We love travel, but we hate "Are We There Yet?!" so we try and find screen free ways to keep kids busy on the go! Our number one parenting hack for traveling with kids is to keep them entertained with screen free games! These are some of the best travel games we have tried, and require nothing but your imagination - play them waiting for the bus, in the car, or any time you need to refocus from whining. The great thing about these games is once you get started, kids can really take the lead on thinking of new ideas to keep playing. They work as great conversation starters too.
1. Guess the Treat
A very easy travel game that keeps giggling, this one is shortened variation of twenty questions - one player thinks of a treat, and other players ask yes or no questions to guess the treat. Guessing players have 8 questions to get it right! The treat topic keeps young kids engaged and the simple rules get them into it right away!
Here's an example:
Can you guess the treat?
Is it chocolate? NO
Is it round? NO
Is it colorful? Yes
Is it sugary? Yes
(Answer: Sour Patch Kids)
Choices for treats are limitless, but they must be delicious!
2. Would You Rather
Another easy travel game that can turn boring trips into fascinating debates. Players take turn asking which of two choices they would rather do! This one usually gets kids really talking, and is easy to play for free, anywhere! Here are some examples to get started:
- would you rather live underwater or in space?
- would you rather be able to fly or be invisible?
- would you rather visit a beach or a mountain?
- would you rather have unlimited pizza or unlimited ice cream?
- would you rather have a pet zebra or a pet sloth?
- would you rather hunt for gold or acorns?
- would you rather have super stretchy arms or super bouncy legs?
- would you rather have a shell like a turtle or a long neck like a giraffe?
3. First to Ten
This is a great travel game to get the focus on your surroundings and really appreciate the journey! Players try to be the first one to count ten of a specific item as they pass by. This is perfect for car rides, bus rides, train rides, or even any place where you can do some people watching, like airports. You can modify this game based on what you are likely to see in multiples... but keep it simple!
For example, start with a color, like red. Then pick an object based on where you are - if you are driving on a highway, red cars. If you are in a busy city, red lights or red stop signs. If you are in waiting room, red clothing items.
Below are a list of items you can use!
For driving on a highway:
- Trucks with food pictures on them
- cars of any specific color
- birds
- green signs
For walking /driving/ bus travel in a city:
- strollers
- dogs
- people carrying black bags
- people wearing hats