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Geography is much more fun outside the classroom, isn't it? For this game, choose countries, cities or states (or go nuts and try rivers and lakes or capitals). Let's say your theme is states. The first player names a location, and the next player has to rattle off another state that starts with the last letter of the previous player's state. Therefore, if it were Michigan, the next state would have to start with N, like Nebraska. The A could be Alaska, and so on. Note: This one makes our brain hurt.
Probably even the most enthusiastic young'ns will catch on to this being busywork, but for awhile it'll be all they'll think about! And there is a bonus: Interest is likely to reignite on its own shortly after it stalls. Count the... can be anything: cows, telephone poles, headlights, train cars, blue pickup trucks — you name it. Shouting out the thing to keep track of is all that is required.
Tell Jokes
Take turns telling silly jokes like Knock-knock jokes or riddles.
This is especially fun when the kids use their creativity to make up their own jokes. Even a two-year-old can tell jokes! They may not make sense, but they sure are hilarious.
A memory builder for all ages. One player says, "I went to a picnic Saturday and I brought..." then says a picnic favorite that begins with the letter A, like apples. The next player repeats the opening phrase, and after "...I brought" they repeat the A item then add one that begins with B: "I brought an apple and some bananas." The third player repeats the opener, the A and the B portions, and then adds something that begins with C. Get it? Can your travelers get through the alphabet, remembering all the items everyone contributed? Try keeping track of 23 items plus figuring out what you can take to a picnic that starts with X!
As with the classic TV game show, the winner here is the one who figures out the name of the "mystery song" first. For those with singing/whistling/humming talent, this can be as much karaoke as a guessing game. Choose a theme for the game, such as show tunes, movie or TV themes, or Justin Timberlake. (Good luck, adults.) The winner gets to be the singer for the next round. If no one can carry a tune in a bucket, then try guessing the songs on the radio. Really want to mix it up? Hit the "seek" button so no one gets an unfair advantage from sticking to one particular station's format.
Perform this as teams or solo players. You'll want to utilize road signs, billboards, shop names — any reading material outside the window qualifies as long as it's spotted on your side of the car. (If you're the front-seat passenger, focus on the right.) You'll be looking for every letter of the alphabet, in alphabetical order, although the letter can be located anywhere in the word. Say there is a fruit stand with a sign for Granny Smith apples — there's your A. The exit for the Brooklyn Bridge would cover B, Road Closed is C and so on. First one to the letter Z wins. If you see "Road Closed," however, you'll probably be happy to have the nine other games listed here.
There are many ways to play with license plates, depending on the age of your kids. Young participants can call out letters in alphabetical order; the first one to Z wins. Next, have them look for doubles — or better yet, triples! — of letters and/or numbers in the plates. The one who has the most at the end of the day/trip wins. Older kids can "collect" out-of-state plates they see. (Make it tougher by going in alphabetical order.) Or they can try to build words or phrases using the letter sequence in the plates. A plate with the letters E, F and T, for example, might become the word "effort" (using those letters to start the word, in the middle and at the end). Those could make "Ed's Favorite Tacos" if you're running with phrases.
"Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" Only 18 more times to go! In 20 Questions, whomever goes first thinks of, well, anything. The first question is always, "Animal, vegetable or mineral?" After that, the players can ask pointed questions to try and guess — go around the car in a circle asking for clues such as, "Does it bark?" or "Can you peel it?" for example, although the answer to those questions can only be "yes" or "no." If you reach the 20th question without a winner, everyone has one last chance to figure it out before the "thing" is revealed and another person starts a fresh round.
Fortunately-Unfortunately
This game helps teach kids to look at the bright side of things in a silly way. For example, you say, "Unfortunately, there's a tiger in the car." Your son says, "Fortunately, he doesn't eat boys." Your daughter says, "Unfortunately, he's looking at me and licking his lips." You say, "Fortunately, I brought along my tiger-jaw-clamper." And so on, alternating between fortunate and unfortunate things. An added bonus - it's a real hoot to hear a 2-year-old use the word "unfortunately"!
Team Storytelling
Team Storytelling
Ask each camper to create a line for a story (e.g.,"There once was a boy name Hugh..."), then have everyone add a line until you're all stumped ("who lived in the town's biggest zoo" ... "he often had nothing to do" ... "so he decided to make an igloo" ... "with a big polar bear named Sue"...).
Ask each camper to create a line for a story (e.g.,"There once was a boy name Hugh..."), then have everyone add a line until you're all stumped ("who lived in the town's biggest zoo" ... "he often had nothing to do" ... "so he decided to make an igloo" ... "with a big polar bear named Sue"...).
To make things really interesting, go as fast as you can, rhyme as much as possible, and take turns out of order (pointing to someone new each time). Write down the story as you go, then have kids create drawings to coordinate with your silly tale. When you're done, you'll have your own custom-made family story.
Rock - Paper - Scissors - Lizard - Spock A twist on the classic old game
Here's a twist on the classic game of "Rock Paper Scissors". It's called, "Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock" and was originally created by Sam Kass in the mid 1990's and has also been seen on TV recently. Once you start playing this version of the game, you'll probably never go back to the original.
Instead of the classic three options of "rock paper scissors", this version of the game has five options for each player to throw. So logically, there are more possible outcomes, and thus added interest AND potential to keep your children busy and occupied for a longer period of time.
To play this two-player game, each player holds their hand in a fist and counts 1 - 2 -3 ! After the "3" count, they make one of the hand signals such as a rock (fist), a paper (flat open hand), or scissors (index and middle finger extended as scissors). Add the lizard (thumb on bottom of the four straight fingers that held together like a lizard head), and Spock (make the Vulcan greeting with a "V" between ring and middle finger).
As an alternative to counting, you can shout "rock paper scissors lizard Spock!" and throw your option when you say "spock" or right after it (players should decide this ahead of time). The winner is determined immediately, and kids think it's fun to act this out -- for example, put your paper hand over the rock fist, or have the lizard pretend to bite Spock.
Each of the options has two ways to conquer, and two ways to be defeated.
Rock crushes Scissors or crushes Lizard
Scissors cuts Paper or decapitates Lizard
Paper covers Rock or disproves Spock
Lizard eats Paper or poisons Spock
Spock vaporizes Rock or smashes Scissors
Let's Go Camping MadLibs
NOUN and NOUN wanted to go camping. First they needed a tent. They decided to make a tent out of NOUN and NOUN . Next they packed other things they would need for camping like NOUN and NOUN . They were ready to go! They started VERB into the woods. They got nervous when they saw a NOUN . They then realized it was just a silly NOUN . When they found a campsite they unpacked the NOUN and then decided to go VERB . Now they were tired and asked their parents to help them make a campfire. They used NOUN and NOUN to build a fire. It was very ADJECTIVE . They sat around the campfire telling ADJECTIVE stories. Finally it was time to go to sleep. They had a great camping trip! Next time they want to camp at the NOUN, PLACE !
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