How to Make Your Car Journeys Fun

Got a long car journey ahead of you? Why not fuel up on fun? Car journeys can be tiresome with young children but add a sprinkle of play, and road trips can be enjoyed by the whole family (we promise!).

You’re about to hit the road – the car is loaded, the kids are strapped in. Then it suddenly dawns on you... the little ones need to stay entertained for quiiiiite some time. As much as we love kids and their BIG imaginations, it can be hard to think of new, inventive ways to keep them amused.

Well, it just so happens that car rides are a great way to introduce new types of play. We've put together some tips on how to make car journeys fun and in turn, enjoyable and a little less daunting for the whole family.

Ready, set, go...

Social games!

Accelerate social fun with games that get the whole family involved. It could be a game of ‘I Spy With My Little Eye’ (a classic), or going through the alphabet thinking of different animals beginning with A, B, C, etc. Or maybe a hilarious game of ‘this’ or ‘that’? For example, ‘would you rather have a pig’s trotters or a giraffe’s neck?’

Social play is great for building up cognitive and emotional skills in kids and you can tailor the games based on your child’s age or developmental stage!

Top tip: Gear up the excitement with fun memory games that relate to what you’ll be doing at your destination, like trying to name everything you’ll see at the beach, or trying to remember every family member’s ice cream order!

Quick builds for the road

On-the-move play doesn’t just have to include communication games – car-friendly toys can keep your child entertained, too! The trick is to look for toys that have multiple play possibilities that keep kids from getting bored of them too quicky. LEGO® DUPLO® bricks are great (yes, we’re biased, but hear us out!) because the opportunities are endless. Kids can recreate things from the same big, colorful bricks time and time again, using their creative and imagination skills.

You could even challenge them to build under time limits or compete with their sibling to build a particular, shape, object or scene. Perhaps they’ll build their very own car just like the one you’re traveling in, using the LEGO DUPLO Cars and Trucks Brick Box?

The chunky-sized bricks are perfect for small hands to grip easily, so you’re less likely to lose any small parts in the car like other pint-sized toys. Put a good selection of bricks in a container or bag, and you’re ready to go!

Soothing stories

Audio books are a great way to make car journeys more peaceful for all of you! Bedtime stories, charming fairytales or epic tales of adventure are great to listen to in the car together. If you’re lucky, your little one might even drift into a peaceful snooze.

Listening to stories is a great way for children to develop emotional skills such as empathy, as they learn to relate to the characters and what they are going through. It also improves their listening skills!

Make food an event!

Snacks are always a good idea. Be sure to pack your little one’s favorite lunch and a selection of their favorite snacks – you can deploy these at the most testing times, like getting stuck in traffic, or a sibling argument about to boil over... Better yet, up the anticipation levels of your snack bag by keeping its contents secret!

Alternatively, plan to stop off somewhere for lunch, ideally somewhere with a little outdoor space to give kids a run about. Taking a break is a great way to get kids to re-set (as well as you!) with a little fresh air, a bite to eat and a toilet break. You can paint the upcoming pitstop out as an adventure in itself, plus giving them a choice of what they might eat gives them a little more of a sense of control over the road trip!

Feel the beat!

Does your little one love music? Do they have a favorite song? Incorporate music into car journeys and sing along together as a family. Popular nursery rhymes are a great way to stimulate memories of the songs they know and love well. You could even play some of your favorite songs and see how they react – maybe they’ll love them, too!

Top tip: if you dare, encourage your child to host a brick sing-along, using LEGO DUPLO bricks as an instrument by banging or rubbing two bricks together. Music with bricks – it's a thing!

Look outside!

There's a whole world outside your window, so incorporate the interesting things you pass by into your car journey activities. Who can spot a yellow car first? How many birds can you count on the way? What’s the weather doing?

Sometimes things as simple as watching the world go by can help keep kids in good spirits!

Books galore

Books are a great way to make car journeys fun, especially if there are stickers involved! Picture books, books with different sounds or textures, the aforementioned stickers – they're all brilliant for young children. Pack a few different books that you know they already love, and maybe some new ones as a surprise!

Top tip: older kids love LEGO Life Magazine! Packed with fun activities, stories and adventures, it’s perfect for kids aged 5-9, it's free and gets delivered to your door!

Psst! Have you downloaded our free LEGO DUPLO Peppa Pig coloring sheet? It’s perfect for car rides. All you have to do is print!

Toddler friendly tablet

Electronic devices can be a great way to engage kids during car journeys, and as many parents will well know, a trusty tablet can be a fail-safe way to keep kids entertained.

To avoid connection issues, pre-download a few episodes of your little one’s favorite shows before you leave the house, or a couple of their favorite apps. The LEGO® DUPLO® WORLD app is packed full of open-ended play experiences featuring animals, buildings, exciting vehicles, and trains to inspire your child's imagination and creativity through learning – there’s something for every early learner to enjoy!

The tablet doesn’t have to be the only car journey activity they’re engaging with, though. You could encourage them to build with LEGO DUPLO bricks while they’re watching or listening to something on their tablet. They could even build one of the characters from the show they’re watching!

We appreciate you might be cautious of how much screen time your kids are getting, so we’ve outlined the challenges and benefits of it here.

Safe journey, folks! We hope these car journey activities make your next road trip unforgettable for all the right reasons! Bringing more play into everyday life will make everything about family time fun – even car journeys will be something to look forward to!

Want more tips? We have a whole collection of guides on how to make even the dullest parenting moments more fun-fueled!