The Ultimate Guide to Having a Better Road Trip

My family drove from the New Jersey to Orlando Florida one year. Yes, an 18-hour drive means 18 hours of family time. Long road trip definitely means hours of boredom and possible family arguments. Why not make the most of the long hours by these car friendly, kid friendly, family oriented stationary activities? Most of the games below are word games that challenge the mind.

Chains: The point of this game is to list compound words or words that go together and connect a "chain." For example one person might start with the word "bookshelf." Player two must follow with a word or phrase that begins with "shelf." He or she might use "shelf-life." Then, the third player starts with a word or a phrase that uses "life" at the beginning to connect the chain. He or she might want to use "lifesavers" The game continues on. See how many chains the team can make.

Chains, the Spelling Edition: This game can also work as a tool for practicing spelling. Player 1 starts with a single word. Let's use the word "masseuse." Player 2 spells out the word and uses the last letter of the word (e) to think of another challenging word (enigma). And the game continues with the spelling and the coming up with different and difficult words.

License Plates: Look out the window and see where all the cars are from. Learn about the different states and their nicknames o the road (Garden State, the Keystone State, etc.) As a pointer, print out a U.S. map before embarking on a road trip. That way, when your kids question about the state (a spur of interest in geography perhaps?), you are well-prepared and can show it to them visually.

I Spy: Just like the book, pay attention to the environment around you. I spy something (insert adjective that describes and object it the car) with my little eyes...

Books on Tape: Reading in the car may be difficult. Why not have someone read to you? Enjoy Harry Potter or other kids favorites on your long trip.

Alphabet Game: Chose one side of the road. The player must try to locate all the letters of the alphabet on his or her on side. Letters can be found on street signs, billboards, license plates, etc.

Two Truths and a Lie: Each player tells three facts about themselves, the world, or anything in general. Two of these facts must be true, while the third is false. Have other players guess which one is the lie.

Twenty Questions: Think of an object, anything you wish. Your opponents have twenty questions to ask you about the object. The questions must be answered in "yes" or "no." See if your opponents can guess the object before their twentieth chance.

Initials: How well to you know the names of celebrities, political figures, and other well-known figures? Start with a name; let us use "Britney Spears." The second player must think of another name that has the initials "BS." He or she may use Ben Stein. The game goes on until one cannot find any more initials for "BS"

Initials, The Variation: Same concept as the previous game, but instead of only using the same initials, player two now must continue "Britney Spears" with someone that has the letter "S" in their first name. One might us Star Jones. Player three then has to use a name that starts with a "J." He or she can use "Janet Jackson."

BINGO on the Go: Google Printable car bingo and you will find pre-made bingo board and chips. Instead of numbers, this car-friendly game involves pictures. This is a fun and easy way to pass the time for younger kids.

The Movie-Actor Game: How well do you know Hollywood? This is a test on how long you can keep the chain of connections going. First, start out with a name of a movie. Then the next player must think of an actor or actress that is in the movie. The third player must now think of a different movie that this actor or actress is in. And then the game continues with another player thinking up of a different actor/actress that is also in the movie. Sounds confusing? Not really. This game as the potential to go on for hours and hours. For example, you can start with the movie Ocean's Eleven. Player two can follow with Matt Damon. Player three can use Good Will Hunting. Player four can use Ben Affleck. Then followed with Armageddon, Bruce Willis, The Sixth Sense, Hailey Joe Osmond, Pay it Forward, and Helen Hunt. The list goes on and on...

Make your next road trip fun. Spend some time with the family, interact. Play some word games and who knows-it might actually lead to a meaningful conversation.