Road trip fun
Road trip games
The right games turn a long drive from an endurance test into part of the holiday. These road trip games need little or no equipment, work for kids and adults, and keep everyone entertained without anyone reaching for a screen. Pick a few favourites before you set off and you'll never hear "are we there yet?" again.
Start planning nowClassic word and spoken games
These need nothing but your voices, so they're perfect for the moment boredom strikes. They suit mixed ages and can start and stop whenever you like.
I Spy
Ages 3+The timeless opener: one player picks something they can see and says "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with…". Best for slower roads and towns where there's plenty to spot.
20 Questions
Ages 6+One person thinks of a person, place or thing; everyone else has 20 yes-or-no questions to guess it. Great for longer motorway stretches where there's little to see.
The Number Plate Game
Ages 5+Make a word or a daft sentence from the letters on the car in front's number plate, or race to spot plates from the furthest-away places.
Fortunately, Unfortunately
Ages 7+Build a story one sentence at a time, alternating lines that start with "fortunately" and "unfortunately". It gets sillier and sillier the longer it runs.
The Alphabet Game
Ages 5+Work through A to Z by spotting each letter as the first letter of a road sign, shop or place name. First to Z wins. Q, X and Z cause the usual chaos.
Games for kids
Simple rules, quick rounds and plenty of spotting keep younger passengers happy on the back seat.
Spot It
Ages 3+Give each child a list of things to find — a red tractor, a bridge, a sheep, a caravan — and tick them off as you go. Easy to tailor to the route.
Cows on My Side
Ages 4+Shout "cows on my side!" to claim animals in fields you pass on your side of the car. Most claimed by the end of the journey wins; pass a graveyard and you lose your tally.
The Colour Game
Ages 3+Each player picks a car colour and counts how many they spot. First to ten — or most by the next services — wins.
Would You Rather
Ages 5+Take turns posing daft choices: "would you rather have fingers for toes or toes for fingers?" Endlessly replayable and great for giggles.
Games for adults and teens
When the little ones are dozing — or it's a couples' road trip — these keep the front seats entertained.
The Movie Game
Ages 12+Name an actor; the next player names a film they were in; the next names another actor from that film, and so on. Break the chain and you're out.
Two Truths and a Lie
Ages 10+Each person says three things about themselves — two true, one false — and the others guess the lie. Surprisingly good for learning new things about travel companions.
21 Questions
Ages 12+Take turns asking each other questions to pass the miles and spark conversation. A road-trip favourite for couples and friends.
Categories
Ages 10+Pick a category — football teams, breakfast cereals, countries — and go round naming items without repeating or hesitating. Last one standing wins.
No-equipment games for long, empty stretches
On motorways and remote roads where there's little to spot, these conversation-led games fill the time.
The Story Game
Ages 6+One person starts a story and stops mid-sentence; the next picks it up. Keep it going as long as you can before it collapses into nonsense.
Name That Tune
Ages 6+Hum or tap the rhythm of a song and have the others guess it. Use the car stereo as referee when arguments break out.
The Quiet Game
All agesThe parent's secret weapon: whoever stays silent longest wins. Worth every penny of the imaginary prize.
Road trip games FAQ
What are the best road trip games?
Classic games like I Spy, 20 Questions, the Number Plate Game and the Alphabet Game are the best all-rounders because they need no equipment and suit all ages. For adults, the Movie Game and Two Truths and a Lie are firm favourites.
What are good games to play in the car with no equipment?
I Spy, 20 Questions, Fortunately/Unfortunately, the Story Game, the Movie Game and Would You Rather all need nothing but your voices, making them perfect for long drives.
What car games are best for kids?
Spot It, Cows on My Side, the Colour Game and Would You Rather are simple, quick and full of spotting, which keeps younger children engaged on the back seat.
How do you keep kids entertained on a long road trip?
Mix a few spotting games with story and guessing games, break the journey with regular stops, and prepare a short list of things to look out for along your specific route to keep things fresh.