Are we there yet?
Keeping children entertained at the best of times can be a challenge but during a long car journey it can be a near impossible task.
Yes you're right, many modern new cars are now fitted with televisions, multiple USB ports to keep devices charged and even Wi-Fi access to distract the kids. However, why not make use of the valuable family time and play some games together?
You'll definitely be able to come up with the odd game yourself but we've compiled a list of 10 games to provide you with inspiration for an enjoyable journey.
Think of a car brand beginning with 'A'
You don't have to stick to car brands, the Alphabet Game can focus on various subjects such as animals, countries or human names.
The objective is simple, each person in the car thinks of something beginning with 'A' and then work your way through the whole alphabet. Good luck when you reach the tricky letters such as 'X'.
Adults will be entertained and it's an opportunity to test your children's knowledge on certain subjects.
Educational and entertaining
Here's another chance to entertain your children whilst aiding their learning; the Spelling Game.
You can start off easy and gradually make the words more challenging; ask each child to spell specific words and see who can get the most correct.
The game can be made more exciting by spelling places you're driving through, animals in fields or cars that drive past; bonus points for the child that spells SsangYong correctly.
I spy with my little eye
What a classic.
I Spy is a game that has stood the test of time, no matter who's in the car it's inevitable somebody will have played this game at some point in their life and therefore there's no need for in-depth instructions.
One person simply says, "I spy with my little eye something beginning with (a letter of the alphabet).". The rest of the car then guesses until the correct answer is announced.
Best to be fair with this game and only 'spy' objects that are always visible so it's no good spotting a llama 5 miles back down the road and expecting somebody to get the answer right.
Would you rather...
Win a Ford Mustangor a Renault Megane R.S.? A great game to get everyone thinking and also to learn more about the other passengers.
If you're heading off on a holiday it could also be an excellent chance to decide on the best attractions to visit, restaurants to eat at or to find out whether the beach or the pool are preferred by the majority of the family.
The Would You Rather Game is suitable for all age groups and the kids are sure to enjoy asking their parents some scenarios.
Who's got the X Factor?
Not strictly a game as such but everyone loves a good sing-a-long, right?
Road trip rules dictate that there's always a nominated DJ with a banging playlist so why not join in, sing as loud as you can and see who has the best voice, or the worst!
Assuming the DJ is happy to take requests, the whole family can enjoy listening to each other's favourite songs.
BINGO!
Just like normal Bingo everybody gets a slip of paper and a dobber, or a pen. However, instead of the paper being full of numbers it has items such as a car, a tree and traffic lights on it.
Once a player spies something on the Bingo card they tick it off and the first player to get a straight line wins. The game could easily be extended to see if anybody can spot all objects during the journey.
Car fans could also play car bingo by listing different car brands or models such as Vauxhall Corsa, Hyundai i10 and Dacia Duster.
Two truths and a lie
A perfect opportunity to see just how skilled your children are at lying, Two Truths and a Lie is exactly as the name suggests.
One person will state two truths and one lie, the rest of the car will then need to guess which statement is a lie.
This is a light-hearted game which gets everyone thinking, can deliver a fair amount of giggles and definitely makes time in the car fly.
Story time
Here's a game that can potentially last an infinite amount of time, depending on the storytellers involved; let's try and keep Dad awake though!
Each person takes it in turn to say a single sentence, the next person will then follow on with a different sentence to eventually create a story. Everybody has a unique idea of where the story may go, which often results in a very bizarre plot.
Let imaginations run wild and see where the story ends up!
Can you remember?
If you like the idea of the previous Story Game then you should like this Memory Game too.
Sometimes referred to as The Picnic Game, Casserole Game or Shopping Game; each version of the game starts the same.
The first person will start the story as "I went to the shop and purchased a..." banana or loaf of bread, for example. Each person will then need to remember the item and add another item to the list.
As you can imagine; the longer the game continues, the more complicated it gets. If you forget an item and get a part of the story wrong, unfortunately you're out so whoever has the best memory is likely to be triumphant in this game.
Who am I?
This game can be played in two ways.
The first version is where a person decides on a celebrity or a character they want to be and then allows the rest of the car to ask 20 questions to try and guess who they are.
Alternatively, each person puts a sticky note with a celebrity or a character's name on their forehead so everyone else can see who they are. Each person will then need to ask 20 questions to guess who they have stuck on their forehead.
Find the perfect car for family trips
You've finally managed to alleviate the annoying "are we there yet?" and "how much longer?" moaning you normally have to endure from the children but you can improve your journey even more by finding the perfect car for the whole family.
We have an extensive collection of used cars suitable for families, whether you're looking for a hatchback, an estate, an SUV or an MPV, you can browse cars from brands such as Citroen, Ford, Renault, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.
