S2 E28 Games for Every Moment... Even in the Car

Fun and Simple Games for the Car or While Waiting with Kids

We’ve all been there—stuck in traffic with restless kids in the backseat, or waiting at a restaurant while the minutes crawl by. Sure, handing over a phone or tablet is the easy option, but sometimes you just want to keep things screen-free. That’s where simple, no-materials-needed games come to the rescue! Not only are they fun, but they also promote thinking and creativity while helping you pass the time together.

Today, I’m excited to share some of my favorite go-to games that you can play anywhere—whether you’re in the car, waiting at the doctor’s office, or just trying to make the time fly by. These games are perfect for kids of different ages, so there’s something here for everyone.

The Games

1. 20 Questions This is such a classic and great for kids as young as 4 or 5, though older kids and even adults can get into it too! One person thinks of an object, and the others try to guess what it is by asking yes or no questions. The challenge? You’ve got to figure it out in 20 questions or less!

It’s a great game for sharpening critical thinking skills because kids have to listen closely to the answers and think carefully about the next question. You can adjust the difficulty level depending on your child’s age—stick with simpler categories like animals for the little ones, and get more abstract with older kids by picking things like countries or emotions.

2. I Spy Another timeless favorite! One person picks something in their surroundings and says, “I spy with my little eye something that is… [color/shape/etc.],” and the others take turns guessing what it is.

What’s great about I Spy is that it encourages kids to be observant, and it can be played literally anywhere. Whether you’re waiting in line or stuck in traffic, it’s an easy way to keep everyone engaged. And for older kids, you can add in a letter challenge—“I spy something that starts with the letter T!” My 3 year old is just getting into this one, and it’s so much fun watching her improve her observation skills.

3. The Alphabet Game Perfect for road trips, the Alphabet Game keeps everyone’s eyes peeled. You and your kids take turns spotting letters of the alphabet in order on signs, billboards, or license plates. The first person to reach Z wins!

For younger kids, it’s a fun way to practice letter recognition. And for the older ones, it turns into a competition to see who can get to Z first, especially when you’re all hunting for tricky letters like “Q” and “Z.” This is one of those games that keeps everyone quiet... but focused!

4. License Plate Tallying If you’re on a longer car ride, make a game out of spotting license plates from different states. You can keep a running tally, seeing who can find the most states by the end of the trip. It’s a great way to spark conversations about geography—where each state is, what it’s known for, or even a quick fact about the state capital.

This is a low-key game that can last for hours and keeps everyone looking out the window instead of down at a screen. Plus, it’s fun to see how many different states you can spot on a single trip!

5. Counting Flocks of Animals (or Cars) If you’re driving through rural areas, this game is a hit! Split the car into teams—left side versus right side (or however it works for you)—and count the number of animals, like cows or horses, that you see on your side of the road. The team with the most animals wins. A good option for building estimation skills too.

And if you’re not in the countryside, you can adapt the game to count things like cars of a specific color or motorcycles. The competition keeps kids engaged, and it’s a great way to sneak in some observational skills without them even noticing.

6. Rhyme Time This one’s great for kids of all ages! Start with a word, and everyone has to take turns coming up with as many rhyming words as possible. For example, if you start with “cat,” you might hear “bat,” “hat,” “rat,” and so on. Whoever can’t think of a new rhyme loses the round.

It’s a fun way to build vocabulary and quick thinking. For older kids, you can turn it into a storytelling game where they have to keep adding rhyming words to a silly narrative. It’s sure to get a lot of giggles! You can also just make a never-ending story, where each person gets to add on a sentence.

7. Mental Math Challenges For those of you with older kids, this is a great way to sneak in a little learning. Start with simple math problems like “If we see three red cars and five blue cars, how many do we have in total?” For older kids, you can up the difficulty with multiplication or quick mental math challenges.

It’s a sneaky way to keep those math skills sharp, all while making the time fly by!

8. Word Association This one is quick, easy, and always gets everyone thinking! Start with a word—say, “summer”—and the next person has to say a related word, like “beach.” Then the next person might say “sand,” and so on. The catch? You can’t repeat a word, and you can’t hesitate too long!

It’s a great way to build quick-thinking skills, and it’s also fun to see how a single word can lead to unexpected associations.

There you have it—eight simple, no-materials-required games to help pass the time with your kids, whether you're on a road trip or waiting for dinner to arrive. Not only do these games help keep your kids entertained, but they also encourage critical thinking, creativity, and even a little learning along the way!

What are your favorite games to play with your kids in the car or while waiting somewhere? Share your ideas in the comments—I’d love to hear them!

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