Family roads trips are the stuff that memories are made of. However, those memories are sometimes more bad than good because everyone gets bored, cranky, and an argument ensues. However, to make happy memories instead, it’s best to have some boredom busting ideas pre-planned for when things are about to get short tempered. Here are just a few ideas to help you get started.

Map Spotting

Give each child an easy-to-follow map and make sure you circle all the interesting and important landmarks that you’re going to pass. Their job is to spot them and tick them off as they go. Not only will this help to teach them map reading skills (a dying art) but it will make them excited to see places that you can then give them the background information. If you’ve got the time, you might even choose to stop off and look at them up close.

Car Counting

A great game for any journey, car counting is a simple but effective way to pass the time. Pick a car color or type and start searching the roads around you. First one to 10 wins!

Tin Foil Sculptures

There is only one piece of equipment needed for this game – aluminum foil. Plus you’ll need a good deal of imagination on top. The foil is great to make sculptures out of as it’s easy to twist into shape, and it stays where you put it. A roll of foil can go a long way and could keep everyone occupied for many hours.

Never Have I Ever

Never Have I Ever is a fun game to play with kids and adults. One person makes a statement such as ‘Never have I ever gone swimming in the sea,’ and everyone who has done that gets the point. Once you get to 10 (or any other number of your choosing) points, you’re out until you have a winner. Coming up with statements is the only tricky part of this game, and if you’re running out of ideas, you can find more at Fun Attic.

Scavenger Hunt

If you plan your road trip scavenger hunt out just right, this could even take the whole journey. Even if it doesn’t, it will certainly while away the time for a bit anyway. Make sure you bring some little gifts with you for prizes. Otherwise, the kids might not want to cooperate! For a road trip scavenger hunt, you need to print out a list of things that they need to look out for; cows, a water tower, a billboard and so on. First one to see them all wins. 

License Plate Lingo

When you’re on the road, it’s likely that, for at least part of the time, there will be other cars around you. They’ll all have license plates, and those license plates will all have letters on them. The aim of this game is to work out what those letters stand for. The funniest acronym is the winner! This game can cause a nice fit of the giggles, and you’ll never forget those funny phrases.