The holiday season is a time for family, fun, and making memories, often involving a road trip or two. To keep the kids engaged and minimize the “are we there yet?” questions, here are 12 holiday road trip activities that will make the miles zip by.
1. Holiday Sing-Along: Create a playlist of favorite holiday tunes and have a sing-along in the car. You can even have a mini karaoke session if you’re up for it.
2. I Spy – Holiday Edition: Play this classic game with a twist by having kids look for objects that are related to the holiday season.
3. Audio Book Adventure: Choose a holiday-themed children’s book and listen to it as an audio story. This can be both entertaining and educational.
4. Travel Bingo – Winter Wonderland: Make or download bingo cards with pictures of things you might see on your trip – snowmen, sleighs, reindeer, etc.
5. Gift Wrap Race: Bring along some small toys and gift wrap materials. Have kids race to wrap the items while in the car (a challenge with seatbelts on!).
6. Cookie Decoration Contest: This requires pre-trip preparation with cookies baked beforehand. During rest stops, have kids decorate cookies with icing and sprinkles in the backseat or at a picnic area.
7. Holiday Mad Libs: Either buy or create your own holiday-themed Mad Libs for a hilarious and creative activity.
8. Picture Book Time: Younger children often enjoy looking through picture books; you can bring along some holiday-themed books for them to peruse.
9. Portable Craft Kits: Prepare small craft kits ahead of time – like making ornaments out of pipe cleaners and beads or constructing paper snowflakes.
10. Sticker Scenes: Provide kids with background scene papers and stickers to make their own holiday scenes while on the move.
11. Elf on the Shelf – Travel Version: Have an elf accompanying your trip that moves around when the kids aren’t looking, prompting them to find its new spot each time they return to the car.
12. Holiday Memory Game: Make memory cards related to winter holidays that they have to match up – this game is also good for keeping their brains active.
Preparation is key for these activities, so gather all necessary items before you leave, and you’ll be equipped with plenty of entertainment options to keep your little travelers happy all road trip long!
