Looking for great road trip ideas for kids? We’ve got you covered today with some creative ways to keep kids active and engaged when you’re on the road!
We’ve all been there. Kids packed in the backseat, bags loaded up to the ceiling, a loooooong drive ahead: ROAD TRIP! As pediatric occupational and physical therapists, we’re all about keeping kids active and healthy. We know how important movement and engagement are for healthy development and sometimes a long car ride can get in the way of that.
10 Creative Ways to Keep Kids Active and Engaged on the Road
The best way to keep everyone sane on a long drive? Lots and lots of breaks! Here are some of our best ideas for getting those bodies moving at each rest stop along the way!
Rest Stop Games to Get Kids Moving
1 || Play a game of Gross Motor Bingo on the Go! This gross motor activity can be done on short or long trips, in airports, at the train station, or in the middle of the big city.
2 || Get in some quick movement breaks at each rest stop. Make the most of each bathroom break by using the simple features of the environment to encourage movement.
3 || Bring along some sidewalk chalk! Hopscotch variations, tag games, mazes and more – it’s easy to get kids moving in the rest stop parking lot when you have a few sticks of sidewalk chalk in your bag!
4 || Take a break from driving for a quick scavenger hunt – a sensory motor scavenger hunt, that is. This one will get kids moving, touching, noticing, and interacting with the outdoors in a totally different way! A great way to engage many of the sensory systems at once!
5 || Pack a picnic blanket and try some of these fun picnic blanket games when you stop for lunch!
Ideas for Keeping Kids Busy and Engaged in the Car
6 || Throw a handful of clothespins in your purse for some quick-on-the-draw fun! These clothespin games for car rides are a perfect start!
7 || Print off a few blank fortune teller templates for kids to make in the car. Write funny challenges (e.g. Try to touch your tongue to your nose!) or car ride songs and games!
8 || Get creative with an art project! A road trip isn’t the best time for glue, glitter, and paint. That’s why we love colored and patterned tape! Try one of these easy tape name collages!
9||How about some busy bags to keep little hands occupied during a long drive?
10 || When in doubt…make it snack time! We love this awesome snack pack idea to keep lots of great finger foods at the ready for little ones.
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