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The 15 best games for car journeys to try
One of the best parts about a UK holiday is that you can quickly drive to your dream location. But this can mean that you and your family will be embarking on some long car journeys and road trips. If you want to keep things exciting, especially for children, why not try entertaining games for car journeys?
With suitable games, you can turn a tedious drive into an exciting adventure that involves every family member. We've compiled a list of the 15 best games for car journeys that will keep everyone entertained, regardless of age or how long your road trips are.
You could enjoy classic I Spy, the fun Name Game, or even music-themed games like Name That Tune. These road trip games are fun and help pass the time and create lasting memories. So, buckle up and get ready for some in-car entertainment!
The Number Plate Game
Starting off our list of the best games for car journeys is the popular Number Plate Game. This is a classic among road trip games and is simple and engaging, so it’s a perfect choice for all ages.
Here's how it works:
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One player looks for a number plate on passing vehicles and says the last three letters of the chosen plate.
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The other players' goal is to take these three letters and form the funniest, most creative, or silliest sentence or story with them.
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For instance, the letters “THG” could form a phrase like “Tom the Hedgehog built a house made of Grass.”
This game keeps everyone occupied and helps improve observation and quick-thinking skills, which is brilliant for blending learning and fun for your little ones.
20 Questions
20 Questions is one of the most versatile road trip games that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults. It’s a simple game that can lead to endless fun and out-of-the-box thinking for the whole family.
Find out moreHere's how to play:
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One player thinks of either a person, a place, or a thing (like an object).
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Other players take turns asking yes-or-no questions to figure out what it is.
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The goal is to guess correctly within just 20 questions.
This game encourages critical thinking and deductive reasoning. It's also a great way to learn more about each other's interests and knowledge base.
The Memory Game
The Memory Game is perfect for sharpening cognitive skills during games for car journeys.
Here's how it works:
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The first player starts with the opening of a sentence, such as "I'm going on a trip, and I'm bringing..."
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They then name an item, for example, "a toothbrush."
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The next player repeats the phrase and the first item, then adds their own item afterwards.
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Continue with each player reciting the growing list and adding a new item.
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If a player forgets an item or says it in the wrong order, they're out.
This game not only tests memory but also encourages creativity in choosing items to add to the list – and, of course, it builds lots of excitement as the list grows.
Classic riddles
Riddles are excellent games for car journeys as they challenge the mind and spark interesting discussions. It’s also a good time for everyone to reel off their favourite riddles they’ve heard before.
Here are a few to get you started:
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"What has keys but no locks, space but no room, and you can enter but not go in?"
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"I'm tall when I'm young and short when I'm old. What am I?"
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"What has a head and a tail made of metal?"
(Answers: 1. A keyboard, 2. A candle, 3. A coin)
Prepare a list of riddles before your trip, or use a riddle book for an endless supply of brain teasers. Of course, you can keep things more straightforward for the younger travellers or add some hints for each riddle.
I Spy
Everyone knows the classic game I Spy, and it’s one of the most straightforward yet entertaining road trip games. It's perfect for all ages and requires no preparation – just good observation and creativity.
Find out moreHere's how you play:
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One player chooses something they see and says, "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with [and then they say the first letter of the object]."
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Other players take turns guessing what the object might be.
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The person who guesses correctly then gets to choose the next object.
This game encourages observation skills and is a great way to appreciate the changing scenery during your journey. For example, you could spot some wildlife while venturing through the Scottish highlands or sandcastles while driving along the Cornish coast.
The Alphabet Game
Your little ones will likely be familiar with the alphabet, even toddlers just learning it. The Alphabet Game is another classic among games for car journeys, and it can be adapted for different skill levels.
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Players look for words on road signs, billboards, or license plates that start with each alphabet letter in order.
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The first person to spot a word beginning with 'A' calls it out; everyone looks for a 'B' word, then a ‘C’ word, and so on.
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For a more challenging version, try to find words that end with each letter instead.
This game is fun and educational, helping younger players practice their alphabet and spelling skills on your trip.
The quiet game
Sometimes, the best games for car journeys are those that bring a moment of peace. With all the excitement for your holiday, having some tranquil times for the little ones to rest and recharge can be good
The quiet game is perfect for this:
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Set a timer for a specific duration (e.g., 10/20/30 minutes).
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Everyone in the car must remain completely silent until the timer goes off.
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The last person to make a sound wins.
This game can provide a welcome break from the constant chatter and allow everyone to enjoy the scenery – a peaceful drive through the forest could be incredible for a moment of quiet, for example.
Rainbow cars
Rainbow Cars is a colourful twist on traditional road trip games and one that the whole family will surely enjoy playing.
There are two ways to play this:
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Assign each player a colour.
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Players must spot cars of their assigned colour.
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The first player to see 10 cars of their colour wins.
Or…
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Players must only spot cars that match a colour of the rainbow
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Go in order of – red, yellow, pink, green, orange, purple, blue (A popular song many kids will know)
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The first player to see 10 cars with a rainbow colour wins.
For younger children, you can simplify the game by having them work together to spot cars of all the colours of the rainbow in order rather than playing against each other.
Car Bingo
Car Bingo is one of the best games for car journeys that are much longer. This game requires some preparation beforehand, but enjoying some great road trip games is worth it.
Find out moreHere’s how to play:
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Before the trip, create bingo cards with items you might see on the road (e.g., a blue car, a stop sign, a cow, or a windmill).
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As you travel, players mark off items they spot.
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The first player to complete a line or mark off the entire card wins.
You can create your own cards based on your route or download printable versions online. For instance, if you’re driving to the Isle of Wight, you’ll likely see lots of boats, and if you’re driving to Hampshire, you may come across plenty of forest wildlife.
While you were sleeping
Playing games for car journeys is exciting but can also wear out the little ones and lead to some nap time. However, this is a fun game to play if someone in the car falls asleep.
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When a passenger is asleep, the other passengers take turns creating “stories” full of different ideas to tell the slumbering passenger when they wake up.
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When passengers wake up from naps, the other passengers take turns telling them stories and the incredible things they "missed" while sleeping. The stories can be as wild and imaginative as they like.
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The person who was sleeping tries to guess which story, if any, is true.
This game encourages creativity and can lead to lots of laughter as you come up with increasingly outlandish scenarios.
Word Association
There are different ways to play Word Association, and it’s one of the simplest yet engaging games for car journeys.
Find out moreHere’s one of the easiest and most fun ways to play it:
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The first player says a word.
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The next player quickly responds with a word that is associated with the previous word in some way. For instance, if one player says ‘camping’, another player could say ‘wilderness’.
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Continue the chain, with each player responding to the previous word.
This game is not only fun but can also lead to interesting conversations about why certain words are associated in people's minds, and you can all find some intriguing links with different terms.
The Name Game
The Name Game is a classic among road trip games that can be played by all ages. All you need to know is the names of some famous people.
Find out more-
The first player names a famous person (they can be either real or fictional).
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The next player must name another famous person whose first name starts with the first letter of the previous person's last name.
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Continue the chain, trying to avoid repeating names or thinking too long.
For example, Taylor Swift → Serena Williams → Winston Churchill
This game tests your knowledge of famous figures and can lead to interesting discussions about different celebrities, historical figures, or characters.
Would you rather…?
Playing Would you instead...? is one of the most engaging games for car journeys since it gets every family member thinking and contemplating their scenarios.
Find out moreThe game is simple:
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Take turns asking "Would you rather...?" questions.
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Everyone must choose between the two options, no matter how difficult or silly.
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Discuss the reasons behind each choice.
Example questions:
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Would you rather be able to fly or breathe underwater?
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Would you rather eat pizza for every meal or never eat pizza again?
This game often leads to hilarious discussions and insightful thinking. It also helps you learn more about each other's preferences and thought processes. You can even ask questions about your holiday—e.g., Would you instead go to the beach in the morning for sunrise or in the evening for sunset?
Fortunately/Unfortunately
For some great storytelling, why not try Fortunately/Unfortunately? It is one of the best road trip games for creative thinking.
Here’s how it works:
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The first player starts a story with a fortunate event – i.e., something positive.
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The next player then continues the story with an unfortunate event.
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Players alternate between fortunate and unfortunate events, building a wild and unpredictable story.
For example:
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"Fortunately, we arrived at our holiday home."
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"Unfortunately, it was raining outside."
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"Fortunately, we had plenty of indoor activities to keep us entertained."
This game encourages creativity and often results in hilarious storylines, and you can definitely relate these stories to your trip.
Name That Tune
For all music lovers, Name That Tune is a fantastic musical game that's great for car journeys. You don’t need anything but your favourite song in your head and a steady hum or whistle.
Here’s how to play:
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One player hums or whistles a tune that they’re thinking of.
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Other players try to guess the song as quickly as possible.
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The player who guesses correctly gets to choose the next song.
This game is entertaining if you have a diverse music collection in your family to draw from, with each player having their favourite style and genre. It can also lead to some great singalongs, making the journey more enjoyable.
Games for car journeys – FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions surrounding games for car journeys that will help you when planning your next trip:
What game can you play on a road trip?
Numerous games can be played on a road trip, from classic options like I Spy and riddles to more creative choices like Car Bingo and the Alphabet Game. Storytelling and musical games are also great options for young passengers.
What can you play on a long car ride?
For long car rides, you can play a wide variety of games. You can try out some word, observation, and storytelling games to keep things interesting. Games like the Name Game and the Memory Game can all be played without any preparation equipment needed.
How do you make a car journey fun?
To make a car journey fun, come prepared with a selection of road trip games to entertain the whole family. You can also create playlists of everyone’s favourite tunes for singalongs, plan exciting stops along the way, and encourage conversation. Having a mix of activities ensures that everyone stays engaged and entertained throughout the trip.
What is the 20 Questions car game?
The 20-question car game is a fun guessing game in which one player thinks of a person, place, or thing, and the other players ask up to 20 yes-or-no questions to figure out what it is. It's a great game for developing critical thinking skills and passing time on long car journeys.
Get ready for endless fun on your next car journey!
With these 15 brilliant games for car journeys, you're now equipped to turn any road trip into an endless adventure. The key to a fun car journey is variety, so feel free to mix up the games and don't be afraid to invent variations. You can even take turns to choose what game to play next.
These road trip games pass the time, create lasting memories, and strengthen bonds between family members. So, on your next trip to the UK, make sure to try out some of these games for car journeys and enjoy the travel as much as the destination!