10 Fun Travel Activities Every Grandchild Will Love

I remember years ago, when our three boys were young, how those long drives we took (or the long flight - even that train ride north) could be so boring for them. Of course, we usually brought things along to keep them occupied, but they would still get tired and need something new to keep their enthusiasm going. And now, we have grandchildren. We haven't had them with us yet on a long trip, but if the opportunity ever comes up, I want to be prepared with some ideas. Some of these we did with our boys, and some I did myself growing up. Yes, they go way back. Lol

The following is a list of 10 activities, with instructions, that you, your children and grandchildren can do to help keep boredom at bay on a long trip, and fulfill that old saying that, "Time flies when you're having fun!"

10 Fun Travel Activities Every Grandchild Will Love

1. The Alphabet Game

One version of this is really easy: You simply find each letter of the alphabet in order from A to Z by looking at anything outside your vehicle such as a billboard, street sign, bumper sticker, etc. The letter can be anywhere in a word. For instance A in Holiday Inn and G in Burger King.

The complicated version is finding each letter as only the first letter of a word. For instance, M can be called when you see a McDonald's; E for Exxon; and so forth. This gets a bit more difficult with Q's and Z's. Lol

You can play individually, in which case you each find your own letters, or as a group.

2. I Spy

This is an old tried-and-true game with two versions also. The easy version (for younger children) would be to say, "I spy, with my little eye, something red." Then they try to guess what that is. Then the next person goes.

The more complicated version (for older children) is to say, "I spy, with my little eye, something that starts with the letter L."

This can go on for a long time and really makes time fly.

3. Punch Buggy (Slug Bug)

Okay, so this one can be a bruiser, but keeps the kiddos on alert. When you see a Volkswagen bug car, you punch (make a rule not to do it hard!) someone in the vehicle with you. Some people say, "Punch Bug" when they do it. I grew up saying the color of it, too. "Punch Buggy Yellow!" with a punch. (I do it even now to my husband! Lol)

4. Round-Robin

This is so simple, yet so fun! It's a storytelling game, but each person shares only one sentence at a time. One person starts with their sentence, then everyone takes a turn adding their own sentences and going around and around until you all just give up in a fit of laughter. This is great for kids' imaginations! And yours too!

5. License Plate Word Search

With all of the creative plates out there, this should be pretty popular! Everyone should be on the lookout for word license plates. They are abbreviated so they can be tricky. The game is to spot them, then figure out what they say. The first one to do so wins. This can go on for your entire trip.

6. Twenty Questions

This is a fun game! One person thinks of something and doesn't say what it is. Each person asks them a question to try to figure it out, which can only be answered with Yes or No, then they get to try to figure it out. If they can't, the next person gets to ask a Yes or No question and try to guess. The winner is the one who figures it out. If you've asked 20 times and no one knows, then it's someone else's turn to start a new game.

7. Memory Game

This will have you in stitches! Simply start with one person saying something like, "We're going to the beach and we packed..." The next person has to repeat that and add to it. Then the next person repeats the first and second person and adds their own to that, and so on. Everyone will be laughing and joining in to help with this one!

8. Name The States

Okay, this one might have you Googling or checking your folded map. Lol Alone, or as a group, you simply name the states in alphabetical order. Yep, you're right. This is a more difficult one. Trust me, though, this will have everyone totally focused and time will slip by quickly! I loved this when I played it!

9. Scavenger Hunt

This is a good one too. You have to plan ahead, though, to have it ready for your trip. Think about where you're going and what you might see on the way and when you get to your destination. This game can be a whole trip adventure so really think about it. Get paper for each person and make squares (for more fun) or you can write a list, and either draw in the squares or write out a list of what you want everyone to look for. As they find them, they can color them in with a crayon or check them off. You can come up with a cool prize when they all finish their hunt. This can be fun and educational!

10. The License Plate Game

This is something to prepare ahead of time with a simple map (you can make or print out) and crayons for each child. In this game, you will look for license plates from each state. When you see one, simply color it in until you have colored them all in. This will keep everyone occupied for quite a while!

Well, those are my 10 fun travel activities. Have you tried these with your family, or do you have another your family likes to do to pass the time? Feel free to share below!