Family road trips call for loads of fun but also lots of preparation for being in the car for long periods of time. In addition to listening to fun music, playing Slug Bug and the kids playing games on their own, the entire family can play word games. School age children will have fun with different word games on your family road trip and you can make them as easy or complicated as you like.
Someone chooses a word and then everyone takes turns thinking of other words that rhyme with the first word. Think of as many as you can for that word and start again with someone else choosing another word.
Someone chooses a word and everyone thinks of as many synonyms as possible, such as road, avenue, boulevard, street, etc.
Take turns naming words and then identifying opposites of those words.
Define a Word and Use it in a Sentence
Challenge each other by taking turns naming words and then having someone else define it and use it in a sentence. You could even do this with made-up words to make a really silly game that kids will love.
Double or Triple Homonyms
Older school age children have fun thinking of double or triple homonyms, such as by, buy, and bye.
I-Spy on road trips is a lot of fun because there are so many new places and things to look at that the whole family will enjoy "spying" new and interesting things for each other. You can also make I-Spy a little complicated for your children by altering your clue to include an item's function, such as "I spy something that uses electricity."
Favorite Words and Why
Each person takes turns sharing a favorite word and explaining why it's one of their favorites.
Kids love the sounds of different words. Have each person say a funny word and tell why it's so funny. Beware; this word game can get silly very quickly.
Choose a letter of the alphabet and a category and take turns naming as many words as you can. For example, name as many animals that start with the letter "r" or fruits that start with the letter "b."
Take turns naming as many things as you can in different categories, such as sports, car manufacturers, or pizza toppings.
Family road trips are sure to bring lots of fun and lots of memories. Enjoy the long periods spent in the car by challenging each other with fun word games.