Drive Guide: Car Games

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Introduction

Kids and car vacations. Let's face it --- the two don't mix very well. Most kids just don't appreciate scenic drives. And historical landmarks --- not high on the list of kid fun, unless the landmark is a theme park or a purple dinosaur statue. It's up to parents to help time on the road pass quickly, and a great way to do this is by playing games and singing songs. The suggestions below are sure-fire ways keep your kids occupied when the excitement and anticipation of a fun vacation fades into boredom.

License Plate Game

We've all played this, and there are few, if any, games better able to pass time. Here are just a few variations: Figure out personalized plates Count how many states you see, and award the child who gets the most Add the plate numbers immediately in front, or behind your car. This is a challenging math game sure to keep your kids entertained --- or tired from trying to do quick addition!

Word Association

Another favorite, this game is good for a few laughs and to pass time. One person says a word and another person yells out the first thing that comes to mind. Go around until the car goes quiet, or someone says "I didn't think of anything." For the extra-motivated, play the word association guessing game: think of a word or phrase (I'm thinking...be quiet) and challenge your kids to figure it out. It's up to you how many clues they get!

Name that Tune

If your kids are old enough to know the names of songs (and maybe the artist names) this is a fun memory game. It's very easy to play --- just select scan on the radio, and the first one to spout out the correct name gets a point. The first person to reach a pre-determined set of points gets to do something fun when you arrive at your destination.