More Car-Trip Fun For Kids

In a previous post, I gave you a few suggestions on how to keep kids entertained on long car trips. That was back in May, which is when some people start planning for their summer vacation. Since this is the time of year when many of us will be going to visit long-distance family members for Christmas, I thought I'd give you a few more suggestions. Consider it an early Christmas gift! Anyway, here are a few more games you and your kids can play to keep them from getting bored.

One game that doesn't need anything other than imagination is 'Redneck Pizza'. It's a game my husband and his friends introduced me to. Basically, you take four categories of what makes a pizza-crust, sauce, cheese and another topping. Go around the car and have each player name something to go in each category until everyone has contributed. An example of a game for 5 would be:
-Crust: A day-old Triscuit
-Sauce: Strawberry yogurt
-Cheese: A few chewed-up pieces of gum
-Toppings: Dry cat food and the Doritos under the seat from last year's trip.
A different person can start the 'recipe' each time. It get get pretty silly and even revolting at times, depending on what is named and what (if any) rules are set. One tip: If anyone has a weak stomach, restrict it to food items only. This won't guarantee that no one will be grossed out, but the 'recipe' mentioned above is much more 'palatable' than a 5-day deodorant pad as the crust and motor oil as the sauce. I say the stranger the better, but that's just me. You can change the name of the game and the food being 'built' if you wish.

Another variation on the 'out-of-state license plate Bingo' game I mentioned in the first post is a road-trip scavenger hunt. Make a list of some of the things that your kids might see out the window when you're driving-brown cows, a Volkswagen Beetle, a car with more than three bumper stickers, etc. Whoever finishes the list first or gets the most by a certain period of time wins. Here's a printable version I found online, although you can make your own list if you want. http://www.momsminivan.com/scavenger.html

If your kids are old enough to know their ABC's, you can play the Alphabet Game. Pick a category-cities, food items, girls' or boys' names, etc-and go around the car naming items in alphabetical order. For example, animals-
A-Armadillo
B-Bear
C-Cheetah
D-Dog
...and so on. If someone can't come up with an item starting with the letter they are given, they're out and the game continues until only one person is left. You can vary the difficulty of the categories to suit your kids; for instance, naming a country for each letter is probably going to be a lot harder than naming a food item. This game can also be helpful for kids who are just learning their ABCs to get some practice.

Hopefully now you have a few extra ways to keep your kids entertained during your holiday travels. Now all you have to do is figure out how to keep the dog from peeing in the car. Sorry, you're on your own with that one!