Planning to fly across the country, take a road trip to grandma’s house, or take a train ride through scenic landscapes? These activities and games can keep your little ones entertained for hours.
Traveling with kids can be a delightful or challenging adventure, depending on how prepared you are. Sure, mobile or tablet screens can be a lifesaver to kill time, but it is important to encourage screen-free time for kids during travel. It opens up opportunities for kids to be creative, mindful, and interactive during travel.
Travel activities help kids make new memories, bond, keep boredom at bay, build problem-solving skills, and encourage family bonding.
Let’s ditch the screens (at least for a while) and dive into fun travel activities to engage your kids.
How Can You Engage Kids During Travel?
Most of us try to burden our kids with the type of activities that we deem interesting. However, we suggest you find various activities catering to your kid’s interests and skills. Here are some categories to consider:
- Vocabulary
- Reading
- Problem-solving activities like puzzles, riddles, or brain teasers
- Games including classic travel-friendly games like card games and magnetic board games
- Drawing/Art
- Family Time is when you play interactive games like “Guess the Movie,” create silly stories together or have a family trivia contest. You can also narrate stories or your childhood memories to your kids.
- Awareness of Cultures, Countries, Geographies, and Destinations using maps, pictures, or globes
These are broad categories, now, let’s get into them one by one.
20 Travel Activities and Games for Kids
Here’s a mix of classic and timeless games, fun travel activities, and brain games for your next holiday with kids.
1. Reading Storybooks
Pack age-appropriate books like picture books for younger kids or short novels for older ones. For example, if you’re heading to the mountains, choose a story like The Gruffalo or Heidi. Audiobooks are a hands-free alternative—download an adventure tale or a mystery to engage the entire family.
Reading fosters imagination, builds vocabulary, and helps kids unwind during long journeys.
2. Play 20 Questions
One player thinks of an object, person, or animal, and the others ask yes/no questions to figure it out within 20 tries. For instance, a child might think of a “giraffe,” and the questions could include, “Is it an animal?” or “Does it live in Africa?”
Encourages critical thinking, improves communication skills, and is perfect for short trips or waiting times.
3. I Spy
This is an interesting game in which one player starts by saying, “I spy with my little eye, something [color/shape],” and the others guess what it is.
For example, one player says, “I spy something color blue,” which could mean the sky or a passing car.
4. Travel-Sized Board Games
Games like magnetic chess, Scrabble, or travel-sized Connect Four are fantastic for road trips or airplanes. Compact games like pinball or Chinese Checkers are also great options.
Board games are known to develop strategic thinking among kids and adults. This way you encourage friendly competition among your kids as well.
5. Coloring Books
Pack coloring books or blank notebooks along with crayons, colored pencils, or markers. We always do this when we travel with our kids.
For instance, your child can draw scenes from the trip or color animals they spot during the trip.
Art in any form improves fine motor skills and creativity among kids. It also calms down kids when they are hyper active.
6. Activities with Stickers
Sticker books with themes like animals, vehicles, or fairy tales are great for kids to create their own mini-scenes. For added fun, give them blank paper to make sticker art.
Promotes imagination, is mess-free, and keeps hands busy during long waits.
7. Alphabet Hunt
Look for objects, signs, or license plates starting with each letter of the alphabet, from A to Z. For example, “A for apple” (from a fruit stand), “B for bus,” and so on.
Enhances observation skills, reinforces letter recognition, and turns the scenery into a game.
8. Tic Tac Toe
Draw a grid on paper or use a mini whiteboard for reusable fun. Take turns marking Xs and Os to win three in a row.
Simple, quick, and improves strategic thinking in younger kids.
9. Dots & Squares
Draw a grid of dots on paper. Players take turns connecting two dots to form a line. The player who completes a square writes their initial in it.
Enhances spatial reasoning and provides a fun, competitive challenge.
10. Bingo
Create bingo cards featuring travel-themed items like “red car,” “airplane,” or “stop sign.” Cross off items as you spot them during the trip.
Makes the journey interactive, enhances focus, and encourages visual scanning.
11. Word Puzzles
You could bring small books on word searches, crosswords, or anagrams. For instance, create a travel-themed word search with words like “luggage,” “plane,” and “hotel.”
Word puzzles can boost vocabulary and problem-solving skills and keep minds sharp.
12. Memory Test
Place 10 small objects on a tray. Show them to the kids for 30 seconds, then cover the tray. Ask them to recall as many items as possible.
This game strengthens memory skills and attention to detail.
13. Would You Rather?
You can turn your road trip into a fun-filled debate with the “Would You Rather?” game.
Ask silly and thought-provoking questions like:
- Would you rather have a pet dragon or a pet unicorn?
- Would you rather explore outer space or the deep sea?
- Would you rather have the ability to time travel or teleport?
- Would you rather have unlimited free time or unlimited money?
You can check out this article on Would You Rather for more ideas.
Each person takes turns answering, and you can even challenge them to explain why they chose their answer. You are guaranteed to experience a lot of giggles along the way!
14. Categories
Test your kid’s knowledge and quick thinking with a game of Categories!
Pick a theme—like animals, countries, cities, or desserts—and take turns naming items in alphabetical order. For example, if you choose animals, one player might say “A for Alligator,” the next says “B for Butterfly,” and so on.
Adding a 10-second timer for each turn can make it more exciting! This keeps everyone engaged, improves memory skills, and is a fantastic way to pass the time as a family.
15. Road Trip Riffing
Play a favorite song and take turns making up funny lyrics or a story that matches its theme.
It sparks creativity, reduces boredom, and creates hilarious memories.
16. Origami or Paper Crafts
Bring colorful origami or quilling papers to make interesting crafts like airplanes, boats, or animals. You can watch some tutorials ahead and pre-print or save them on your phone. Paper crafts are a good way to fine-tune motor skills and hands-on activity during long waits.
17. DIY Travel Journals
Give kids a blank notebook or a travel journal to document their trip with drawings, notes, or collected mementos like tickets or pressed flowers. This activity encourages reflection and creativity and creates a keepsake that your kids will treasure.
18. Scavenger Hunt
Turn your kids’ travel time into an adventure with a Scavenger Hunt! Make a list of things to spot along the way, such as a red truck, a cow, a stop sign, or a person wearing sunglasses. Each player marks off the items they find, and the first to complete their list wins!
You can even create themed hunts, such as “roadside nature” or “city sights.” This activity keeps kids focused, sharpens their observational skills, and adds a fun challenge to the journey.
19. Mad Libs
Bring out the storyteller in your kids with Mad Libs!
All you need to do is pack a Mad Libs book or create your own by writing a short story with missing words—nouns, verbs, and adjectives—then let the kids fill in the blanks with their wildest ideas.
The end result?
Interesting and goofy stories that will have everyone laughing! You can try this game with your kids if they want to learn grammar and vocabulary in a fun way.
20. Postcard Writing
You can get postcards or blank cards for kids so they can write messages about their trip. Encourage them to describe what they’ve seen or learned.
It enhances writing skills, helps reflect on the trip, and creates a meaningful connection with recipients.
These family travel games and activities are versatile and easy to adapt. We hope they can make your travel experience smooth and fun!
Happy traveling!