Half the Fun is Getting There!

Games Galore (Preschool to School Age)

Here are some great travel games that are fairly easy to learn. Best of all, there are no small game pieces to lose between the seats! The only requirement of these activities is a vivid imagination and the desire to have a good time!

Building Words: Take turns saying letters and build words together. Someone starts with any letter, maybe an R. The next person thinks of a word, such as "rake," and says A, and so on. Each player must have a real word in his or her head before adding the next letter. If you challenge someone and he doesn't have a word, he's out.

Punchbuggy: This game had slipped into virtual obscurity when Volkswagen stopped producing the Beetle, but since a new version of the car has arrived, this childhood favorite has made a comeback. In this simple observation game, the first one to spot a Beetle is allowed to “punch” (meaning gentle tap, please!) the opponent on the shoulder. Keeping score is optional.

Where Do You Do It?: One person mimics a sound, and everyone tries to guess where this sound is performed. For example, you could make the sound of computer keys tapping, and the answer would be “in an office.” This game can degenerate quickly into bathroom humor (which may be why kids love it) so be ready to start another game if things get crazy.

The Car Next Door: Invent stories about people in the car next to yours. What do you think they do for work? What are their favorite foods? Where do they go on vacation? Give them names, hobbies, pets, and so on.

Geography: Each player must name a city or state that begins with the last letter of the place named by the previous player. For example, if you start with Chicago, the next player must name a place that starts with the letter “O” such as Oregon, which leads to a place that beings with the letter “N," etc.