Long car journeys with children can sometimes be an obstacle course. To eliminate boredom and defuse tensions on board, here are 10 ideas for fun and unusual games that will captivate the whole family, from the youngest to the oldest.
Whether for a weekend or for the summer holidays, kilometers in the car often seem endless to children. Stuck in the back, boredom sets in quickly and crying can quickly turn the journey into a real test of patience for parents. To preserve peace on board and avoid nervous breakdowns, two reflexes are essential: plan captivating activities to punctuate the journey and schedule regular stops at equipped rest areas so that the whole tribe can let off steam. For a zen journey in a good mood, here is our selection of games to test on the go :
1 – Organize a musical blind test
Depending on the age of your children, select their favorite music or prepare a playlist of the best artists of the moment in advance and play the songs in the car, asking them to find the name of the singer and the title of the song as quickly as possible. You can also organize thematic blind tests, on the most beautiful songs from films or cartoons, or on the most famous singers who are in the news. And why not play as a team?
2 – Riddles or jokes for a fun trip
During the trip, make guesses to your children. “I’m red and I’m swimming, am I?” (Answer: a goldfish). Of course, adapt the riddle to your child’s age and tastes too. You can make him guess his favorite game or series character. Also remember to write down on your phone or on paper a few funny jokes which will allow you to have a fun and enjoyable time with the children. Since we tend to never remember the jokes that make us die of laughter, Hugo the Snail offers a selection of the best jokes that exist:
3 – A visual treasure hunt
Before hitting the road, prepare a visual treasure hunt. To do this, make a list of objects, animals or places that your child is likely to see out the window on the car ride. Give him the list, and each time he finds an object, he will have to check the box or cross out the corresponding word.
4 – Take portable toys in the car
Some magnetic nomadic games are perfectly suited for car journeys. Whether it’s a board game like game of checkers or little horses, These small format models have the advantage of not letting the pawns escape, and are easily carried away.
5 – Invent interactive stories
Does your child have an imagination and like stories? Take turns making up a story together. You start a sentence, he adds a second one which is coherent and so on until you form a scenario that is either realistic or totally imaginary.
6 – Prepare DIY activities
If your child likes easy to make craftswhy not provide him with a small box with all the necessary materials so that he can make a bracelet, an origami animal, a small car to make out of cardboard, or even a knitting pattern.
7 – Make him listen to a podcast or a story
Audio stories and podcasts can be easily listened to by a child in a car. You can take his story box and his headphones (or buy him one if he doesn’t have one), or you can also go to a listening platform to download a podcast suitable for his age. There are a multitude of thematic podcasts or audiobooks dedicated to young people.
8 – Do a short oral exam
Prepare sheets of Small bin and invite your child to play it. First, you recite the alphabet in your head, your child stops you at a certain point, you say the letter he came across and the game can begin. To liven up the game a little more, you can use a stopwatch : 20 seconds to find the name of a profession in “V”, 15 seconds to find the name of a vegetable in “P”, etc.
9 – Play of colors
THE play of colors is simple: choose a color and ask your child to name everything they see that color during the car ride. You choose the color red, it can designate a “red car”, a “red stop sign”, a “red shed”, etc.
10 – Test your child’s memory
To test a child’s memory, there’s nothing like a game: you start a sentence, “I’m on the road to vacation…”, and each player completes the beginning of this sentence by adding a group of words. The challenge is to remember in order all the elements that were added to the sentence. Whoever makes a mistake loses! A variation of the game “In my suitcase…”, which can also be another idea to keep busy in the car and work on your immediate memory.
