by Jackie Curtis

Created on: August 23, 2007   Last Updated: February 23, 2010

Kids in tow are a captive audience. Road trips are perfect opportunities to pass idle time by playing games encouraging laughter, love, and knowledge. Children will surely appreciate the great memories and quality time spent together as well as the lessons learned from playing.
Games encouraging learning, laughter, and participation of everyone on board are the criterion for recommendation to others.

IF YOU'RE SO SMART:
An unlimited number of players may participate. One person is "it" and must think of a question to stump another. The adults asking questions of younger ones must make the questions age appropriate. If the "it" person answers the question correctly, it will be his/her turn to ask a question of someone else in the car. The exchange in the car might go something like this:
"If you're so smart where does Sponge Bob live?"
"Under the sea!"

NAME THAT INSTRUMENT:
Car rides are great opportunities to teach kids about music. An ability to identify various instruments of music is required, and an unlimited number of participants may join in. Turn on the radio or pop in a favorite CD or tape. Have the kids identify the different musical instruments they hear playing. Perhaps they may identify the drums, guitar, flute, voice, or piano. Make sure to point out the sounds of the instruments to younger ones and make it simple. Failure will destroy the fun.

ABC:
Traveling down the road, we discovered there are words everywhere. We work together as a team and see how long it will take for us to go through the entire alphabet from beginning to end by finding letters along our travels. If we go for a second round, we see if we can beat our previous time.

NAME THAT KIND OF MUSIC:
Radio stations play a great variety of music and provide a great opportunity to learn about various genres of music. Teach the kids to identify pop, country, jazz, rhythm and blues, classical, rock, rap, and opera. Flip from one station to another only after the correct type of music has been identified. Let the kids clap along, sing, and enjoy the music, too.

I'M THINKING OF SOMETHING:
A great all time favorite probably enjoyed by generations of children. One person, designated as "it", will think of something: a person, place, or thing. Participants are allowed one question, per turn, to attempt to guess the item "it" is thinking of. It might go something like this:
"Is it a person?"
"No."
"Is it a thing?"
"Yes."
"Is it yellow?"
"Yes."
"Is it the sun?"
"Yes!"
The person who guesses correctly is given the turn to be "it".

Most importantly, games should be fun for everyone, and if tempers flair or frustration rears its ugly head, back off, simplify the rules, or take the time to let everyone enjoy some quiet time.

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