Top 5 Road Trip Games For The Entire Family

Here at Hapari Swimwear, we cannot wait for summer! It’s just around the corner, and along with gloriously warm temps and longer days comes summer road trips. School is out and kids are itching for new adventures, and summer road trips are a great way for kids and families to bond while vacationing close (or far!) from home. And road trips are great because the whole family is together in one vehicle;  talk about forced family bonding. ;)

Yahoo! Voices even wrote an article discussing the positive health benefits of road trips, saying, “Seeing new people and things gives your brain a mental workout. Touring historical sights and educational museums add to your overall knowledge and reasoning power. Put your brain to work processing some new information. Greater mental capacity is one of the many health benefits of road trips.”

However, road trips can be daunting, especially with kids. But don’t worry, Hapari Swimwear is here for you. We’ve created a list of 5 Road Trip Games your whole family will love. So, wave buh-bye to the dreaded ‘are we there yet?!!’

Road Sign Bingo

Image via oopsey-daisy.blogspot.com

This version of the beloved Bingo utilizes road signs to keep kiddos eyes alert during long road trips. Print out a road sign bingo card from here. There are also many different variations of road sign bingo cards found on Pinterest. When someone spots a road sign, cover the spot with a sticker (stickers won’t fall off or move around during bumps in the road.) Once the entire card is full of stickers and all the signs have been found, offer a special prize for the winner. Anything from a healthy snack to calling dibs on the next family game. Your kids will love this easy road trip game!

Visual Team Battle

Image via pbs.org

This is an easy game that encourages kids to be observant and learn about the different towns, cities, and landscapes along the trip. To start the game, split the car into two teams. You can do this many different ways - kids vs. adults, girls vs. boys, the right side of the car vs. the left side, etc. Have each team create a list of different things you might see along your drive (this is great for team building and encourages brainstorming!) Assign a point value to each item. The more common items the less points available. For example spotting a cow might be worth 1 point, but seeing a purple car might be worth 10 points. Then swap papers with the opposite team. Pick a time limit like 20 minutes. And see which team can rack up the most points.

Popsicle Stick Puzzles

Image via amyagimudie.wordpress.com

This fun and mess-free game is one toddlers and their parents will love! It does take some prep time before the trip, but it’s sure to be worth it during the long drive. To make this popsicle stick puzzle kit first print off photos. Any prints your toddler loves will work - animals, cartoons, flowers, etc. Next, glue the image on top of a set of popsicle sticks. Typically 5-6 works best. Finally, cut apart the sticks and glue a magnet to the back of each stick. Place in a plastic bag and bring a cookie sheet and you’re ready to go! Tip: For older kids, try printing off funny phrases and having them create their own silly stories by arranging the popsicle sticks.

Professional Cartoonist

Image via hellokids.com

This is a variation of Pictionary, and your kids will love it! The name of the game is ‘professional cartoonist’ and it will test your drawing, listening, and hand-eye coordination skills. To begin, every player will need a paper and pencils or crayons. One person is assigned as the professional cartoonist. They draw a picture without letting anyone else in the game see. Once they’re done, they’ll start to describe what they drew in detail. The other players will do their best to replicate the cartoonists drawing just from listening. The player with the most similar drawing to the cartoonist wins and becomes the next professional cartoonist.

ABC Store

Image via holy-craft.com

This game helps improve memory, encourages creativity and will keep your kiddos in giggles the entire ride. Assign an order to the people in the team. For example, starting with Mom going clockwise. Then, starting with the letter A, the first person says "I went to the store and bought an APPLE" (or whatever word they want to use that begins with the letter A). The next player has to repeat what was said before, adding another item on that begins with the next letter of the alphabet "I went to the store and bought an APPLE and a BUTTON" Rotate around the car until you get to the letter Z. If someone forgets an item they “bought,” start from the begin at A. See how quickly your entire team can finish the alphabet.

And that’s it! Ready to hit the road without ever hearing ‘Are we there yet?!’ Let us know your thoughts, how these games worked out for you and your family or share your best road trip games with us!