs. 4-year-olds, so I included a few toys in this section that older toddlers will enjoy.

The travel toys in this section are for toddlers who are over the putting things in their mouth stage of toddlerhood.

Melissa & Doug Wooden Train Cars

I had to include  Melissa & Doug Wooden Train Cars  on our list of travel toys for 4-year-olds because our son takes them everywhere.

There are wooden construction vehicles and cars if your toddler isn’t fond of trains.

We love the quality of Melissa & Doug’s wooden toys for our little one because he is rough on toys. We’ve had this train set for nearly seven months, and they still look new.

The train set has magnets for your little one to connect. If you have other Melissa & Doug train track play sets, these fit perfectly, so add to your little one’s collection.

Wooden Train Cars Price

Related Post: Best Travel Toys for 1-Year-Olds

Crayola Model Magic

Crayola Model Magic is my favorite play-doh alternative for toddlers. We started using this after our time at Crayola Experience in Orlando .

The box contains 14 individual bags of clay in 10 different colors. There are project cards to help your little one brainstorm unique creations.

Some reviews do not like the size of the bags, but 0.5 oz of modeling clay is enough for a toddler.

The clay is reusable as long as it is in an air-tight container between uses. If you want to keep their creation, let it air-dry.

When the design is dry, let your little one color it with  Crayola markers .

If you have a little artist, this is one of the best travel activities for toddlers .

Crayola Model Magic Price

Related Post: 10 Play-Doh Alternatives for Toddlers

Melissa & Doug Disney Ariel Magnetic Dress-Up Wooden Doll

If your little one likes to play dress-up, then the Melissa & Doug Magnetic Dress-Up Wooden Doll is the perfect travel toy for your 4-year-old.

Your toddler can mix and match outfits to transform Ariel from sea to land. There are over 30 magnetic pieces to create their own story.

If your little one isn’t a fan of Ariel, there are other princesses or characters to choose from, such as Minnie Mouse, Daisy, Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty.

The play set includes a doll stand, making it easier for your toddler to dress the wooden doll without getting frustrated.

There are no strings to keep track of since the pieces are magnetic; just put them on without the hassle.

Although younger toddlers may enjoy this dress-up set, some small pieces are a choking hazard. I recommend this fun travel toy for toddlers at least three years old and up.

Melissa & Doug Magnetic Dress-Up Wooden Doll Price

LEGO DUPLO Building Set

I couldn’t write a list of the best travel toys for 4-year-olds without including our favorite blocks,  LEGO DUPLO Building Sets . Our son loves these building blocks.

We’ve been traveling with LEGO DUPLO blocks for nearly three years. We’ve even added a few along the way, which fit in his  backpack , so it doesn’t take up additional space in our luggage. 

I love these sets because they help your little one’s fine motor skills and fuel their imagination. Our 3-year-old put this set together by himself in a few minutes.

These LEGOS are large enough to fit in your little one’s hands and are easy to find. Plus, the sets encourage their imagination and come with enough pieces for you to play along.

The box says these sets are for toddlers two and older, but they are great for kids up to five. Many other LEGO sets have small pieces that are easy to lose.

We are speaking from experience. We returned from Mickey’s Not-so-Scary Halloween Party last month, and he’s already lost 50% of the pieces to the Two Buzz Lightyear set we bought.

LEGO DUPLO Building Set Price

Related Post: 20 LEGO Alternatives for Toddlers, Teens, & Adults

Check out our other travel toy and activity guides:

• The 25 Best Travel Toys for Babies
• 20 Toys to Keep Toddlers Busy on an Airplane
• 25 Beach Toys for Toddlers
• Our Favorite Travel Toys for 3-Year-Olds
• 15 Travel Games for Toddlers
• 20 Fun Travel Toys for 4-Year-Olds
• Our Favorite Headphones for Toddlers
• 20 Screen-Free Road Trip Toys for Toddlers
• 10 Mess-Free Travel Activities for 2-Year-Olds
• 50 Road Trip Activities for Toddlers
• LeapFrog Tablets for Toddlers to Promote Learning
• 20 Educational Travel Toys for 5-Year-Olds
• 15 Fun Airplane Activities for Toddlers
• The Best Learning Tablets for Toddlers
• 20 Snow Toys for Toddlers and Big Kids

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