Games to play in the car on long holiday drives
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days of the year, and Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26. Here are car games sorted by who can play: the whole car including the driver, the kids in the back, and passengers with a phone.
Games the whole car can play, driver included
Eyes on the road means talk only. These need nothing but voices.
- 20 Questions. One person thinks of a thing, everyone else gets 20 yes-or-no questions. Easy to pause at a gas station.
- The alphabet game. Find each letter A to Z, in order, on signs and plates outside. Q and Z end most rounds.
- The license plate game. Spot plates from as many states as you can. Keep the list on a phone and keep it for the drive home.
- Fortunately, unfortunately. Take turns adding to a story. Each line starts with fortunately or unfortunately, in turn.
- Name the category. Pick a category, like snacks or animals. Go around the car naming one each until someone freezes.
Games for kids in the back seat
Younger kids need games with a visible score. I Spy is the classic for ages three and up. Car bingo works if you print a card before you leave: a cow, a red truck, a bridge, a gas station. Counting cows is a simple race between left and right windows, and passing a cemetery wipes your side to zero.
The quiet game buys ten minutes when a parent needs it. Offer a small prize and nobody believes it is a game, but it still works.
Phone games for passengers
If someone gets carsick, they should look outside and stick to talk games. For everyone else, short rounds beat long ones, since the car will stop at the worst moment. On Roam, a free iPhone app, Flag Dash mixes an endless runner with a flag quiz, which pairs well with the license plate game. KNOW IT! is a game-show trivia quiz you can read out to the car, and Sound Like a Goat turns a finger into an animal voice for the whole back seat.
Play it on Roam
Make a road trip game with Roam
Describe your actual drive, the car and who is in it. Roam turns it into a game the back seat can play before you arrive.
Try: "our family minivan races to grandma's house before the turkey burns, dodge traffic, collect pies, my brother is the backseat driver"Questions people ask
What games can you play in the car without anything?
20 Questions, the alphabet game, the license plate game and Fortunately, Unfortunately all need nothing but voices.
What are good road trip games for kids?
I Spy for little kids, car bingo with a printed card, and counting cows on each side of the car.
When is Thanksgiving travel the busiest?
The Wednesday before and the Sunday after. In 2026, Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26.
Keep exploring
- Games to play with family online, from kids to grandparents
- Quick games to play on a short break
- Games to play with friends, sorted by situation
- 2 player games for every kind of pair
- Games to play on a call, from zero setup to full game
- Phone games that actually work with friends
More on Roam: All Roam games Make your own game