The Best Games to Keep the Kids Entertained on a Long Journey

If a long journey is on the horizon, you are probably wondering how you are going to keep the children entertained. There are, after all, only so many times you can answer the question of whether you are nearly there or not.

For some people, a few film downloads on a tablet are sufficient but not only can that be damaging to the eyes, but it could also damage the neck muscles as by default, the device will be placed on the lap and the child watching, will look down for the duration!

So, we have looked at a few fun games that help pass the time and bring a little entertainment, a little education, and a little laughter to any car journey.

That added benefit of some of these games is they are free. Others may cost so be prepared to browse Amazon before you set off on your journey!

1.      Storytime in the car

Cost to you-Free!

This is something everyone can do and depending on how the story pans out will determine how much time it passes! Start with one passenger-perhaps a parent-using the famous line of, “Once upon a time…” Conclude the sentence with some sort of story introduction. The next person then continues the story, and you work your way around the car. Maybe set a time limit, or a number of sentences per person. Or just keep going until it reaches a natural end! This will help spur the imagination of your children, and allow for the creation of funny characters, scenarios and storylines. If you record as you go, you can play it back in the future.

2.     Uno

Cost to you-Approx £8-£10

Uno is a solid gold classic of a family game and is one of those games that seems to have a slight variation of rules per family. Easy to play and helpful in teaching the kids game rules that aren’t just the standard type of kids’ game. Known to help cerebral development due to the thought having to go into each hand, Uno provides bursts of fun that could last 5mins or half an hour at a time! Log scores in a notepad so you can compete throughout the holiday!

3.     The animal name game

Cost to you-Free!

East to play and adaptable depending on the age of the children, this is a game that can very quickly fill a long journey with plenty of variation.  To start, the first player picks an animal, the second player then has to name another animal, but it must start with the last letter of the previously mentioned animal. For older children, you could make it about tv shows, superheroes, food or absolutely anything!

The game ends when someone cannot name an animal or an item from the subject you are using. You’d be surprised at just how much fun it can be!

4.     Would you rather?

Cost to you-Free!

Now bear with us here. We are not advocating the game you may play after going out for a few drinks. This is a silly time-filling game you can play with your children that will help illustrate their imaginative little minds.  You can start with questions like, “Would you rather be a tiger or a shark?” Await the answers and the occasional justification that no doubt brings a laugh or two when your son or daughter explains their reasoning.

5.     Scavenger hunt

Cost to you-Free!

This could be the most challenging but maybe the most rewarding of all the games we are going to list. Before setting out, look at the route you are going to take. Write up a list of things that you are likely to see. Will you be passing fields? Maybe add cow, horse or sheep to the list. Will you be going passed a railway? Then add a train.

Once you have compiled a list of all the things you need the kids to spot. Set the challenge. If everything on the list is spotted-they win a prize-maybe a McDonalds at the next stop-off!

6.     Travel battleships/Guess Who/Kerplunk

Cost to you-£3-£10

The classic board games you would normally play around a dining room table have long been available in travel form, but the collection keeps growing.  Lesser-known games manufacturers have been smart to make similar games with different names meaning you can pick up a variant of each for as little as £3 in some cases. Most can be 2-player making it an easy option for the kids to remain occupied. Just be aware, you may have to be the judge when it comes to allegations of cheating or unfair play!

These are our top six, maybe you have others you prefer? If you are getting to the stage where you need a new car to fit the kids as well as the luggage, come and speak to us. The team at Euphoria car finance are experts in securing cheap car finance. With access to over 50,000 vehicles, you won’t be short of options. We can organise bad credit car loans and have supplied thousands of customers with used car finance deals as well as those for a brand new car purchase. Get a free quote today to see how we can get you on the road.