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Safety first: Always supervise little ones, and skip small parts for kids who still put things in their mouths. Please read our play safety notes before you start.
Key takeaways
- Pack piece-free: tie markers on, clip pages down and skip anything small that can roll under a seat.
- If your child gets car sick, pick games that keep eyes on the window and save drawing and reading for stops.
- Switch activities every 30 minutes, even when one is going well, so it still works later in the drive.
- Kids stay buckled for every game, and soft, light toys are safer than hard ones in a sudden stop.
In this post36 sections
- Before You Go: The Piece-Free Rule and the Car-Sick Label
- Printable Road Trip Games (Car Bingo, I Spy, License Plate Hunt)
- 1. Car bingo on a clipboard
- 2. I spy color hunt page
- 3. License plate hunt map
- 4. Are we there yet progress map
- Road Trip Activities for Kids 3 to 5 (No Reading Needed)
- 5. Red car count
- 6. Window gel clings
- 7. Magnetic travel bingo with sliding windows
- 8. Animal sound guessing game
- 9. Shape hunt out the window
- 10. Listen for the word story
- Road Trip Activities for Kids 6 to 8
- 11. Alphabet sign hunt
- 12. Rest stop drawing journal
- 13. Map navigator job
- 14. Mile marker countdown
- 15. Twenty questions
- Car Games That Need Nothing but the Window and Your Voice
- 16. ABC categories
- 17. Rhyme time
- 18. Spot it first
- Games for Kids Who Get Car Sick (Eyes Up, No Screens, No Reading)
- 19. Cloud and horizon shapes
- 20. Sound detective
- DIY Road Trip Activities From Things You Already Own
- 21. Index card scavenger ring
- 22. Foil sculptures
- 23. Dry erase tic tac toe in a sheet protector
- 24. Snack box countdown
- 25. Pack a surprise for the last hour
- A 30 Minute Block Plan for a 6 Hour Drive (Thanksgiving and Christmas Travel)
- Restaurant and Rest Stop Table Games
- Road Trip Supplies Worth Packing
- FAQ
Before You Go: The Piece-Free Rule and the Car-Sick Label
Every activity on this list passed one test: nothing small enough to drop under the seat. Loose crayons, dice and puzzle pieces end up on the floor mats within 20 minutes, and you can't reach them while you drive. Anything with parts here is tied on, clipped down or rides in a tin.
Each idea also has a car-sick safe label. Activities that keep eyes up and out the window are marked yes. Anything with reading, drawing or looking down at a page is marked no, because the CDC suggests looking at the horizon to ease motion sickness.
These road trip activities for kids are for ages 3 to 8. Traveling with a baby or a child under 3? Our airplane activities for toddlers list is built for that age, and most of it works in a car seat too.
Printable Road Trip Games (Car Bingo, I Spy, License Plate Hunt)
Printable road trip activities for kids are the cheapest thing you can pack, and they slide flat into a seat-back pocket. You can draw these on plain paper tonight or print your own. A clipboard and one dry erase marker tied on with a ribbon make every page reusable.
1Car bingo on a clipboard
Draw a 4 by 4 grid and fill it with things you'll pass: a red car, a cow, a bridge, a gas station, a stop sign, a truck. Little kids get picture squares and big kids get word squares. Slide the page into a sheet protector, and they can cross off with a dry erase marker and wipe it clean for the next leg.
Ages: 3 to 8 (pictures for 3 to 5, words for 6 to 8).
Prep: 10 minutes.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: mostly yes (eyes go out the window, the page is only for a quick mark).
Supplies: paper, a clipboard, a sheet protector, a dry erase marker on a ribbon.
Safety: keep the ribbon short (under 12 inches) and take it off the marker when your child naps.
- Make two different boards per kid so the second leg feels new.
Turns any printed bingo board into one you wipe and reuse.
2I spy color hunt page
Draw six big car outlines and color them red, blue, yellow, green, white and black. Your child makes a tally mark each time a car of that color passes. At the next stop, count which color won. Kids ages 3 to 5 love this because there's no reading at all.
Ages: 3 to 6.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: mostly yes.
Supplies: one page, a chunky crayon.
Safety: chunky crayons only, and count them back into the bag at each stop.
- Guess the winning color before you start; it makes the count more exciting.
3License plate hunt map
Print a plain outline map of the United States. Each time your child spots a plate from a new state, they color it in. It works best for ages 6 to 8 on highways, where plates from far away show up more often. Keep it going for the whole trip, home included.
Ages: 6 to 8 (5 with help reading the plates).
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: no (reading plates means focusing on small text).
Supplies: a printed US outline map, one marker.
Safety: this one needs reading, so hand the map to a parent if your child starts to feel queasy.
- Make a family rule: whoever spots the plate first gets to color it.
4Are we there yet progress map
Draw a winding road on a long strip of paper, with your car at one end and your destination at the other. Add one box for every 30 minutes of driving. Your child colors a box each time the timer goes off, so they can see how far is left without asking.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: 10 minutes.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: yes.
Supplies: a paper strip, painter's tape, one crayon.
Safety: tape it to the back of the front seat, not on a window you need to see out of.
- Draw a snack or a stop on a few of the boxes, so kids have something to look forward to.
If you'd rather print than draw, the free pack below is a good start. It has 50 screen-free activity cards with the ages, prep time and supplies on every card, and plenty of them work at a rest stop, a hotel room or Grandma's table.
Road Trip Activities for Kids 3 to 5 (No Reading Needed)
Preschoolers can't read signs yet, so these use colors, shapes, sounds and things to touch. Keep each one short. Ten minutes of play and then a switch works better than one long game.
5Red car count
Pick one color and count every car of that color you pass, out loud, together. When you hit 10, pick a new color. It's simple, but it keeps a 3 year old looking out the window, which is where you want their eyes.
Ages: 3 to 5.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: yes.
Supplies: nothing.
Safety: nothing to watch for.
- Switch to trucks or buses on quiet roads.
6Window gel clings
Gel clings stick to the car window and peel off with no sticky marks. Kids build a scene on the glass: an ocean, a garden, a sky full of stars. They're flat and light, and they stay where kids put them.
Ages: 3 and up (check the label).
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: yes (eyes stay up at the window).
Supplies: a sheet of reusable gel clings.
Safety: small clings can be a choking risk, so keep them away from babies in the next seat and count them back onto the sheet.
- Pick a theme that matches where you're going, like beach or snow.
Light, flat and peel off the glass with no marks.
7Magnetic travel bingo with sliding windows
These plastic bingo cards have little shutters you slide over each picture as you spot it. Nothing comes loose, so it's about as piece-free as a store-bought car game gets. Some sets come in a flat tin with extra cards.
Ages: 4 to 8 (check the label).
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: mostly yes.
Supplies: one travel bingo set.
Safety: pick a set with shutters that are built in, not loose markers, and check the age label.
- Give each kid a different card so there's no fighting over the same cow.
Built-in shutters, so there's nothing to drop under the seat.
8Animal sound guessing game
One person makes an animal sound and everyone else guesses. Then the guesser takes a turn. Three year olds can play this for a surprisingly long time, and it costs nothing.
Ages: 3 to 6.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: yes.
Supplies: nothing.
Safety: nothing to watch for.
- Add a rule for big kids: the animal has to live where you're driving.
9Shape hunt out the window
Draw a circle, a triangle, an octagon and a rectangle on an index card. Kids hunt for each one out the window: wheels, yield signs, stop signs, truck trailers. Once they find all four, flip the card and add a star and a diamond.
Ages: 3 to 5.
Prep: 2 minutes.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: yes.
Supplies: an index card, a marker (for you).
Safety: nothing to watch for.
- Teach the word octagon here; stop signs make it stick.
10Listen for the word story
Put on an audiobook or a kids' story podcast and pick one word to listen for, like "bear" or "door." Every time it comes up, everyone claps. It turns a quiet story into a game, and it keeps little ones listening.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: 2 minutes (download before you leave, since signal drops on highways).
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: yes (audio is one of the best picks for kids who get car sick).
Supplies: a downloaded audiobook or story.
Safety: keep the volume low if your child uses headphones.
- Library apps often lend kids' audiobooks for free with a library card.
Road Trip Activities for Kids 6 to 8
Six to eight year olds can read signs, keep score and handle a game with rules. They also like a real job. These give them one.
11Alphabet sign hunt
Find the letter A on a sign, then B, then C, all the way to Z. Signs, trucks and billboards all count. Q and Z are the hard ones, so the whole car usually cheers when someone finds them.
Ages: 6 to 8 (5 with help).
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: partly (it's reading, but the signs are far away and up high).
Supplies: nothing.
Safety: nothing to watch for.
- Play as one team, not against each other, so younger kids stay in it.
12Rest stop drawing journal
Give your child a small sketchbook and one prompt per stop: draw the best thing you saw in the last hour. By the end of the trip they have a little travel book. Save the drawing for stops if your child gets car sick.
Ages: 5 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: low (crayons).
Car-sick safe: no while moving, yes at stops.
Supplies: a small sketchbook, a few crayons in a pouch.
Safety: do the drawing at stops or on smooth roads, and keep pencils in the pouch while driving.
- Write the date and town on each page; it becomes a keepsake.
A flat surface for drawing at stops or on smooth roads.
13Map navigator job
Hand your child a paper road map with your route traced in highlighter. Their job is to tell you when you pass each town or cross a river. Kids this age love being in charge of something real.
Ages: 6 to 8.
Prep: 10 minutes (trace the route at home).
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: no.
Supplies: a paper road map, a highlighter, two or three stickers.
Safety: map reading means looking down, so switch jobs if they start to feel sick.
- Put a sticker on each town you'll pass; they peel it off when you get there.
14Mile marker countdown
On highways, small green signs count the miles. Tell your child how many miles to the next stop and let them watch the markers count down. Big kids can work out how many minutes it will take at 60 miles per hour (about one mile a minute).
Ages: 6 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: yes.
Supplies: nothing.
Safety: nothing to watch for.
- Turn it into a guess: who can say when the next marker will appear?
15Twenty questions
One person thinks of an animal, a food or a place. Everyone else asks yes or no questions, up to 20, to guess it. Six year olds get better at asking smart questions every round.
Ages: 6 to 8 (4 and 5 can play on a team with a grown-up).
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: yes.
Supplies: nothing.
Safety: nothing to watch for.
- Start with animals only; it keeps the game short for younger siblings.
Car Games That Need Nothing but the Window and Your Voice
These need zero supplies, so they're your backup when the bag is in the trunk. They also work for mixed ages in one row.
16ABC categories
Pick a category, like animals or foods, and go around the car naming one for each letter. Alligator, bear, cat. Kids who are stuck can ask for a clue. Little ones can play the easy version: name any animal.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: yes.
Supplies: nothing.
Safety: nothing to watch for.
- Let the youngest pick the category.
17Rhyme time
Say a word and everyone takes turns saying a word that rhymes: car, star, jar, far. The first one stuck picks the next word. It's a fun way to practice early reading skills with no paper at all.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: yes.
Supplies: nothing.
Safety: nothing to watch for.
- Made-up words count for little kids, as long as they rhyme.
18Spot it first
Call out a thing to find: a water tower, a horse, a train, a yellow car. The first person to spot it picks the next one. Out the window games like this are good on long, boring stretches of road.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: yes.
Supplies: nothing.
Safety: nothing to watch for.
- On city streets, try a dog, a bike or a mailbox.
Games for Kids Who Get Car Sick (Eyes Up, No Screens, No Reading)
If your child gets car sick, skip anything that means looking down. Mayo Clinic suggests focusing on the horizon, keeping the head still against the seat, and not reading or using screens while moving. Ask your pediatrician before any motion sickness medicine, since many are not for young kids.
19Cloud and horizon shapes
On open roads, look far out at the clouds and the line where the land meets the sky. Take turns saying what each cloud looks like. It keeps eyes on the horizon, which is what helps.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: yes, and it's one of the best for it.
Supplies: nothing.
Safety: nothing to watch for.
- Crack a window a little; fresh air helps many kids feel better.
20Sound detective
Everyone closes their eyes and names every sound they hear: the blinker, the tires, a truck, the radio. Closing the eyes can help a queasy child, and the game gives them something to do while they rest.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: none.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: yes.
Supplies: nothing.
Safety: nothing to watch for.
- Play it in the last half hour before a nap.
DIY Road Trip Activities From Things You Already Own
DIY road trip activities for kids don't need a store run. These come from the kitchen drawer and the office supply shelf.
21Index card scavenger ring
Draw one thing to find on each index card (a cow, a bridge, a train, a water tower) and add a check box. Punch a hole in the corner and put the cards on a binder ring. Nothing comes apart, and kids flip to the next card once they find each one.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: 15 minutes.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: mostly yes.
Supplies: index cards, a hole punch, a binder ring, a marker.
Safety: check the ring snaps shut so it can't pinch, and don't let little ones chew the cards.
- Make one ring per kid, with the same pictures in a different order.
22Foil sculptures
Tear off a few sheets of aluminum foil and let kids squeeze them into animals, snakes, rings and tiny cars. Foil holds its shape and makes no mess. When they're done, scrunch it into a ball and start again.
Ages: 4 to 8.
Prep: 1 minute.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: partly (it's hands-on, but kids can do it without staring down).
Supplies: a few sheets of kitchen foil in a zip bag.
Safety: foil is not for kids who still put things in their mouths, and fold any sharp edges over.
- Make a foil zoo and line it up on the window ledge.
23Dry erase tic tac toe in a sheet protector
Slide a page with nine tic tac toe grids into a sheet protector. Two kids in the back can play each other, or a kid can play you at a stop. Wipe it clean with a tissue and go again.
Ages: 5 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: low (marker on fingers).
Car-sick safe: no while moving.
Supplies: a sheet protector, a printed or drawn grid, a dry erase marker on a ribbon.
Safety: short ribbon only, and take it off when your child sleeps.
- Add dots and boxes on the back for a second game.
24Snack box countdown
Fill a tackle box or a pill organizer with a different small snack in each section, and let one section open every half hour. It doubles as a timer. Only pack snacks your child already eats safely at home.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: 10 minutes.
Mess: low (crumbs).
Car-sick safe: yes, and dry snacks like crackers may help.
Supplies: a clean tackle box or a days-of-the-week pill box, snacks.
Safety: kids should eat sitting up, with you watching. For under 4s, the AAP lists foods like whole grapes, nuts and popcorn as choking risks.
- Leave one section empty with a note: "you choose the next stop."
25Pack a surprise for the last hour
The last hour is the hardest one. Hide one new thing you haven't shown your child yet, like a new audiobook, a new sticker sheet or a new travel game, and bring it out when you're an hour away. It's a reset when everyone is tired.
Ages: 3 to 8.
Prep: 5 minutes.
Mess: none.
Car-sick safe: depends on the surprise; an audiobook is the safest bet.
Supplies: one small new item.
Safety: check the age label on anything new.
- Tell kids a surprise is coming at the last hour; the wait helps too.
A 30 Minute Block Plan for a 6 Hour Drive (Thanksgiving and Christmas Travel)
Holiday road trips are long, and the traffic makes them longer. Plan the drive in 30 minute blocks and switch activities at each block, even if things are going well. It keeps the fun fresh for later.
| Time | Ages 3 to 5 | Ages 6 to 8 |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00 to 0:30 | Red car count | Alphabet sign hunt |
| 0:30 to 1:00 | Audiobook: listen for the word | Audiobook: listen for the word |
| 1:00 to 1:30 | Window gel clings | License plate hunt map |
| 1:30 to 2:00 | Snack box section 1 | Snack box section 1 |
| 2:00 to 2:30 | Stop: stretch, bathroom, drawing journal | Stop: drawing journal |
| 2:30 to 3:30 | Nap or quiet time | Mile marker countdown, then 20 questions |
| 3:30 to 4:00 | Shape hunt card | Map navigator job |
| 4:00 to 4:30 | Stop: rest stop or lunch table games | Stop: lunch table games |
| 4:30 to 5:00 | Car bingo (picture board) | Car bingo (word board) |
| 5:00 to 5:30 | Sound detective | Rhyme time |
| 5:30 to 6:00 | The last hour surprise | The last hour surprise |
For a drive to a Christmas visit, the Christmas Activity Pack adds holiday pages to the bag: bingo boards, an I spy page and word searches for big kids. Save the word searches for stops if your child gets car sick.
Restaurant and Rest Stop Table Games
The wait for food at a diner can feel longer than the drive. Paper placemats and napkins are all you need for these games, so the same pens from the car work here too.
Dots and boxes: draw a grid of dots, take turns joining two dots, and whoever closes a box writes their initial in it.
Hangman with pictures: for kids who can't spell yet, draw a picture one line at a time until they guess it.
Hidden object hunt: one person picks something on the table, everyone else asks questions to find it.
For a calm afternoon once you arrive, our Christmas activities for kids at home list has games that need almost nothing, and the Thanksgiving crafts for kids fill a slow morning at Grandma's.
Road trip activity bag checklist
Road Trip Supplies Worth Packing
Road trip activities for kids: the pack list
- Top pick
Travel bingo cards with sliding windows
Typically $10 to $15
Built-in shutters, so there's nothing to drop under the seat.
Check price on Amazon for Travel bingo cards with sliding windows -
Reusable window gel clings for kids
Typically $4 to $13
Light, flat and peel off the glass with no marks.
Check price on Amazon for Reusable window gel clings for kids -
Laminating pouches and dry erase markers
Typically $8 to $15
Turns any printed bingo board into one you wipe and reuse.
Check price on Amazon for Laminating pouches and dry erase markers -
Kids travel lap desk
Typically $10 to $35
A flat surface for drawing at stops or on smooth roads. Check your car seat manual first, since some brands warn against add-on products.
Check price on Amazon for Kids travel lap desk -
Road trip activity book for kids
Typically $7 to $12
A paper backup for big kids at stops.
Check price on Amazon for Road trip activity book for kids
Pick three or four ideas for each age, pack them in the order you'll use them, and leave the rest at home. Grab the free activity card pack below for the hotel room and the days after you arrive.
Frequently asked questions
What are good road trip activities for a 3 year old?
Pick games with colors, sounds and shapes instead of reading: a red car count, an animal sound guessing game, a shape hunt card and window gel clings. Keep each one to about 10 minutes and switch often.
How do you keep kids entertained on a long car ride without screens?
Plan the drive in 30 minute blocks and rotate printables, voice games, an audiobook and a snack box. Save one new surprise for the last hour, when everyone is tired.
Are there printable road trip games for kids?
Yes. Car bingo, an I spy color page, a license plate map and an are we there yet progress strip are easy to draw or print at home. Put them in sheet protectors with a dry erase marker so they can be used again.
What can kids do in the car if they get car sick?
Choose games that keep eyes on the horizon, like cloud shapes, spot it first and 20 questions, or audio games like an audiobook. Skip reading, drawing and screens while moving, and ask your pediatrician before any medicine.
What should I pack for a road trip with a toddler and a 6 year old?
Pack separate bags. The toddler needs big, mouth-safe toys (see our airplane activities for toddlers list), while the 6 year old can handle bingo boards, a map job and a drawing journal for stops. Snacks, wipes and a spare change of clothes go in both.
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