12 Road Trip Activities for Kids

Road trips are an incredible way to see the world affordably with kids. We can open our children’s eyes and fill their childhood with meaningful memories by traveling as a family. However, sometimes those hours seem to stretch on FOREVER. These twelve screen-free road trip activities will help you joyfully pass the driving time.

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Whether you have big plans to visit all the National Parks or you want to drive a few hours to visit extended family, road tripping is the way to go. In fact, we have crisscrossed the country over and over with our kids, and it has provided opportunities we never could have had otherwise.

During a recent trip, one of the kids asked how long of a drive we had left. I answered, “Three hours.” The reply, “Wow! We’re almost there!”

The more we road trip, the better we all get at it.

So although it can be intimidating to strap those Littles in and take off, just go for it. And whether this is your first big trip or hundredth, these twelve tried and true activities will help you not only survive those long hours but thrive. Plus, they are all screen-free.

12 Road Trip Activities for Kids

1. Have a Sing-a-Long or Dance Party

• Turn up the music and bust a tune. This is the perfect time to show your kids that you don’t have to be a professional to enjoy singing.
• While you can’t have a traditional dance party, you can always move to the beat. You can also pretend to play the instruments (drums are the favorite) or lead the orchestra.
• Choose a mix of music from the parental old school favorites to those created for the youngsters. Try a variety of genres and artists.
• About ten years ago, a family friend gave us what quickly became our all time favorite road trip music for kids: On the Road With Bob & Larry. With old favorites like “On a Bicycle Built for Two” and new songs with clever lyrics, the compilation works like magic. It entertains the youngest travelers without driving the older ones crazy.

2. Sightsee and Learn about Your Surroundings

• Keep your eyes open to your surroundings. What do you notice? Do you know how those mountains formed or where the name of this city came from? Encourage your kids to be inquisitive by example.
• We’re lucky enough to live in an age where knowledge is readily accessible. Do a quick search and learn about the geology or history of the places you are traveling.

3. Color or Draw

• Kids can color in a coloring book or draw a picture of something they’ve seen on the road trip. You can also play simple games like Tic-Tac-Toe and Pig Pen.
• Warning: If you’re traveling someplace hot, avoid crayons or keep really good track of them. We’ve had one too many crayons melt in the crooks of the car seat! Colored pencils or Color Wonder products are a mess-free way to prevent that as well.

4. Tell Family Stories

• When I was growing up, listening to family stories was always one of my favorite ways to spend time on road trips. I remember one trip when I was a bit older, Dad and Mom told us all about how they met, dated, and finally got engaged years later. It was so fun hearing both sides of the story and all the smaller details that came out when we had plenty of time to sit and listen.
• Telling family stories holds many benefits for our kids. Read this post for more on that: A Small Island, a Young Boy, and the Power of Stories.
• Encourage your kids to tell stories too.
• If you don’t know what story to tell, consider some of these prompts:
  • Tell about a memory from when you were your child’s age.
  • What was your first job?
  • Tell the story of your child’s birth. What was the day like? How did you choose the name? Who came to visit?
  • Have you ever been injured? (Not sure why, but kids love these stories!)
  • Did you have a favorite pet growing up?
  • What is one of your embarrassing moments?
  • Tell about one of your favorite vacations.

5. Listen to an Audiobook

• An audiobook really makes the time fly for me. You can borrow or download them from most libraries, or try a 30 Day Free Try of Audible for a huge selection.

6. Play a Card or Travel Game

• Many games come in travel sizes. These also make for great gifts for birthdays or surprises for your trip. Additionally, our kids love to play Uno, Spot It, and other card games. You can get a card holder or use a tupperware, but you can also play without one.

7. Read

• Reading is one of the most important skills we can grow in our children. Bring a stack of board books for the littlest travelers and chapter books for the older ones. You can read aloud or have quiet time to look at the pictures.
• Try to find a book that takes place where you are traveling. Whether it’s historical or current, it’s awesome to see where you read about. This site has Children’s books listed by state. You can also search “Children’s book set in the…” desert, Midwest, etc.

8. Play a Car Game

• Kids love playing a game together. This list should be helpful of 11 Last Minute Car Games, No Preparation Required. Whether it’s I Spy or 20 Questions, these types of games are bonding and fun.

9. Listen to a Musical and Tell the Story

• I stumbled upon this idea when I was listening to the Forgotten Carols, and my kids kept asking what the songs were about. So I started over, telling the story, playing the next song at the appropriate time, and then telling more of the story.
• We’ve done it with several musicals since, and all have been a hit. Our current favorites are Newsies and Fiddler On The Roof. Knowing the story really attaches the kids to the music. Now, even when we don’t tell the stories, they love the music more, request it, and are singing along.

10. Talk and Learn

• This can be precious time to really connect. One of my favorite things about road trips is when the kids are all reading or sleeping and my husband and I can talk. I also love talking with the kids about their lives and questions or reminiscing about family memories and traditions. You can discuss moral lessons and answer big questions.
• Additionally, you can talk about what your kids are learning. Whether that means practicing math facts and state capitols or singing the alphabet song and discussing seasons, car time can be great learning time.

11. Eat

• It doesn’t have to be junk food, but eating can definitely help pass the time. I generally like to stick to our normal(ish) schedule when we travel. That includes 3 meals and snacks. We always looked forward to the special food my mom packed for road trips that we didn’t regularly get. Back then it was squeeze cheese with crackers, “expensive” fruit like fresh peaches and plums, and Snapple. Oh, the memories.
• A lifesaving tip- bringing some suckers can save sanity in the car! A well-timed Dum Dum can keep mouths closed and happy for quite a while. 🙂

12. Rest

• Don’t be afraid to have a quiet or resting time in the car. Young kids need it, and everyone benefits from it. We’ll either have kids snuggle a stuffed animal and rest their eyes for a bit, or play soothing music and encourage everyone to be quiet and enjoy the scenery. With practice and a calm expectation, nearly everyone can learn to sleep in the car.

We have filled literally thousands of miles and hundreds of hours in the car with these twelve simple activities. As such, we have been able to enjoy countless destinations and the journey along the way.

I sincerely hope these activities help your family have a joyful and memorable road trip. Here’s to Lovin’ Life with your Littles!

What else do you like to do on road trips? Do you have any road trip challenges? Please share in the comments.

Here they are again for Quick Reference…

12 Screen-Free and Simple Road Trip Activities for Kids

1. Have a Sing-Along or Dance Party
2. Sightsee and Learn about Your Surroundings
3. Color or Draw
4. Tell Family Stories
5. Listen to an Audiobook
6. Play a Card or Travel Game
7. Read
8. Play a Car Game
9. Listen to a Musical and Tell the Story
10. Talk and Learn
11. Eat
12. Rest

Enjoy your road trip!!!