Many families are making plans for summertime road trips this season, and this is a perfect time for some parent/child bonding and sneaking in some brain-stretching exercises as well! Road games are a great way to not only pass the time while you’re on the road, they’re a fun distraction, an escape from the “road wearies”, a great way to connect, and a fantastic time to sneak in some summertime learning. Here are some proven winners for you and your kids to play while on your journeys—no bits and pieces to lose in the seat cushions and all free!
The Picnic GameThe first player names a food or item you’d normally pack for a picnic that begins with the letter A. The person in the next seat repeats the “A” item and adds an item that starts with the letter “B”. The person in the next seat repeats the A and B words and adds to the list an item that begins with the letter “C.” Continue around the car with each person repeating and adding to the list until you’ve reached the end of the alphabet. There are sure to be big laughs during this game! If your family is a bit competitive then you can add the rule that if a person misses one of the items on the list then they are out and the player with the best memory wins.
Geography AlphabetThis game might be better for slightly older kids. In this game, the first player picks the name of a state (or mountain, river, capital, country…whatever category is chosen for this trip). The player in the next seat has to come up with a state that begins with the last letter of his seatmate’s pick. For example, if the first player chooses Iowa, then the next person can correctly choose Alaska….and so on and so on, around the car. This game can be a real brain stretcher!
Counting GameEven the youngest in your clan can join in on this one. Pick a subject. It can be cows, VW Beetles, red trucks, etc. While traveling the byways everyone counts the number of (whatever subject you picked) and shouts out when it’s been spotted. You can further include the little ones by giving them a pad of paper and letting them keep tally and reporting the totals when you’re ready to choose your next subject. Easy peasy!
The Humming GameOne person, usually the driver in our family, begins to hum a song. Everyone in the car tries to come up with the name of the song. The winner is the one that correctly identifies the song title and is then the one to be the “hummer” for the next round. Whether it’s a popular song, an old classic, or a TV theme song, it’s best to choose a song that you think everyone knows or has a good chance of guessing correctly.
The Alphabet GameThis is a great game when you’re traveling through an area with plenty of road signs, store fronts, billboards, and license plates. The idea is to look outside the windows and look for each letter of the alphabet, from A-Z. For example, the A on the “Apple Orchard” sign, the B on the “George Washington Bridge” sign, the C on the “Welcome to Cape Cod” sign, etc.
20 QuestionsOne person is chosen to silently pick something for the others to guess. The person in the next seat will ask “animal, vegetable, or mineral.” You then go around the car with each person asking a question to which the answer can only be “yes” or “no.” Each person has the opportunity to guess at the answer during their turn. You reach the end of the round when 20 questions have been asked, or earlier if a correct answer was guessed. Each person in the car gets a chance to pick the subject for a new round.
Let’s Build a StoryThe first person will start your fantabulous family story with a simple line. Something like: “One day I was walking through the woods when an elf jumped out from behind a tree.” The next person in line continues the story by adding another line and around the car, each person taking a turn. It’s really fun to see the twists and turns that such creative, team storytelling can take.
Yes, But…Here’s a great and often silly game that will not only get the creative juices going but also encourage kids to think positively. One person makes a gloomy statement like “We drove all the way to Grandma’s house for our 4th of July cook-out but when we got there we found out her refrigerator broke and the special holiday food was all going bad.” The next player can then flip the situation around into something fun and positive like “Yes, but...happily, we got to eat up ALL the ice cream Grandma had stored in her freezer!” Gloomy statement: “Mom screamed when a monkey leapt into our car window at the stop light.” Next player flips it to “Yes, but...luckily, we just bought a bunch of bananas at the grocery store so the monkey buckled up next to me and we ate all of the bananas on our way to the zoo.” The sillier the statements, the better the game will be. Giggles all around with this one!
FAMILY COOKING
MONEY GAMES
Mr. Popper’s Penguins, by Richard Atwater and Florence Atwater. Chaos ensues when a group of penguins moves into the Popper household. It’s an hysterical adventure!
The Mouse and the Motorcycle, by Beverly Cleary. Ralph is a brave mouse who has amazing adventures as he bravely explores the world outside of his hole-in-the-wall home.
The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams and illustrated by William Nicholson. An absolutely charming and sentimental story. A well-loved toy becomes real!
Where the Sidewalk Ends, by Shel Silverstein. Extraordinary work by Silverstein, guaranteed to become one of several of his volumes on your best-loved books.
Winnie the Pooh, by A. A. Milne and illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard. Make sure to find a volume with the Shepard illustrations. This beloved bear and his companions have adventures in the ordinary world that are truly magical.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll. Alice tries to make sense of a world that makes no sense at all in this book that can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike.
Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Anne Shirley is a driven, feisty, red-haired orphan who bumbles through life with the best of intentions and a lot of love in her heart.
Charlotte’s Web, by E. B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams. A little pig named Wilbur is saved by Charlotte the spider, in this facts-of-life tale about inevitable change and dear friendships.
The Indian in the Cupboard, by Lynne Reid Banks. A toy Indian is brought magically to life in a real world full of dangers. This is a fast read but you won’t want the tale to end!
Little House on the Prairie, by Laura Ingalls Wilder and illustrated by Garth Williams. The life and struggles of pioneer life is illustrated in this series of books. You’ll want to begin with the prairie adventure.
The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Spoiled, bad-tempered Mary and new-found companion Colin find their lives changed for the better as they bring a mysterious, abandoned garden back to life.
Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt. A magic spring hidden in the woods brings the Tuck family immortality, but is it a curse or a blessing? The adventure of Winnie and Jess and the discovery that living forever comes at a cost.
A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle. Probably better for the older kids in this category, this is a wonderful book which will introduce science fiction as a remarkable genre.
Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling. Of course this list had to include Harry Potter. Empowered children, magical and remarkable characters, and the clash between good and evil. These books are for kids and adults alike. Even if you’ve already seen the movies, read the books!
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis. A magical door leads into a world of talking animals, mystical creatures, and epic battles. The children find that they are true leaders and more powerful than they’d ever imagined. This is one book in the wonderful Chronicles of Narnia series. You’ll want to read them all!
Eragon, by Christopher Paolini. Paolini was 15 when he wrote this story about a young boy who discovers he is a mighty Dragon Rider with a remarkable destiny. This book is on many summer reading lists for kids of this age.
The Giver, by Lois Lowry. This is an amazing Newbery Medal winner that is a part of many must-read middle and high school curriculums. In it, readers see characters questioning the wisdom of their adults and even challenging authority. Read this one with your child and conversation will surely follow. A fascinating read.
The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.The beginnings of the classic Lord of the Rings trilogy are found in this fantasy. Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, and Gollum are bound to become favorite literary characters.
