Travel games for kids

Safety first

Seatbelts stay on for the whole journey, whatever the game. Keep windows shut, or keep hands and heads inside if a window is open, and never lean out. On a train, never lean out of or play near the doors, and stay in your seat while the train moves. Please do not play with small items, coins or loose toys during the ride, since they can roll away or be a choking risk for little ones. A grown-up should supervise every game. If a child feels unwell or dizzy, stop playing, look at the far horizon and take a break. Age hints are only a guide, so you know your child best.

1. Colour I-spy

Age hint: 4 and up. Needs only your eyes.

1. One person quietly picks something they can see inside or outside the vehicle, and says, “I spy with my little eye something that is green.”
2. Everyone else takes turns guessing what it might be, such as a leaf, a sign or a bag.
3. The spy answers only yes or no. After three wrong guesses, the spy can give one extra clue, like how big it is.
4. The person who guesses right picks the next colour. Passing scenery changes fast, so choose things that stay with you, such as something inside the vehicle.

Notice: Which colour was the hardest to spy, and which colour kept turning up everywhere?

2. The alphabet window game

Age hint: 6 and up. Best for children who know their letters.

1. Look out of the window for words on signs, shop boards, vehicles and bridges.
2. Start with A. Find a word that begins with it and say it out loud, then move on to B.
3. Work through the alphabet in order, as a team or by taking turns. Hard letters like Q, X and Z can be skipped or swapped for a thing you can see that starts with that sound.
4. Reach Z and cheer, then start again in the other direction if you still have time.

Notice: Which letter took the longest, and which one appeared in the most places?

3. Counting game

Age hint: 3 and up. Great for the youngest travellers.

1. Agree on one kind of thing to count, such as trees, bridges, red vehicles or cows.
2. Count only the ones you can see out of your own side of the window. A grown-up can count the other side.
3. Say the number out loud each time you spot a new one. For little ones, point and count slowly together.
4. After five minutes, compare totals. Then choose something new to count.

Notice: Was it easier to count big things or small things, and why do you think so?

4. Story chain

Age hint: 5 and up. Works for the whole family.

1. A grown-up begins with one sentence, for example, “A little bird woke up and found a tiny map on her branch.”
2. The next person adds one sentence, and so on around the seats. There are no wrong ideas.
3. Try to use something you can see out of the window in your sentence, like a hill, a river or a train.
4. When the story feels finished, someone gives it a title. The last person says the ending.

Notice: Which part of the story surprised you the most, and what would you add next time?

5. Twenty questions (animal)

Age hint: 6 and up. Bring your thinking brain.

1. One person secretly thinks of an animal. The others have twenty questions to find out which one.
2. Questions must be answerable with yes or no, such as “Does it live in water?” or “Does it have four legs?”
3. A grown-up keeps count on their fingers. If twenty questions pass, the thinker reveals the answer.
4. Younger children can play with a smaller limit, like ten questions, or the thinker may give a clue about where the animal lives.

Notice: Which question helped the most, and which one did not tell you much?

6. Silent minute challenge

Age hint: 4 and up. A calm game for tired moments.

1. A grown-up says, “Ready, steady, silent,” and the quiet minute begins.
2. Everyone stays as quiet as possible and listens for sounds, like the engine, the wheels, a horn or someone's breathing.
3. When the minute ends, take turns whispering one sound you heard. Count how many different sounds the group found.
4. Try again and see if you can find more sounds, or stay silent a little longer.

Notice: Which sound did you hear only because you were quiet?

More to do on Rangooo

Try more word games, listen closely with listening games, keep the story chain going with storytelling activities, browse more stories and activities, or see resources for teachers.

Questions

What age are these travel games for?

Most suit ages four to nine with a grown-up. Colour I-spy and the counting game work for the youngest children, while the alphabet window game, story chain and 20 questions suit slightly older ones who can read letters or think of clues.

What if my child gets bored of a game quickly?

That is normal on a long journey. Switch to another game after a few minutes, change the rules a little, or let the child be the one who chooses and leads. Coming back to a game later often feels fresh again.

Can we play these on a train or bus as well as in a car?

Yes. All six games only need eyes, ears and voices. On a train or bus, keep your voices low so you do not disturb other passengers, and the silent minute challenge is a good fit for a quiet carriage.

Do we need to bring anything?

No. Everything here is played with words and what you can see from your seat. If you like, a grown-up can keep count on their fingers or say the scores aloud, but no pens, cards or small items are needed.