It can be just terrible to be a toddler during an extended car trip.  It’s so easy to fall prey to the car doldrums, and it’s a short trip from boredom to complaint.

In our car, we like to engage with our tot for as long as we can.  Yes, eventually we will break out the hand-held electronics but first… we play car games.

Ideas for Traveling with a Toddler

I SPY

Now’s the time to perfect your ‘I Spy’ game.  If your child knows his/her colors (or even if they could use a little more practice), you can play this game anywhere.

Player 1 begins the game with the question that goes like this…  “I spy with my little eye, something ___ “(insert adjective of choice; circular, grey, smelly etc) Alternate phrasing could go “I spy with my little eye, something that begins with the letter___.”

Player 2 makes his/her educated guess.

THAT CLOUD LOOKS LIKE…

Have your tot look out at the clouds if they’re there, ask him what they look like if player 2 is not the driver they can play too.

THERE’S ONE..!

This game can be played in between (even during) other games.  At the start of the road trip the adult (player 1) looks at player 2 and encourages them to pick something that can be occasionally seen along the road (horses, punch buggies etc…)whoever sees the most during the trip wins!

NAME THAT TUNE

Player 1 hums a song from their favorite band or television show; the other player(s) must guess the correct answer.

FIND THE COLORS

This is a good game if your tot knows his/hers colors.  Player 1 calls out a color and the rest of the players must look for something in or outside the car.  Example, call out the color red and player two can point out such things as; barns or other structures, cars, the drivers sweater, etc…

These are just some options, if you have a game that you love playing with your kids, let us know about it!