5 Ways to entertain children during car journeys

Give kids a map and a highlighter, and have them follow the route you take.

If you want to get a little fancier than a sketch book and colouring pencils, then a laptop coloring desk is a great way for kids to keep occupied and make postcards to send to friends and family.

Browse colouring books

20 questions: You think of a person or object, and your opponent(s) asks you 20 yes-or-no questions to try to figure out who or what you’re thinking of.

The memory game. “I’m going to the World’s Fair and in my suitcase I packed…” Players take turns adding a new item to the list. Beginning with A, the first letter of each new item must start with the next letter of the alphabet.

Back seat bingo: Before you leave, draw up a grid for each passenger filling each of the squares with a different sight to cross off. You could even add the incentive of a prize for the winner. 

Try to vary the snacks between healthy, filling choices and less healthy treats. Try to pack enough that you can disperse them throughout the journey. Sweet snacks provide all important bargaining tools to prevent back seat fights and constant "are we there yets". 

You could even try to involve the children in making the snacks beforehand, especially if you're baking. Being involved in the creation will make them even more interested in the snacks during the car journey. 

Pack a selection of audiobooks to entertain the whole family through the journey. If you're on a long trip, opt for Harry Potter so you'll never run out of story. 

Browse audiobooks in our entertainment shop

Kids imitate the noises they hear in places such as home, street, farm, or zoo.

After 20 minutes of that, you may want to try the quiet contest—whoever can be quietest the longest wins a prize.

If you're very lucky after this game, you could just have some sleeping children on your hands. 

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