The open road calls, the snacks are packed (at least for the next 13 minutes), and your kids have already asked, “Are we there yet?” five times before you’ve even merged onto the motorway.
Road trips with children: a blend of adventure, chaos, and groundbreaking new levels of patience.
To help you keep your sanity and maybe even enjoy the ride, here are 25 activities that’ll keep little minds and fingers busy.
1. Classic Car Bingo
Whoever invented car bingo deserves a medal, or at least a quiet cuppa. Make or print bingo cards with pictures of things kids might spot through the window—cows, red cars, traffic lights, roadworks.
Each time they spot one, they mark it off. Winner gets to pick the next playlist (brace yourself).
For downloadable cards, check out this family travel resource.
2. Audiobook Adventures
An audiobook can transform a squalling back seat into a rapt audience. Pick classics, mysteries, or whatever your brood loves. Harry Potter, Roald Dahl, or Diary of a Wimpy Kid—suddenly, the miles melt away.
Browse options on Audible for Kids or your local library app.
3. Magnetic Board Games
Forget chasing lost dice under seats. Magnetic chess, checkers, or snakes and ladders stick where they should, and fit easily into a backpack. No meltdown when you hit a speed bump.
A solid option is the Melissa & Doug Magnetic Travel Set.
4. DIY Storytelling
Hand the storytelling reins over to your children. Prompt them with “Once upon a time…” and see where the story goes. Each person adds a line, building a tale as wild as your snack choices.
Who knows? Someone may reveal a talent for epic plot twists.
5. Window Art with Gel Clings
Reusable window gel clings are mess-free and can be stuck, peeled, and rearranged on the glass, giving your kids a creative outlet (and you a break from “He’s touching me!”).
You’ll find themed packs at Target or dollar shops.
6. Snack Necklace Crafting
Channel their fidgety energy into edible jewelry. String Cheerios, pretzels, or dried fruit onto yarn. It’s crafty, tasty, and keeps them busy—at least until someone eats their necklace in five minutes flat.
7. Scavenger Hunts
Create a list of quirky things to spot while driving: a purple truck, a dog with its head out the window, a weird hat. The more unusual, the longer it takes.
Bonus: Everyone’s eyes glued to the scenery, not the sibling next to them.
Grab printable hunt lists at momsminivan.
8. Podcasts for Kids
The magic of a well-produced podcast is real. Options like Brains On! or Wow in the World blend laughs and learning. Suddenly, the backseat is silent—except for giggles.
9. Sticker Books
Whether it’s unicorns, dinosaurs, or football, sticker books scratch the itch to fidget. They’re portable, affordable, and (mostly) reusable.
Plus, they won’t roll away at the first sharp turn.
10. Would You Rather Questions
A classic conversation starter, and you’ll be surprised how strange your children’s minds can be. “Would you rather have spaghetti hair or jellybean toes?” Endless nonsense—and endless laughs.
Try a few from this kid-friendly list.
11. Colouring Without Chaos
A small clipboard and a pack of crayons do wonders, but parents in the know swear by Crayola Color Wonder sets—no mess, no mysterious purple mark on the seats.
12. The License Plate Game
See how many different number plates you can spot. Make a list, keep tally, or challenge everyone to find the most unique. Good for competitive spirits—and sneakily educational.
13. Mini Whiteboards
Kids can doodle, play noughts and crosses, or write secret messages. Wipe and repeat. No paper scraps littering the footwell, and not a felt-tip stain in sight.
Pick up a pack at Officeworks.
14. Surprise Bags
Fill brown paper bags with cheap toys, fidget gadgets, or a new comic. Hand them out at strategic intervals (“If we make it to the next rest stop without anyone screaming…”). Works wonders for morale.
15. Sing-Along Sessions
Queue up their favourite tunes and belt them out. Bonus points for family harmonies, double points if no one knows the words and just mumbles along.
Reluctant singers may be coaxed with Disney classics or the Hamilton soundtrack—there’s always one.
16. Pass-the-Drawing
Someone draws a head, folds the paper, passes it on, and the next adds a body—without seeing what came before.
The final creation is usually obscure, often hilarious, and guaranteed to make everyone snort with laughter.
17. Portable LEGO Kits
A shallow, lidded container plus a handful of bricks equals endless possibilities. Stick a baseplate inside the lid for extra creativity.
Just avoid bringing the entire Millennium Falcon set unless you enjoy fishing for pieces under every seat.
Find travel-sized kits at LEGO Shop.
18. I Spy with a Twist
Add categories: only things that are green, start with “S”, or are in motion. Mix it up to keep the “I spy with my little eye…” fresh long after the 10th motorway sign.
19. Mini Puzzles
Magnetic or travel-sized puzzles give little hands something to do, and the completed image offers a sense of accomplishment. No one ever finishes a jigsaw on the first try—buy yourself some time.
Travel puzzles abound at Amazon.
20. Journaling the Journey
Hand out little notebooks and let kids jot down what they see, draw the weirdest thing, or glue in receipts and wrappers as souvenirs.
If your child is more tech-minded, try digital journals on an old phone or tablet.
Some families use the Qeepsake app for quick, prompted entries.
21. Card Games for the Road
Classic games like Go Fish, Old Maid, or Snap work beautifully in the back seat. Pick up a travel deck or try Uno.
If your heart can take it, introduce them to Exploding Kittens. Yes, it’s as silly as it sounds.
22. Sensory Bags
For younger kids, fill resealable bags with hair gel, glitter, buttons, or beads (seal tightly, obviously). They can squish and swirl to their heart’s content, mesmerised by the sparkles.
Instructions for safe crafting are at The Best Ideas for Kids.
23. Guess the Song Game
Hum a tune or play a five-second snippet, and see who guesses it first. This one can get competitive. Winner gets an extra snack—parent tax not included.
24. Mad Libs and Silly Stories
Those fill-in-the-blank storybooks spark the best kind of road trip giggles, often involving unicorns, underpants, and spectacular explosions. Try printable Mad Libs or make your own.
25. Animal Counting
Pick an animal—cows, sheep, horses, llamas if you’re lucky—and see who can spot the most before the next petrol station. Great for wide-open country drives, and a relief for kids who tire of screens.
The Only Backseat Battles Will Be Over the AUX Cord
A little planning keeps kids occupied, sibling squabbles to a minimum, and your own nerves intact.
Each activity offers a shot at that holy grail: peaceful, happy travel memories. Or, at the very least, fewer cries of boredom echoing through the car.
Who knows? You might even get to enjoy the scenery yourself. Safe travels—don’t forget the snacks (and patience).
