Skip to content
manymini

Road trip games for the car

Three hours to go and the snacks are already gone. These free car games run on one phone in a passenger's hand, and everyone, driver included, plays out loud.

  1. Three answers, five secondsName 3 ThingsA passenger reads each prompt out loud, so the driver can take a turn without looking. Five seconds is just long enough for the whole car to start yelling.
  2. Impossible choicesWould You RatherThe easiest game to play in the car. One person reads, everyone answers, and a good card can carry you twenty miles. Travel & adventure fits the trip.
  3. One letter, every categoryName, Place, Animal, ThingSkip the paper. A passenger spins the letter, then go around the car and say one answer per category out loud. It's all spoken, so the driver plays too.
  4. Yes-or-no questions onlyWho Am I?A passenger holds the phone to their forehead and asks yes-or-no questions. The driver never guesses but can answer, which keeps them in the game.
  5. Point on threeMost Likely ToNo pointing from the driver's seat. On three, everyone says a name out loud instead.
  6. Answer, pass, don’t get caughtHot PotatoPick Word chain and pass the phone between passengers only. The driver can't hold it, so make them the judge of whether a word counts.
  7. Secret numbers, one teamIn OrderPassengers pass the phone to see their secret numbers and describe them out loud. The driver has no number, so they get to call the final order.
  8. Fingers up, clean deckNever Have I EverPassengers play with their fingers, and the driver says “me” out loud while someone keeps count for them. The Travel category fits a road trip.
  9. One riddle a dayRiddle of the DayRead the riddle out loud and let the whole car work on it. If nobody cracks it, save the hints for the next exit.

Ground rules for games in the car

Car games only work if the driver stays a driver. Settle this before you leave the driveway.

  • The driver never holds, taps or looks at the phone. A passenger runs the game and reads everything out loud.
  • Pick games you play with your voice. Charades and Forehead Guess are for the hotel, not the highway.
  • In games where the phone gets passed, like Hot Potato and In Order, it only goes between passengers.
  • Pause for merges, tricky exits and anything else the driver needs to focus on. The card will still be there.
  • Make the reader someone who doesn't get carsick. Everyone else can keep their eyes on the window.

Games for short drives and long hauls

On a 20-minute drive, the Riddle of the Day and a handful of Would You Rather cards are plenty. Nobody needs a full game.

For a two-hour stretch, play Name 3 Things to 15. It takes up to 10 player names, so everyone in the car gets on the scoreboard. Spoken rounds of Name, Place, Animal, Thing and a few games of Who Am I? fill the rest.

On an all-day drive, switch games every 30 to 45 minutes and swap readers at every stop. Leave quiet time in between, too. A car that has played for two hours straight will be happy with a playlist and a nap.

Riddle of the Day has a new riddle every morning, so day two of the trip starts with a fresh one.

Keeping kids happy in the back seat

  • Use the kid-friendly categories: Kids in Name 3 Things and Who Am I?, For kids and Animals in Would You Rather, and the Family set in Name, Place, Animal, Thing.
  • Give an older kid the reader job. It keeps them busy and gives the grown-ups a break.
  • Play front seat against back seat. Kids love beating the parents.
  • Let the winner choose the next snack stop. It's a better prize than points.

Questions

What games can you play in the car without props?

Would You Rather, Name 3 Things, Name, Place, Animal, Thing, Who Am I?, Most Likely To, Never Have I Ever and Riddle of the Day only need one phone and your voices. A passenger reads, and everyone answers out loud.

Can the driver play?

Yes, out loud only. The driver never looks at or touches the phone. A passenger reads the prompts and keeps track of the driver's score.

What are good car games for kids?

Name 3 Things with the Kids category, Who Am I? with the Kids deck and Would You Rather with For kids or Animals are easy wins. Riddle of the Day is good for a quieter stretch.

Do we need more than one phone?

No. One phone in a passenger's hand is enough for every game here.

Will we run out of questions on a long drive?

Not quickly. Would You Rather has about 300 cards, Never Have I Ever about 280 and Most Likely To about 210, and cards don't repeat until you've been through the whole deck.

What if someone gets carsick?

Let them skip the reader job. Most games here can be played just by listening, so they can keep their eyes on the road ahead and still answer.

Are these road trip games free?

Yes. They run in your phone's browser and are supported by ads. There's no app to download and no sign-up.

More game night ideas