Last Updated on February 8, 2022 by Snezana Grcak
Trying to find ways to keep your children occupied while having a road trip? We discovered numerous games (Top 24 Free Printable Travel Games for Kids) that will entertain them and even make them learn something new. So, if you’re tired of your kids complaining all the time while traveling, we can help you! Choose one or more printable games from our list and start your trip with no worries. Warning: Some of the games will be so fun even you will join in and play.
- Road Sign Scavenger Hunt
If you’re going on a road trip and looking for something to keep your kids busy and entertained, this is a great choice. You can play it, too! Print several pictures of the road signs (see below) and discover how many you can spot along the way. The first person to find all of the signs is the winner of the game.
Click here to see the printable image.
2. Spot It! Card Game
This is a very popular card game with more than one way to play it. We found the most interesting one – here’s the deal: Put the cards face-up. One player tells a short story alluding to the icons on one of the cards, without explicitly saying any of the names. You then try to figure out which card he/she is talking about. If you point to the correct card, add it to your scoring pile. If you point to a wrong one, the storyteller takes it. The player with the most cards wins.
Click here to see the printable image.
3. Spot the Car
Print the picture below to get a list of almost 60 different car models. See how many of these models you can spot from the beginning of your trip to your destination. When you notice one of the cars, cross it off your list. The person who sees the most models is the winner.
Click here to see the printable image.
4. Hangman
We all know this guessing game, and you must agree that it will always be interesting. Print out several sheets of this game and start guessing. You can pick a category, such as famous people, movies, TV shows, or anything that occurs to you. Then, pick a letter and get the game started!
Click here to see the printable image.
5. Tic Tac Toe
This is certainly one of the first pen-and-paper games we learned as kids, and we are sure you love it as much as we do. Since everybody knows the rules, simply print out the sheets and have fun with Xs and Os while traveling.
Click here to see the printable image.
6. Battleship
Another game we learned when we were kids is Battleship. Print a few sheets of the image below and play this two-player strategy game during the trip. “Hide” your ships horizontally or vertically without any overlaps, and let the other player do the same. If you want to win, you have to sink all of your opponent’s warships.
Click here to see the printable image.
7. Bottle Cap Checkers
Print the sheet and clip it to a clipboard in order to play checkers on the road. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have bottle caps, you can play with coins or buttons as well. The winner is the person who brings more bottle caps/coins on the other side of the board. Play it with your kids and show them that they can entertain themselves without video games or social networks.
Click here to see the printable image.
8. Dot-to-Dot
Dot-to-Dot is another great strategic game that people of all ages consider entertaining. Connect the dots and complete as many squares as possible. Mark each square you complete with your initial. After all the dots are linked, count your initials, i.e. how many squares you’ve completed. The player who has more squares with his/her initial is the winner.
Click here to see the printable image.
9. Connect the Dots – Learn Alphabet
This type of game is great for younger children who have just started learning the alphabet. Learning will be so fun with this dot-to-dot activity, especially since it also includes drawing and coloring. Tell your kids to connect the dots orderly from A to Z. When they finish, give them the crayons to complete the picture using different colors. This will certainly keep your children busy during trips. Click here to see the printable image.
10. Road Trip Scavenger Hunt
This Scavenger Hunt is similar to the first game we’ve listed, but here we have more than just road signs. Check the image below, print it out, and try to spot as many items as you can while traveling. The person who first finds everything on the list is the winner. Games like this are always amusing and can make your road trip much more interesting.
Click here to see the printable image.
11. Road Trip Word Search
If you’re a fan of word searching games, this will keep you busy on the road. Take one sheet and give one or more to your kids, so that you can play together. Try to find the words from the list as fast as you can. The one who finds all of them is the winner. After you finish the game, you can use the same words to play the Scavenger Hunt (see the game above).
Click here to see the printable image.
12. U.S. Road Trip Crossword Challenge
Crosswords are more interesting to older people, kids usually don’t find them amusing. However, it might seem like fun trying to figure out all the road trip terms while on the road. Explain the rules to your kids and feel free to help them if they get stuck. This can keep them occupied and make them think, and it’s a much better choice than staring at a phone.
Click here to see the printable image.
13. Road Trip I Spy
Can you spy with your eye all the logos from our list? Print out this free game and try the find the logos! There are 24 common logos – of cars, shops, and food stores – try to find all of them during your trip. Your kids will love this game, and it will definitely make the ride super fun.
Click here to see the printable image.
14. I Spy Car Checklist
This is another interesting “I spy” game for your kids, but here we have a checklist with only car logos. Print out our list and start looking around to find all the cars. When you spot one, mark it with a checkmark. To win this game, you have to be the one who finds all the logos before the others.
Click here to see the printable image.
15. Big Kid Highway Quest
This is a bit more challenging, so we recommend the older kids play it. The parents can play it too if they want. Print out the free quest below and try to spot all of the things from the list. But pay attention, these things are not so easy to notice. Being more demanding, this game will definitely keep your children busy for a long time. So, if you have to take a longer trip, this is a great choice!
Click here to see the printable image.
16. U.S. License Plate Game
This game will be not only entertaining to your kids, but it will also help them learn geography. Take our alphabetized list and map of all the U.S. states and look around. When you see a plate, just cross off that state from the list. The goal is to spot the license plates of all 50 states. Have fun and learn more about your country at the same time.
Click here to see the printable image.
17. License Plate Coloring Game
Here we have another game with license plates, but this one will be more fun for younger children because they will get to use colors as well. Again, the goal of the game is to spot the plates of all the states. When you see one, color in the state on the map. You can also cross it off the list below. License Plate Coloring Game is both interesting and educational.
Click here to see the printable image.
18. Cootie Catcher
This paper fortune teller was really popular when we were young. So, our kids must find it interesting as well, right? Print out the sheet below and let your kids try to figure out how to fold it. If they can’t, help them. When the cootie catcher is done, you can get the game started. Reveal hidden messages and enjoy your road trip!
Click here to see the printable image.
19. Alphabet Game
Here’s another game for younger kids that can be both entertaining and educational. Print out our free list below and find one item for every letter of the alphabet. It can be a thing in your car or anything you see while traveling. In order to win, you have to be the first one to complete this list. Help your children learn the alphabet and spelling while playing this super fun game.
Click here to see the printable image.
20. Find the Frozen Friends
The kids will love this game, especially if they’ve seen the Frozen movie. See the picture below and print it for your children. You will see a maze with the Frozen characters in the middle of it. The goal of the game is to find a way to get your Frozen friends out of this labyrinth.
Click here to see the printable image.
21. Mad Libs
This game will be super interesting for both older and younger players. One player gets the template below and asks others for a list of words to fill in the blanks in the story. However, other players can’t see the story and don’t know the context. So, when you get all the words and read the story aloud, it will sound very comical since it probably won’t make any sense. And if it does make sense, it will be even funnier.
Click here to see the printable image.
22. Road Trip Bingo
For this game, you need a 5×5 square grid, which you can find below and print out. The players take the grids with the same items but in different places. The driver then calls out relevant objects he/she spots along the way until one of the players finds 5 objects in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally). The first one to do that is the winner! This will be entertaining for all the passengers since the game includes the driver as well.
Click here to see the printable image.
23. Delicious Domino Game
Print out the domino tiles and have fun while learning math! Each tile has 0 to 6 sweet treats, so the name Delicious Domino Game really makes sense. Each player should pick 5 domino tiles. The first player puts down any tile. Then, the next one has to find a domino with at least one matching side to the first player’s tile. If you don’t have it, take a new domino and skip this turn. The first one who gets rid of all the tiles is the winner.
Click here to see the printable image.
24. Llama Drama
A family-friendly, for up to 4 plages starting at ages 7+. Learn more or buy on Amazon.
BONUS: Try Treasure Run that will keep the kids busy for an hour at least.