Kid's Magazine

We know they're expensive, and the free gifts are often plastic tat that will most likely end up broken and in the bin, but the novelty of getting the magazine, especially if you are armed with crayons for colouring in or pencils for drawing in it, can be a strategic purchase. Those gifts and the content on the pages, especially sticker magazines, can provide hours of entertainment for your little ones and be well worth the price tag.

Create a Playlist

Letting your children pick the playlist and play it in the car can create a sense of anticipation and excitement, especially at the start of the journey when everyone is still fresh and boredom hasn't set in. You can all sing along to their favourite tunes and keep them dancing and entertained for as long as possible.

Car Games

Car games are great fun and have been played for many years by millions of parents the world over. They can be simple such as spotting cars of a particular colour, looking for animals ir challenging them to see who can spot something first. They can be counting the number of times you see a certain object or action, e.g., a dog in a car or you can play I-Spy and "car bingo" where you create your own bingo game to match the road and have prizes.

Games such as "I Went to Market", where you all take turns to build a shopping list, can be fun, as can the car version of Story Circle, where you all add a word or a sentence to build a story. Or maybe the number plate game can be what you need and you look for certain sequences on number plates to keep kids amused for a portion of the journey.

Travel Games

Travel versions of board games can also be handy, as can word-based games in books or magazines, such as crosswords or word searches if your children are old enough.

Check out toy shops or second-hand sites for travel versions of games such as Monopoly, Snakes and Ladders and Chess. You can bring books such as Where's Wally or other "find it" type books to help keep them busy.

You could also bring a pack of cards and play card games, download games to devices, or play online games such as solitaire, mahjong etc, which are appropriate for the whole family.

Handheld Gaming

This can apply to any games that can be played on devices such as mobile phones, tablets or the Nintendo Switch for example. Giving them free rein to play for as long as they want can be especially beneficial if they usually have strict limits on gameplay such as this, as the ability to use their devices for as long as they want can be alluring for them. Just make sure you can keep everything charged as required so you don't run out of battery life before you even get anywhere.

Read Books

We touched upon activity books above, but if your child doesn't suffer from motion sickness and is an avid reader, a good book might be all they need to keep their mind busy and stop boredom from creeping in. Whether it's a physical book or an e-reader, you can get books in various formats to keep them enthralled. Again, make sure you start out with any devices fully charged.  And if you do not want to buy books remember to visit your local library before the trip so they children have some new titles to choose from as well as their favourites if they wish.

Set Up for Nap Time

For drives that are going to take a good few hours, ensuring you have everything possible for a more comfortable nap time for younger children as this will give you some peace and quiet as they drift off in the back. Nap time can be beneficial for children, especially during long journeys, as it allows them to rest and recharge, making them more alert and less prone to boredom when they wake up. Having pillows, blankets, their favourite toy etc ready for if they nap can make them more comfortable and allow you to continue the journey without too many meltdowns.

Crafts/ Sensory

Creating craft boxes can be a fun way to keep little minds entertained. Sensory toys can also occupy fingers and brains for some time. Pack up a box with everything you feel they might need. You can include pencils, crayons, stickers, books, scrap paper, glue sticks etc to help keep them busy and give them something to get creative with. It's worth avoiding anything sharp or messy though. 

On the other hand, a sensory box can be enough for a busy or agitated mind when they are getting bored in the car. Giving them something to focus on can stimulate the senses, which can be beneficial and help them release any pent-up energy or frustrations. This effectively allows you to continue on your journey without too many meltdowns for both kids and parents.

Plan Detours

Of course, this is going to make the journey longer, but factoring in stops, especially for distance journeys, can help you give kids a break and freshen them up, ready to go again. If your route allows you to stop off at popular attractions or make a detour to the coast for a beach break, plan it in. Motorway driving can be  boring and if you're travelling the length of the country breaking it up so kids can stretch their legs and have fun can be beneficial.

If you plan to stop at consider service stations that have kids' play areas to burn off energy. Or if you are taking pets, stopping off somewhere you can take the dogs off for a walk, can help little legs tire themselves out, ready for the next portion of the journey. Get creative with your journey and add stops for intrigue and fun to keep boredom at bay.

Journey Monitor

While it is probably not a good idea to let your kids entirely navigate for you, allowing them to feel like they are taking part and directing the journey or understanding what you are doing can be beneficial. Get them to track the route on a map, and for extra points, allow them to look up fascinating facts about the area on devices if they have them. Or you can do that and read it out to them if you are not the driver. Allowing them to understand where they are, how long it takes until they reach their destination and following your route can take some of the mystery of the trip out and help them to feel more involved.


Car journeys can be really fun when you plan them correctly and things run smoothly. But not all car journeys go how you want them to, and any parent knows kids can be extremely unpredictable. So, being as prepared as possible can help you make things smoother and easier for everyone.