Boredom-busting car games for kids

A tablet can be a great tool for avoiding the dreaded chorus of ‘Are we nearly there yet? ’ ten minutes in to your next long car journey. But as hours pass, the screen time – and associated grumpiness – can start to add up. Find out how car games for kids could help…

To screen or not to screen?

Mother of five (and founder of Better Screen Time) Andrea Davis was once so concerned about screen time that she hid the family TV in a cupboard. But now, she believes in a tech compromise. That means on car journeys, an iPad is sure to be in the car – but so are strict limits on its use, and plenty of non-tech activities.

But kids being on screens isn’t a bad thing in itself. Organisations like the American Association of Paediatrics (AAP) have said that while children’s screen time – and parental concerns about it – are up, parents should start shifting their focus from time limits to how their kids are using them.

“We’ve had to really think about everything as a balance, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic,” says Dr. Nusheen Ameenuddin, chair of the AAP’s Council on Communications and Media.

Most parents would agree that some kind of tech device is a must-have when taking a long car journey with children. Ameenuddin says that’s okay – as long as parents can offset that screen time with real-world activities. The key, she says, is to support their digital interests with hands-on ideas and real-world extensions that play on those interests.

Here are top car games for kids, to stretch your child’s on-the-road screen-time activities into real-world fun.

Get road ready

Ameenuddin acknowledges that the normal screen-time rules won’t always apply during long drives. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up completely and rely solely on technology.

“Giving kids an idea of what to expect will actually make a much more pleasant experience for everybody,” she says.

Use these tips to prepare for the journey…

Make a plan

Davis, author of Creating a Tech-Healthy Family, sets clear rules before hitting the road with her family. For instance, her kids know the iPad won’t come out until two hours after the trip begins. And because the kids (ages five to 17) share the screen, they know they’ll have to choose things they can do together.

She suggests encouraging young road trippers to download films and music they agree on before they get in the car. It’ll help set expectations – and avoid arguments.

Set time limits

Medical organisations recommend strict screen-time limits for children aged five and younger, but they’re a bit more flexible for older kids. Still, you don’t want them buried in a screen all the way until you reach your destination.

Davis suggests helping kids adhere to clear time limits by using a built-in timer or perhaps an alarm you set on your device. For younger kids, consider offering a warning when time is winding down.

Post your tech breaks

Tech platforms make it easy for kids to become completely immersed in their screens, but parents can help break things up with an in-car activity at a pre-arranged time or distance.

For instance, before her family heads out, Davis sticks a series of sticky notes on the back of her seat. Each note represents 100 miles, so her kids know to expect a surprise – stickers, small games, snacks – when they hit that point. It helps shift eyes away from the screen… and avoid all the “Are we there yet? ” questions.

Car games for kids that combine screen time with real time

Finding ways to transition your kids’ favourite on-screen experiences to real-world activities on your road trip will ensure no one complains about the tech down-time. Here are some ideas to get started…

Be art smart

Turn what your kids are seeing on screen into a kid-inspired masterpiece. Take inspiration from a movie they’ve just watched in the car and have them draw their favourite character, write a new ending or (especially if there’s a risk of car sickness) describe a scene out loud. They can even star as the main character!

Take a shot

Once kids have had an appropriate time on their apps, have them turn the phone or tablet’s camera outside. Encourage kids to snap the weirdest / coolest / funniest thing they can see from the car’s window, or set up a scavenger hunt for children to find specific shots (something yellow, something furry etc.)

Set up a digital family photo album and have everyone share their favourites for a special road trip souvenir when you get home.

Get their game on

Help your little gamers give their fingers a break with some real-world extensions. Hand over a sketch pad and challenge them to create a pencil version of the game.

For instance, if a child can’t get enough ‘Minecraft’, perhaps they can initiate a sort of “…and then? ” activity, where one person starts to draw a new landscape, then someone adds on, and so on. Or if a kid’s into something like ‘Mario Kart’, they could try drawing a maze and using toy cars to race along it.

Scroll outside

Kids engrossed on YouTube or TikTok are often being fed videos based on interest, whether it’s sharks, fashion or food. After letting them spend a bit of time on these platforms, play a sort of “I Spy” game based on what they’re watching.

For instance, if they’ve been watching puppy videos, challenge everyone to shout, “Puppy power! ” when they spot something related outside the car, whether it’s a billboard for pet food, a canine license plate, or a dog being walked a rest stop.

Uh, talk!

Helping your child think through and discuss big issues by relating them to a show or movie they’ve watched in the car can make it easier for them to express what they’re feeling. To start with, use what kids are watching as conversation starters during your road trip.

Ask big questions (Have you ever felt like the character did? ) or offer your own observations (I loved how those friends together and helped each other! ) to prod some memorable exchanges.

When you run out of screen time references, keep the conversation going by chatting about your trip. What’s on the family’s bucket list while you’re away? Are there any cool activities or top camping hacks your kids are excited to try out when they arrive?

Listen up

Instead of letting kids zone out while plugging in to their music the entire trip, have them create playlists on their device before leaving home. Then ditch the headphones, hit play, and pause after 15 or 30 seconds and see which family member can guess the name of the song first. (Parents, you can create a playlist too!)

Twist it up with themes from movies or TV shows or select genres like punk or oldies-but-goodies.

See who’s smarter

Turn your kid’s favourite viewing into a family quiz. Sites like Sporcle have trivia quizzes based on TV shows, movies, music and other special interests the whole family can participate in. (We’ve even got some about animals right here at Nat Geo Kids!)

Or before leaving home, design your own family quiz on a site like Kahoot based on the games, movies, music and shows your kids love best. Set one person up as quizmaster while everyone else plays along.

After these car games for kids, find out how to swap screen time for reading on your holiday!

Written by Heather Greenwood Davis. Images: Tablet © Lwa/Dann Tardif / Getty Images. All others © Adobe Stock.