Road Trip Games!
Time for another Savageglobetrotters road trip! My daughters and I (and Loki, our dog) are packed up and ready to go! This time from Bend, Oregon, to Memphis Tennessee.
Are you taking a road trip this summer?
As a travel family we spend countless hours on the road. Our long drives are often broken up to stop to ease the monotony and to explore the diversity of this huge country. Some states, like South Dakota or Texas, take hours to cross and there is only so much to see.
So what do we do? Here’s a list of our favorite road trip ideas and activities while on the road. Most of them are well-known, but there may be a few new ones to keep occupied during those long, seemingly endless road trips.
1. Horse/Animal Game
Whoever sees a horse gets a point when they yell, “Horse!” Easy enough. We expanded the game and give more points depending on the scarcity of the animal. See a deer? 5 points! An alpaca? 10 points! A skunk? 20 points!
If you see a cemetery, yell “Bury your horses!” and everyone goes back to zero except the person who called the cemetery.
2. Slug Bug
A favorite and well known game for many people on the road, get a point for every Volkswagen bug you see. We give 3 points for yellow (Herbie Goes Bananas) and two for the older model Volkswagens. A crazy looking rainbow or tie dyed looking one gets 5 points 😊
3. Alphabet Game
Our family take turns and attempts to find something outside of the car for each letter of the alphabet. Sometimes we count points, sometimes we just play for fun. A is for Auto, B is for Butte, C is for…
4. I Spy
Another well-known favorite, everyone takes a guess about what you see. “I spy something round and yellow.”
5. Audiobooks
Choose something age appropriate. Take turns. I choose a mix of classics and modern books. For example, Charlotte’s Web, The Giver, or the Diary of Anne Frank. Then, The Book Thief or Harry Potter. This trip I download To Kill a Mockingbird.
6. Podcasts
Again, take turns. There are several good kid’s podcasts out there. I can only listen to so much of a kid’s book and my daughters can only listen to so much of NPR News and the Survival Podcast. I really enjoy the new Duolingo Podcasts for Spanish.
7. Google Questions/Fun Facts
Kids are curious by nature and have so many questions. I find that I often do too. What’s the deepest point in the ocean? How long ago did giant sloths live? What’s the Earth’s circumference? Modern technology makes us lucky enough to get information any time we want it. Take advantage. Instill curiosity in your children.
8. Destination Research
Learn about your destination or the surrounding geography. For example, if we are hitting a national park, a city, or if we pass near an Indian reservation, we read about it so we can be more informed. It also allows us to enjoy and prepare for the area more.
9. License Plates
I print out blank maps for each of us at the beginning of our trips. When someone sees a new plate and calls the state they mark it off their list. Whoever has the most states at the end of the trip wins!
10. Quiet Time
Sometimes we just need peace and quiet. Read. Draw. Get some shut eye (not the driver!). Enjoy and take in the diverse surroundings.
Ten quick ideas to get you started, some of which you probably already play. Do you have some other creative, entertaining ideas? Please comment and share. Most of all have fun!
