Are We Nearly There Yet? Car Games for Long Journeys

Updated 8 November 2026 · 3 min read

Screens and new toys can carry children through a lot of a journey, but sooner or later the battery dies or the novelty wears off, often with an hour still to go. That's when a few old-fashioned car games come into their own. They're free, they need no kit at all, and they work just as well on a motorway in the UK as on a holiday transfer abroad.

Spotting games

I Spy

The classic for good reason. It works for almost any age, although very young children don't always grasp that the thing they've "spied" needs to be visible to everyone else. For pre-schoolers, try colours instead of letters: "I spy with my little eye something that is green."

Pick a colour

Each player picks a car colour and scores a point for every one they see. Steer younger children towards common colours such as white, black or grey, or they'll soon lose interest. If you have more than one child, agree the colours before you set off to avoid an argument about who gets red.

Spot the rare car

The reverse of the game above: choose an unusual colour, such as pink or bright orange, and the first person to spot one wins. It can run quietly in the background for an entire journey.

Number plate games

Older children can look for the letters of the alphabet in order on number plates, or try to make a word or silly phrase from the letters on the car in front.

Guessing and word games

Guess Who

One person thinks of someone, real or fictional, and the others take turns asking yes-or-no questions to work out who it is. When you run out of people, switch to animals, objects or places. Young children tend to choose wonderfully obscure answers, which is half the fun.

A to Z

Pick a category, such as animals, foods or football teams, and take turns naming something for each letter of the alphabet. It's good alphabet practice for younger children, and older ones can be given harder categories.

I Went on Holiday and in My Suitcase I Packed...

The first player names an item. The next repeats it and adds one of their own, and so on round the car. Anyone who forgets an item is out. It's a brilliant memory game and gets more hilarious the longer the list becomes.

Twenty questions and story chains

For a quieter game, each person adds one sentence to a story. Children love steering it somewhere ridiculous.

Tip: keep a short list of games on your phone. When the questions about how long is left begin, you'll have something ready to suggest rather than trying to remember under pressure.

Planning a calmer journey

Take regular breaks. The Highway Code advises drivers to take a break of at least 15 minutes every two hours. With children, stopping more often is usually worth the extra time.
Pack snacks and drinks within reach. Choose things that aren't too sticky or crumbly, and keep a bag for rubbish.
Think about timing. Setting off early or around nap time means younger children may sleep for part of the drive.
Help with travel sickness. Encouraging children to look out of the window, keeping the car cool and ventilated, and limiting reading or screens can help children who feel queasy. Ask a pharmacist for advice on suitable remedies for your child's age.
Shade the back windows. Sunshades help keep children cooler and stop the sun getting in their eyes.
Check car seats before you go. If you're hiring a car abroad, read our guide to holiday car seats.

Ready for the road

Mix a few spotting games with a word game or two, schedule breaks before anyone needs them, and keep snacks close at hand. Screens still have their place, but having some games up your sleeve means one flat battery doesn't have to spell the end of a peaceful journey. For more ideas once you've arrived, see our holiday activities for kids.