Are we there yet? This has to be the most oft-asked question from kids on car trips or vacations. If you've traveled with a fidgety child or three, you're nodding your head. When these questions start, it can make for a very long, tedious ride. That's why smart parents plan ahead in order to circumvent the complaints on car trips. Games make good boredom-busters and whining-stoppers. Here are free printable car games to stave off ennui and keep kids happily occupied on road trips. Use these for bored teens too. As much as they may protest the "baby games" I've found most adolescents love travel games! Homeschoolers, use these as lesson supplements for travel. Teachers, assign these activities as holiday vacation "homework."Mom's Minivan has dozens of free printable travel games for car trips. There are different styles and game themes. Many of the car games do double duty as teaching materials, too. As a teacher and former homeschooler, I really appreciate that value-added benefit.
Some games are wordless and rely on pictures. This means new and emergent readers can join in the fun, too. My personal favorites are the roadside car bingo games . There are four different printable games with pictures of things kids might see looking out the window (cow, road construction markers, clothesline). Even two and three-year-olds can play if the non-driving parent or an older sibling marks the items spotted by the child on his bingo card.
There are four printable vehicle identification bingo games, too. I recommend these be played with older children who are better able to spot vehicle details. Older kids will enjoy the silly songs and license plate games. Kids of all ages will enjoy the free printable themed coloring pages of cars and animals.
The site offers printable dot games, puzzles, Old Maid, Crazy Eights, Battleship and tic-tac-toe as well. There are free printable scavenger hunt games with words and pictures shown (like a rebus). Learning to connect words and pictures helps children practice reading, spelling and vocabulary skills. These games can be tailored to the age of the children.
Games are vehicle-friendly and require few playing pieces. I recommend cutting and assembling games ahead of time. Place each child's activities in a separate folder, cardboard box or zippered bag. I recommend skipping the crayons as they melt easily. Markers tend to leak on vehicle upholstery. I suggest giving each child a box of colored pencils with sharpener or a 10-color pen. The pen is my preference for travel as it's self-contained. These free printable car games help keep children quietly productive.
