Are you tired of always hearing the same chorus of “are we there yet?” every time you are on a family road trip?

Whilst a few rounds of eye-spy and nursery rhymes might cut it for road trip entertainment with your under 5’s, as your kids grow older, there are far more exciting and challenging games you can play in the car.

One of the best ways to pass the time on a family road trip is by playing trivia games.

Playing trivia games on a long drive will keep everyone in the family entertained and help improve everyone’s cognitive skills and problem-solving abilities, making you and your family mentally strong.

Having a list of trivia games and apps ready for a long car ride is one of our family road trip essentials!

All of these will help you stimulate conversations and provide hours of fun for the journey ahead.

Trivia Game Apps You Can Download

Road trip games have come a long way, won’t you agree?

If you are on a family journey, and that boredom is creeping in, it sounds like it’s time to mix things up and get the whole family involved.

With all the evolving technology has done, you now have a million games at your fingertips with your phone (and yes, some of them are offline, just in case you are headed to the mountains and out of wifi range)!

Your phone app store has a lot of games to choose from for road trip entertainment. To help you narrow it down, these are the 5 top-rated trivia games we think will be ideal for a family road trip to suit different family interests and game styles.

You can play them on your iPhone, iPad, or any Android digital device.

Here are some of the best trivia mobile apps you can download before your journey: 

1. Jeopardy! World Tour (Google Play Store | Apple App Store)

Recommend for ages 4+ (PEGI 3)

Jeopardy is one of the latest mobile apps and one of the greatest trivia games of all time. With the World Tour game, you don’t have to worry if your phone loses service as it has an offline mode.

How This Game Works

This classic game allows you to go head to head with players worldwide or in the same car. It features a multiple-choice question format with various difficulty levels.

With Jeopardy! World tour, you will be taken for a ride across the globe, testing your game show trivia in different cities, squaring off against other opponents while unlocking better prizes and rewards.

2. SongPop 2: Guess The Song Game (Google Play Store | Apple App Store)

Recommended for ages 12+(PEGI 16)

No road trip is complete without some top tunes playing in the background. With this app, you can have an online audience as you compete.

How This Game Works

This game allows you to take a musical quiz as you play online with other players worldwide. The app randomly selects songs from all musical styles, and it’s your job to guess them. Get the song right, and you score a point.

3. Popcorn Trivia (Google Play Store | Apple App Store)

Recommend for ages 12+ (PEGI 16)

Are you on a road trip with movie buffs? Then this trivia for car rides game got you! Popcorn Trivia is free to play and features a vast library of movie trivia questions from different genres.

How This Game Works

In popcorn trivia, you compete with friends by answering questions from films/ genres. You get to win with every correct answer, earning ranks and climbing from a lowly cleaning crew member to a powerful studio head!

Points you get earn bonuses that you can use on lifelines for those extra hard questions.

4. Psych! Outwit Your Friends (Google Play Store | Apple App Store)

Recommended for ages 12+ (PEGI 12)

Get psyched with this classic, fun car trivia game. Psych is a great and simple game to play online with friends.

How This Game Works

In Psych, you must come up with the craziest answers to your friends’ wacky queries or make up fake answers to real trivia questions to score. It is a fun guessing game that involves everyone on the road but the driver.

You can also connect your smartphones to play this hilarious game that swiftly makes the hours go by.

5. Trivia Crack (Google Play Store | Apple App Store)

Recommended for ages 4+ (PEGI 3)

Looking for an ideal companion while on the road with your family? Trivia crack has quizzes and games that will keep your family entertained on the journey.

How This Game Works

This fun trivia question for a car ride is adjustable for different levels. The trivia crack is meant to test your knowledge on a wide range of topics like; pop culture, history, geography, arts, science, and sports. You get to prove you are the smartest by not only answering the trivia queries but also by suggesting multiple quiz questions.

The first player to correctly answer the questions in all six categories is crowned the winner.

Road Trip Trivia Games You Can Buy

Road trip trivia games are lots of fun and the best way to pass the time on a long journey. If you don’t want to worry about network reception or want to keep your road trip screen-free, then try these are great games you can purchase in advance of your road trip and keep as part of your road trip entertainment pack:

As Amazon Associates, we earn a commission from qualifying purchases made on this page.

1. I Should Have Known That!

Does your squad think they are brainy? In this trivia, game green will tell who the master is. This trivia game will involve everyone in the car and has a contrast. Instead of members gaining points when they answer correctly, points are distracted for every incorrect answer you give.

The last person with the least deducted points wears the crown. It is a matter of time before a player goes, “ahh, I should have known!” it’s an addictively entertaining game that includes 110 cards with more than 400 hundred questions.

Recommended for ages 14+

Buy it on Amazon

2. Do You Really Know Your Family?

Do you really know your family? It is a great trivia car game that promises lots of laughter and getting to learn from each other.

This trivia game will sparkle exciting conversations as you answer questions about each other. It is also full of silly challenges that you perform together.

It’s a game that will keep everyone entertained during the road trip.

Recommended for ages 8+

Buy it on Amazon

3. Pressman Charade For Kids

Is your squad a little younger and bored to their last wits whenever you have car rides? Boredom will be a thing of the past with this excellent trivia game that involves them.

This classic game has cards that have clues with pictures ensuring your non-readers also get to be entertained. It includes three levels of play; therefore, even your elder kids will not be left out of the fun.

With this game, they will also be able to kill the muscle tension that tends to build up while traveling, including moving around as they act out clues.

Recommended for ages 4+

Buy it on Amazon

4. Family Feud Trivia Box Card Game

This trivia box version will ensure time flies; you have reached your destination before you all know it. With this spin master game, you can play the popular tv show in real life!

It includes 203 game cards with instructions and toys, i.e., stop light, sound electronic, game answer buzzer, and a countdown timer.

Recommended for ages 8+

Buy it on Amazon

5. Spin Master Hedbanz Picture Guessing Board Game

The picture-guessing board game is a fun road trip question game that will engage the whole family and elicit lots of excitement. When it’s your turn to play, you have to flip over the timer and start asking yes/no queries to figure out the card shown in your headband.

It includes 13 scoring badges, three sample question cards, six headbands, 69 picture cards, a one-timer, and instructions.

Recommended for ages 6+

Buy it on Amazon

Use Your Imagination: DIY Trivia Games For Road Trips

So you’ve got no internet and no games with you? Fear not; there are still loads of imaginative trivia games you can play with no props or prompts.

We have researched and compiled a list of 10 road trip trivia games you can play with the kids to ensure the car adventure seems like a breeze.

1. Would You Rather?

Here’s a kid-friendly exercise that can be an absolute blast with the adults involved. It’s a game that requires car ride trivia questions that you can either take turns answering or direct the query to one person.

Each question must follow the “would you rather format”, ensuring that the question presents a severe dilemma – real-life or utterly absurd and imaginary. With this ultimate either-or-question game, you learn more about each other.

You can find a great set of “would you rather?” questions perfect for kids of all ages to download here.

2. Name The Artist

The first person to name the artist when a song gets played on the radio earns a point.

You will need a great playlist that will probably serve a significant portion of the journey. The person with the most points at arrival is the winner.

3. The Bad Movie Plot

Do you all love movies? Then this game will make the long car ride bearable.

In this game, the host thinks of a movie and describes it in the worst way possible. The first person to guess the film correctly becomes the host.

4. Two Truths And A Lie

Two Truths and a Lie is a classic road trip trivia question that is always entertaining and a great game to get to know your family members. One passenger starts off the game by giving three statements. In the statements, two are true, while one is a lie. Everyone tries to determine which information is wrong, and the first to get it wins.

5. Spelling Bee

Who doesn’t want to prove that they are the best at spelling? Not me! With this game, you get to set a timer for the one assigned to spell. There is a host who gives out the words and starts off the timer.

The best part of the spelling bee game is that all ages can be involved as the host switches from hard to easy spelling words.

6. 21 Questions

21 Questions is a classic game everyone on the road will surely enjoy. It is a game of deduction that requires the other passengers to guess the place, thing, or person the host player is thinking of. The guessing has a maximum of 21 questions to determine the answer correctly.

As the rest of the players ask up to 21 questions to determine what the host player thinks of, the host responds with a simple yes/no to each question.

The one who guesses correctly within the 21 questions becomes the host.

7. The Movie Game

Most families have movie nights; bring all that “action” to your road trip to kill the boredom. The movie game will offer tons of fun for your movie-loving squad.

In this game, members will take turns naming movies and their actors until one of the participants is stumped.

The first assigned player starts the game by naming a movie, the next in line must name an actor in the film, and the next player must name another movie in which the named actor also stars.

This continues until one who can’t think of an actor or movie is eliminated. The last player standing is the winner.

8. Category ABC

Category ABC is a straightforward game for car rides that will entertain your little ones. You have to choose a player that will start off the game. The first player must select a category and name something that begins with the letter A.

The following person in line also does the same. Only their answer should begin with the letter B. The next person is in charge of letter C, and this goes on. For example, if the category were “food,” it would be Apricot, banana, cake, and so on.

9. Fortunately, Unfortunately

Looking for a game that requires imagination and will involve the young ones too? Fortunately, unfortunately, will do just that! It is a fun and easy game that requires crazy and imaginative minds.

The first player makes a statement that has to begin with the word “fortunately.” The next player must follow that statement with a statement starting with “unfortunately.” This goes on becoming crazy until there’s a member who cannot come up with a statement.

10. The Name Game

Pick your category and see how long you can keep naming things or places until you run out of ideas! The next word must begin with the last letter of the word before, without any repeats.

For example, you could choose animals; person one says “Cat”, person two says “Tiger, Person three says “Rabbit” – person four cannot say Tiger, or they’re out; the game keeps going until no one can think of a new word.

If you’ve exhausted animals, try countries, cities, actors, band names, the list goes on!

We hope you’ve found something here that will kill some hours on the road and keep your brains stimulated and perhaps get to know your friends and family you’re traveling with a little better!

Don’t forget we’ve got a huge list of road trip toy ideas over here too, and our selection of the best podcasts for family road trips – great for listening to as a family or on individual listening devices.

What are your favorite trivia games for the car? We’d love to hear your suggestions too.

Don’t miss all our favorite road trip apps over here
Love a good story? These are our family-friendly audiobook picks for road trip entertainment
Teens in the car? Here are all our suggestions for keeping teens engaged on long road trips
And for your younger ones, don’t miss our complete guide to the best road trip toys for toddlers

© Family Road Trip 2026

The post Awesome Road Trip Trivia Games appeared first on Family Road Trip.

Taking a family road trip soon? Nobody, not even an adult, can sit in a car for hours on end without SOMETHING fun to do!

Whilst we have dozens of hot tips for road tripping with kids, simply nothing (other than maybe a good supply of snacks!) will help you through long-distance driving quite like a great selection of travel toys for the car.

The best toys for car trips are ideally:

• Fairly quiet (i.e. won’t distract the driver!)
• Do not have small parts which can be easily lost (or swallowed)
• Can easily attach to the car seat (if you are traveling with a baby or toddler)

Electronics such as small tablets, smartphones, or portable DVD players can play a part in your road trip entertainment arsenal, but there are plenty more boredom busters you can pack on your next family road trip that don’t require batteries!.

We have rounded up for you here a selection of the most fun toys for road trips, broken up into age groups so no matter what age your child is, there is something on the list for them!

As Amazon Associates, we earn a commission from qualifying purchases made on this page.

Classic Baby and Infant Toys For Car Trips

Babies and infants need surprisingly simple toys to keep them occupied during long car journeys. In fact, from traveling with a newborn through to those toddler years, all they really want is YOU! But when having an adult seated with the baby in the back doesn’t work, try these simple, engaging car toys for babies.

Toe Time Infant Car Seat Toy

Car seat toys make the perfect travel toys for babies. You can hang them on the back of the seat, and they can play with the soft toys attached to the mat. The great part is, they can’t drop them!

Buy it on Amazon

Funky Toy Keys

As you take your road trip, letting the baby play with your real keys isn’t a safe option, but you can give them their own playset of keys. The set has 4 car sounds that come from the purple remote and realistic keys for them to play with.

Buy it on Amazon

My First Road Trip Book

An 8-page soft book for babies, this soft activity book from Melissa & Doug will let your little one enjoy the colors and shapes in the book. It’s also great for toddlers, so the book will work for both young and older babies for hours of travel entertainment.

Buy it on Amazon

Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether Toy

Made for tiny hands, this little teether toy is soft and shaped like a maze. Your little one will be mesmerized as they play with the teether and look at the colors of the tubes; it’s always been one of our favorite travel toys.

Buy it on Amazon

Plush Elephant Music Toy

This cute little elephant is not just cuddly, it lights up and plays music, making it a great toy for babies and younger children and will entertain them as they ride along during a long road trip.

Buy it on Amazon

Hanging Rattles Toy

Attach these rattles to a crib, car seat, or stroller so that your little one can have fun on the go; these are one of the best baby toys for the car.

You can easily transfer this toy to all three so you can take it wherever you go on your family road trip.

Buy it on Amazon

Teething Rattles

This fun set of silicone teething rattles makes for one of the best travel toys for infants, keeping them entertained and comforted throughout the trip.

The teethers are made of non-toxic material and have smooth polished edges for safety. Lots of pieces, so if one does get lost or dropped, you’ll always have a backup!

Buy it on Amazon

Cloth Books

A fun and educational soft toy for ages 3 months and up, these cloth books are soft in touch and make the crinkle paper sound that babies love.

Your baby can chew, crinkle, and play with the colorful books as you travel, with handy clips for attaching to car seats and strollers.

Buy it on Amazon

Pink Glo Worm Stuffed Lullaby Toy

This cute little pink glo worm will sing soothing melodies to your little one as you travel. When his belly is pushed, the glo worm’s face lights up and will sing gentle lullabies, ideal if you need to rock your baby off to sleep in their car seat while you’re on the move.

Buy it on Amazon

Soft Silicone Teething Toys

Another teething toy set that’s perfect for road trips, these silicone toys are shaped like tools. They also attach to a clip so that you can keep them close no matter where you go.

Buy it on Amazon

You can find even more inspiration for baby car toys over here

Top Tip: If your baby’s toys don’t come with a clip, you can still buy these toy teethers to easily attach them to your infant car seat and stop the dropping game once and for all!

Best Road Trip Toys For Toddlers

Your toddler is ready for some more interactive games and activities in the car, but they still need to be safe for your tot to handle unsupervised while your eyes are on the road. All of these road trip toys make great interactive and sensory distractions for toddlers on long drives:

Busy Board Toddler Backpack

Your toddler will love playing and manipulating each and every aspect of this fun toddler busy board backpack.

What’s great is they can even fit a few of their other favorite toys inside too for their very own travel bag.

Buy it on Amazon

Squishy Drawing Pad

Filled with sensory beads and non-toxic gel, this drawing pad will allow your young toddlers to make an endless number of creations throughout the trip with just the touch of a finger, no other tools required.

Buy it on Amazon

Search and Find Game

While your toddler is enjoying the ride, keep them busy with this fun search-and-find game. The double-sided activity mats will keep your older toddler entertained for hours.

Buy it on Amazon

LCD Writing Tablet

Your toddler can use a fun doodle pad board (aka sketch board) throughout the trip to draw and engage in imaginative play, perfect for small hands gaining dexterity.

Buy it on Amazon

Popit Fidget

Fidget toys are perfect as toddler travel toys, keeping little hands entertained. Such a simple game, they come in lots of fun shapes and colors, and they take up very little packing space.

Buy it on Amazon

Wooden Activity Cube

This small wooden activity cube will help keep your toddler’s hands busy for hours. They can move the different pieces and work on various motor skills with the toy.

Buy it on Amazon

Smart Teddy

Take this interactive smart teddy with you on your road trip to keep your toddler entertained. The app on your phone can control what’s on the teddy and the kids will have fun listening to stories and other learning activities.

Buy it on Amazon

Reusable Sticker Pad

Stickers are always a winner with little kids. Your toddler will love giving the farm animals different faces as they play with this reusable sticker book. The pad contains 10 different farm scenes and 76 reusable cling-style stickers to make the face.

Buy it on Amazon

Magnetic Maze Puzzle Game

As you are traveling in the car, your toddler can have fun trying to move the ball in the maze with the attached magnetic pen. It has a colorful sea theme to it which will make it easier to hold their attention throughout the trip and an easy carry handle.

Buy it on Amazon

Buckle Pillow Toy

This cute owl pillow is not only soft and cuddly, but turns him around, and there are several different activities your toddler can play with on your family road trip.

Your toddler will be able to snap, button, and buckle the different items on the pillow, making this buckle toy perfect for problem solving and cognitive skills.

Buy it on Amazon

You’ll find even more road trip toy ideas for toddlers over here

Best Road Trip Toys for Preschoolers

Your preschoolers will have more dexterity, and toys can hold their attention span for longer periods of time.

We’d recommend on a long journey you also invest in a car seat travel tray so that your child has a comfortable play space with a play surface they can spread all their toys out on, and handy pockets to stop items rolling away.

Disney Eye Found It Card Game

As they explore the different Disney scenes when trying to find the character and scene images, your preschooler will not only be working on hand-eye coordination but also counting on the road trip. The perfect educational preschooler toy to pack for a road trip.

Buy it on Amazon

Preschool Busy Book

This busy book is perfect for entertaining your little one throughout the car ride. It’s a sturdy book, so you can easily take it in the car, and your preschooler will have fun working on the activities while honing their fine motor skills using the erasable marker pens.

Buy it on Amazon

Fire HD Tablet

You can’t go wrong with a tablet when it comes to traveling in the car! So much can be done on the tablet and your little one will love watching shows, playing games, and more. Just make sure you’ve downloaded what you need before setting off in case you don’t have wifi!

Buy it on Amazon

Color Wonder Mess Free Coloring Pages

A coloring book with a difference! Available in a variety of different designs, as you travel in the car, your little artist can color the sheets of paper without you having to worry about a mess.

Each kit contains 18 Blippi coloring sheets and five magic markers.

Buy it on Amazon

Go Fish Alphabet Card Game

Go Fish is a fun game for any age, and this set helps your preschooler learn the letters of the alphabet, both capitalized and lowercase.

Card games are great travel toys that your younger children can also play with older siblings, helping them out.

Buy it on Amazon

Town Maze Magnetic Puzzle

Need an activity your child can really focus on? Your preschooler will have great fun trying to get the colored balls in the matching garage with the magnetic pen. This is a great option if you’re seeking a more challenging STEM toy for car travel or anywhere you’re heading on vacation.

Buy it on Amazon

Dot to Dot Workbook

A quiet but fun road trip activity your preschooler can do throughout the ride, this dot-to-dot workbook is fun and educational.

Ideal for the 3 to 5-year-old age group where critical thinking is involved, and they have a fun coloring page to complete, too once the dot-to-dot is complete.

Buy it on Amazon

Travel Memory Game

Seven double-sided cards are included in this memory game. Each card has different images so your preschooler can stay entertained throughout the trip. An ideal car game if you have siblings who want to play along together.

Buy it on Amazon

EZDesk Travel Activity Kit

Full of fun activities your preschooler can do while in the car, this activity kit will have them coloring and designing a variety of different things.

With it’s own carry case and handle its the ideal travel toy than can come from car to roadside stop.

Buy it on Amazon

Travel Tangram Puzzle

Mix, match, and style the different pieces in this fun travel tangram puzzle.

This is a fun travel game, and it allows children to get creative with shapes, ideal for the older preschooler with magnetic pieces that (shouldn’t!) get lost!

Buy it on Amazon

Best Road Trip Toys for Elementary School Age Kids

A wonderful age for road-tripping with kids – though you’ll need plenty of ideas to stave off the chorus of “are we there yet”. Try these wonderful travel toys and educational games, perfect for your slightly older kids on your next family road trip:

Handheld Game Set

This small little game system is a powerful little portable machine that has 100 preloaded classic retro games to play. If you don’t want the expense or arguments of a full-size tablet, this is a wonderful hand-held compromise.

Buy it on Amazon

Fashion Design Sketch Portfolio

If your child loves fashion and creating their own style, they will love this fun fashion sketch pad with stencils and stickers. It comes in plenty of different designs from clothing to bedroom design or even design your own unicorns.

Buy it on Amazon

Flashing Cube Memory Game

Even though your child is stuck in the car throughout the road trip, doesn’t mean they can’t have fun! This flashing cube has 4 quick-fingered games that they can learn to master on the ride.

Buy it on Amazon

Nintendo Switch Lite

A fun game system for on-the-go, the Nintendo Switch Lite is a popular road trip accessory. On the go, they can play their favorite games as they wait to get to their destination, in a small and lightweight unit (don’t forget a storage case too!)

Buy it on Amazon

Secret Decoder Activity Set

Kids will love cracking the codes by uncovering hidden clues and secret messages throughout the pages. It’s also a fun way to encourage problem-solving and critical thinking, bound to keep them occupied for many hours while you’re on the road.

Buy it on Amazon

Scratch Paper Art

The magic rainbow scratch-off paper kits are fun for kids of all ages, but they work best for your elementary-aged child.

This kit has everything you need for hours of fun, including 50 pieces of scratch paper and 4 stencils to follow, or create your own colorful designs.

Buy it on Amazon

Wax Craft Sticks

Get creative in the car by designing some cool things with wax. This fun set is perfect for road trips and will allow your child to get creative with their hands, even on the go.

No sticky mess, you get over 300 sticks in a set of different lengths so the only limit is your child’s imagination!

Buy it on Amazon

Travel Board Tic Tac Toe and Checkers

This set is perfect for traveling with friends or siblings. The magnetic game board will let your children play checkers and tic tac toe throughout the car ride. Super simple family games that never go out of fashion!

Buy it on Amazon

Colorful Tangram Jigsaw Puzzle

While on the road, children can have fun with this challenging jigsaw game puzzle. The 40-piece game set will keep them busy for hours as they put together the puzzle.

Designed with road trips in mind, they include clues for everything you will likely encounter on your family road trip!

Buy it on Amazon

Travel Scavenger Hunt Card Game

Scavenger hunt games are always fun for kids and this card pack will keep them entertained as they search for the objects found on the cards.

Buy it on Amazon

Best Road Trip Toys For Tweens and Teens

Don’t want your older kids simply plugged in for hours on end? Plenty of fun and creative road trip toy ideas are perfect for all those family members 10 years+ who still need busy hands and minds.

Flipslide Handheld Game

Flip, slide, and match the cubes as you are timed with this travel game. The game has 4 game modes, each with a different level of challenge, perfect for passing the time on car rides.

Buy it on Amazon

Triangle Peg Games

Remember the wooden strategy game we played at some of our favorite restaurants?

These pegboards can be taken anywhere so that your tweens and teens can play anywhere they go. Great for strategizing and stretching the mind.

Buy it on Amazon

Nintendo Switch

A Nintendo Switch can be a lifesaver when it comes to killing time while your tween or teen is traveling in the car.

They can use the same game system they use at home with portable remote controls that simply clip in to have some fun on their road trip adventure. Don’t forget a carry case to keep their console and game chips safe.

Buy it on Amazon

Travel Blurt Game

This is a game that siblings can play together, or you can get the whole family involved during the road trip. It’s hilarious and fun to see what kinds of things will be blurted out.

Buy it on Amazon

Handheld Magnetic Word Game

A travel edition of our favorite word game. Magnetic toys always make a good road trip toy. This set even includes a travel storage pouch to carry it anywhere. A great brain teaser toy for your tweens and teens looking for road trip activities that engage the brain.

Buy it on Amazon

Boredom Buster Activity Pack

This activity book for teens has 180 different brain games and puzzles they can do while in the car. Each brain game is challenging but fun and pitched at your older child.

Buy it on Amazon

The Ultimate Magnetic Puzzle Game

Nothing beats the feeling you get when you solve a challenging puzzle. This magnetic puzzle game is an impressive game that can be played in the car for some challenging fun.

Buy it on Amazon

Fast Sling Puck Game

This fast-sling puck game is a portable hockey game that fits on the table while you are taking a break at a roadside stop. Depending on the room you have in the car, it might be able to fit on their lap while in the car.

Buy it on Amazon

Magnetic Board Game Pack

This pack includes 12 different retro fun games that your tween or teen can take on any family vacation. It’s great for elementary-aged children as well, but we like it more for tweens.

Buy it on Amazon

World’s Largest Word Search Book

If your child enjoys doing word search puzzles, they will love working on this activity book while on a road trip.

With over 1,000 puzzles, your teen or tween will have plenty of puzzles to help them pass the miles.

Buy it on Amazon

We hope you’ve managed to find something in this road trip toy selection to suit every member of your family.

Other Ways To Pass Time In The Car

In addition to all the incredible games we’ve covered in this guide (yes, over 50 road trip toy ideas!) you may also want to prepare for your next family trip:

• Download some audiobooks that all the family can listen to together or a podcast series suitable to your age group.

• Family singalong. I know, I know, the 17,000th rendition of their favorite nursery rhyme might be driving you around the bend, but little kids love nothing more than mom and dad joining in. Change the words, and sing in a funny voice; it’s bound to get some giggles from the back. (Psst, there’s quite possibly an age limit on this one though, you don’t want your tweens and teens disowning you at the next roadside stop)

• Easy word games. You don’t need a fancy toy to keep the kids entertained all the time. Plenty of imaginative games in the car can be played verbally without any props. Try “would you rather” questions, alphabet listing games, or good old I-spy!

• Older kids can easily engage in road trip trivia games – from quizzes to conversation starters, easy apps you can download, or DIY games you can make up as you go.

What are your go-to toys and games for a family road trip?

© Family Road Trip 2026

The post 50+ Unbeatable Road Trip Toys For Long Car Journeys appeared first on Family Road Trip.

Got a long drive ahead? Wondering how on earth your going to keep the kids entertained mile after mile? We all know that long hours on the road can be challenging, especially for your littlest passengers.

It simply isn’t a family road trip without some games up the sleeve. Family road trips with games are not only fun and exciting, but they also offer many incredible benefits. These benefits include:

• Promoting family bonding
• Building patience
• Enhancing language development
• Enhances visual skills etc

So, if you’ve got a family road trip ahead, play one of these fun games to keep everyone entertained during the long car ride. These family car games promise to dodge boredom – for a few hours at least (we still wouldn’t be scrimping on the toddler toys or snacks!)

As Amazon Associates, we earn a commission from qualifying purchases made on this page.

Best Family Car Games With Young Kids

The prospect of entertaining kids on a long road trip is enough to deter even the bravest parent from traveling. Young kids can stir crazy, whine incessantly, drop things a million times, and refuse to nap.

The deal is that you practice and prepare for fantastic road trips with even the most spirited of kids. The more you do it, the more your kids will know what to expect, and the more prepared you are as a parent with different kids’ car ride games for them to enjoy, then the more you can relax and enjoy the trip.

The best games for kids on road trips are simple, mess-free, and ones they can enjoy without supervision. Here are the best road trip games we have come up with for your young kids!

What Colour Is It?

The adults in the family get to list a bunch of things that are the same color. For example, the adults can shout “apples, fire engines, stop signs..” they keep going until the children figure it out and call “red!” The longer the list you have prepared, the better, as road trips are long.

I Spy

Keeping in mind that this classic game should fit your young kids, it is better to keep this “I spy” game to things that can be found inside the vehicle. The first person selects something inside the car without revealing what it is to the rest of the players in the car.

They must repeat the phrase “I spy something that begins with the letters c..” as it relates to the answer. The other passengers then try to guess what it might be.

If your toddlers and preschooler’s still can’t spell, why not do I-spy colors instead?

Category ABC’s

Category ABC is the most straightforward name game that is great for car trip games for kids. The first player chooses a category and names something that begins with the letter A, B, and so on until someone is stumped.

In My Suitcase

In my suitcase game, you will sprinkle a fun memory game into your car game for family road trips. The first player says, “I am going on a vacation, and I packed..” Finish with a sentence that begins with the letter C.

The second person repeats the sentence, repeats what the first person is bringing, and adds an object starting with the letter D. This keeps going with the alphabetical letters until someone forgets an item the quickest.

You can simply this activity for toddlers to join too.

The Alphabet Game

One passenger chooses the right-hand side of the road and the other the left side. Each of them keeps an eye out for road signs or license plates with letters of the alphabet. The objective of this game is to find a word for each sign or license plate you pass. The sign or license begins with each letter of the alphabet starting from the beginning.

Call them out as you drive by, and the first one who gets to Z wins.

Best Family Car Games With Tweens & Middle Schoolers

There’s nothing better than seeing your tween laughing and playing with their friends in the backseat of the car. This is mainly in the digital age that we live in, with many tweens spending soo much time on their phones and other electronic devices.

When raising a tween, you’ve got to take those bonding moments where you can get them, right? Try out these fun road trip games for tweens to keep your tween crew entertained.

20 Questions

Twenty questions are one of the fantastic games for car travel, especially if you are driving through long stretches of rural areas. The first person thinks of a person, place, or thing. Everyone in the car asks “yes” or “no” questions about what it is or who it is you may be thinking of.

No two people should ask the same questions, and no one can answer more than 20 questions. Whoever guesses the mystery first goes next.

Name That Tune

Most tweens love music, so challenge their knowledge by playing this radio game. The general rule of the game is that everyone in the car is competing to see who can guess the names of the most songs. Whoever guesses the most songs by the end of a round wins.

The Word Game

Bring some pencils and paper to play this fun word game with your tweens. Choose one person who will keep the time. The timekeeper will also pick the letter to be used to make the words. The chosen person shouts out the word, and everyone writes down as many words as possible that start with that letter.

Once the set time is up, whoever has the most words wins. Once the players have their group of words, spice up the game. Set the time for another minute. And each player must write a sentence with as many words from their list as possible.

Two Truths And One Lie

If the tweens in your car trip are new friends and trying to learn more about one another, then two truths and lies will set the pace. Each person takes turns to be “it.” That person says three things about themselves, two of them truth and one that is a lie.

The other players then hold up their fingers -one, two, or three to indicate which statement they think is a lie. The “it” person then reveals the answer, and someone else in the group becomes “it.”

Do You Really Know Your Family?

Do you agree that tweens can go mute on a road trip till you wonder what is wrong? This game will help eliminate those awkward hours that make you regret the journey. Do you really know your family creates hilarious family memories as you compete and perform silly challenges together.

It is a fun card game that is super easy to learn and play, allowing the family to bond and know each other while sparkling exciting convos.

Loaded Questions On The Go Card Game

Loaded questions on the go are one of the best card games to play in the car for families. One player chooses a card and reads one of the four questions on the card. The other passengers in the vehicle must then write their answers on the score card and pass them to one player ( not the player who read the question).

That player reads the answers to the card reader, who must match each response to the player they think wrote it. For each correct answer, the player earns a point. The first player to earn eight points wins.

Best Family Car Games For Teens And Adults

Even adults (grandparents) and teenagers begin to get tired and bored on long road trips. The next car games for families will keep you and your teen awake and entertained.

Fortunately, Unfortunately

In this family card game, one person begins with an, “unfortunately”, statement and the next with a “fortunately” statement. For example:

• “Unfortunately, I think he needs to use the restroom.” “Fortunately, we are stopping soon.” “Unfortunately, he is also hungry,” and so on.

Remember, the more bizarre the statements, the more fun this game becomes.

Never Have I Ever

Another adult road trip game that reveals something about the players is “never have I ever”. Each person takes turns and says the phrase “never have I ever….” The following person guesses whether the statement is true or false. The person with the most accurate guesses wins this game, or you decide to play for fun.

Hum That Tune

One player starts off the game by humming a well-known song. The first person to guess the song correctly gets to be the next “hummer.” While this game sounds super simple, it’s often trickier than it seems making it one of the best games to play in the car with the family.

Arkadium

If you happen to be traveling with your grandparents, remember that they also need a little distraction on a long car ride. Comes in Arkadium to the rescue!

It’s a company that offers a variety of popular games, including mahjong, crossword puzzles, word games, and solitaire, all designed for adults and teens. It can either be played on a phone or tablet, offering much-needed relaxation.

Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time is a fun game that involves using your imagination. Each player takes turns looking at a car and the occupant(s) and starts creating a fictional story about them. The storyteller should begin with “once upon a time.”

• For example, a teenager driving a red sports car might prompt, “once upon a time, a guy bought a car to impress his girlfriend.” The variation is for each passenger to take turns adding one sentence to the fictional storyline.

Before You Go – More Road Trip Entertainment Ideas!

Not found what you’e looking for yet in this selection? You may also want to try:

• The Best Road Trip Trivia Games
• Bordeom Busters; Keeping Teens Entertained on the Road
• 50+ All-Time Best Toys For Family Road Trips
• The Best Podcasts For All The Family To Tune Into On The Road
• Audiobooks For Every Age Group Perfect For Road Trips

© Family Road Trip 2026

The post Games To Play In The Car With Family appeared first on Family Road Trip.

Are you planning a road trip with teens? We know it can be stressing you as traveling with a teenager can be tricky. But it is the perfect way to spend quality time as a family.

Yes, teenagers can be dramatic and make the trip unbearable. For you to take the stress out of your gateway, there are tips and fun things to do that will ensure the journey is (dare we say!) memorable and enjoyable.

How To Plan The Ultimate Road Trip For Teenagers

Teenagers are a ball of emotions and finding the right balance between their need to feel included and independence can be an uphill task for you. But you must remember that they are still trying to discover their identity and need your help in decision-making.

Include your teenager in the planning process of the long journey. That is, let your teenager know where you are headed before time.

Allow them to also select stops and time to take photos for their social media, and also let them select the music for the journey (sit and let them be! If that is possible at all).

Allow your teens to have the screen time you have always set limits on. Allowing your teens’ screen time will show them that you respect their independence. Do not forget to keep any younger sibs off them too, as they are primarily a trigger you do not want to handle while on the road.

Here are some further tips in detail to help you:

Include Your Teenager In The Planning Process

Including your teenager in the road trip planning process will ensure you enjoy it as a family. Arm your teenager with all the information about the journey. When the road trip is scheduled, the route you plan on taking, and the final destination.

Doing this will allow your teenager enough time to also plan on their own where they would want to stop and see—the type of clothing they would pack and the accessories that would fit the ride. Remember to pack a USB phone charger!

Plan For Comfort

Nothing kills a fun road trip vibe faster than an uncomfortable teenager. Knowing your teen before you embark on your journey will help. You can give them great ideas on what they can wear to be comfier.

You can also suggest that they carry some more comfy cozy items like neck pillows, blankets, sleep-on shoes, hoodies, etc. You can also allow them to stretch time in between the stops.

Ensure your vehicle is spacious enough to fit your whole family. Remember that teenagers are touchy about space. You can consider hiring a large family car for the planned journey.

Do not forget to check whether the car’s air conditioning is working. You do not want to have grumpy travel companions because of the heat.

You should also check the heater is working properly for a winter road trip.

Schedule a Road Trip That Will Not Take Up The Entire School Break

Do not forget that your teenagers crave some alone time too. Allow them this space by scheduling road trips that will not leave them feeling like they are “choking” on family time.

If your teen is outdoorsy, being on road trips that last a whole day can be downright overwhelming. Therefore, if the ride is long, you can always break it into two halves.

Do Not Forget The Good Stuff – Food!

If you have teenagers, you know that they love food. Teenagers love to eat, and being trapped in a car for hours may trigger lots of snacking due to boredom.

Prepare yourself well when stocking the snacks, as this can make or break the road trip. Always ensure that you have enough snacks and drinks for the whole family.

You should also pack a little extra to be on the safe side. Try mixing up the snacks; they are also healthy-ish as much as junk!

Give Your Teen a Small Budget For Stops

Your teen craves independence. Show them you trust them by allowing them to make their own purchases during the trip. This could be for their snacks or souvenirs, but set the limit and stick to it.

This way, they will make wise decisions on what they need and want. The bank of Mom and Dad won’t be funding these trips forever so learning to budget now is an invaluable skill.

Do Not Over-Do The Driving

One of the biggest mistakes you can make while on the road with your teen is overdriving. Get the right hotel beforehand that you will make a stopover to and relax.

Whilst teens have far more tolerance than our tots at sitting still, everyone still needs to stretch their legs regularly.

You can also make a point of exploring exciting places. A detour is an excellent opportunity of breaking fatigue and burn some pent-up energy.

Know their personality though, one teen’s idea of heaven is hitting a state park and some trails for fresh air, others would prefer city exploring and some retail therapy.

Keep Changing The Seating Arrangement

Ensure to keep changing the sitting arrangements. This terrific teenage road trip idea should involve everyone in the vehicle – mix your driver and your front seat passenger. It is also a great tip as everyone in the car gets to interact.

You can also involve your teens in the driving tour if they are licensed drivers. Allowing your teen to drive on the family road trip will make them feel the open road as you relax. It will also make them more involved in the journey and also gain valuable driving experience.

With the above tips up your sleeve, you will protect your sanity on your family vacation with teens.

Don’t forget to take care of yourself too and relax a little too. Every vacation is bound to have its ups and downs. Try not to sweat the small stuff.

10 Boredom Busters – Activities To Enjoy On A Road Trip With Teens

You need to find exciting things for your teenager to do while on the road as you do not want them sinking into their phones the whole time. You know that is possible, and they would not mind it!

But traveling together is meant to bring the entire family together with quality time.

A to-do list full of teen-friendly ideas can be the difference between a fab drive and everyone wanting to pull their hair out! You should come up with these ideas beforehand and involve your teen in planning. This will also help you know what to bring on a road trip with teenagers.

Read A Book

Carrying a book for your teen might be an excellent car ride idea. This can be an actual paper book or an electronic reader. Harry Potter book set is a great classic book that might intrigue your teen.

You can also decide to listen to audiobooks. Choose stories that will appeal to the entire family and are entertaining for everyone. The Lightning Thief series might be a great idea.

Podcasts might also be a great distraction for your teen, provided they align with their interests. First, determine where your teen’s interest lies before putting a podcast on. They may also serve as excellent springboards for conversations with your teen.

Play Travel Games

Entertainment is vital if you are planning a road trip with your teen. And getting suitable games to play in the car for teens is mandatory. These can range from classic old-fashioned games to some compact games.

Some of the road trips games you can play while on vacation with teenagers include:

• Road Trip Trivia: Prepare interesting trivia questions before the road trip. Your teen should join in the preparation.
• Would You Rather?: Have far-fetched questions ready that will leave one in a dilemma of answering.
• The License Plate Game: You’re never too old! Take on your teen to spot tags from all over the 50 states for you to win in this game.
• Categories: You choose a random category and let everyone come up with words/names that fall under the selected category – run in alphabetical order, or the next word has to start with the last letter of the word before.
• Name That Song: You all take turns to sing or hum a song, and the others have to guess the lyrics.

Travel Toys For Teens

Never be fooled into thinking your teen is too old for toys! There are still plenty of travel toys and handheld games that can appeal to teens:

• Fidget toys like the shape-shifting box and the Gocube are great for long car rides and will engage your teen.

• Mad Libs is a great word game that will offer lots of laughter. You get to write in the missing words and, in the process, create funny stories.

• An adult coloring book is another simple activity that will make the miles zoom by, which is also great for relaxation.

• A challenging activity book for teens will keep their minds active on the move.

• Yeah, OK, probably some electronic games will do the trick too. A small and portable Switch Lite is a good option for when you’re on the move.

Keep Teens Well Fed

You don’t want to have a hungry teen near you; they are very hangry (pun intended). And given their rapid body growth, they need lots of food to keep them fueled.

Therefore be sure to pack lots of snacks for the journey. You can bring a cooler that you fill with healthy snacks like fresh fruits, trail mix, sandwiches, and individually wrapped cheese. You can use re-usable snap bags for packaging. Do not forget the drinks too.

You can also stop at fabulous restaurants or fast-food chains to keep grumpiness at bay – make sure your teen gets a say in the roadside stops, perhaps rotate turns who gets to choose.

Let Your Teens Choose Their Music

Remind your teen to carry their headphones as each person in the car might have a different taste in music.

With them taking their headphones, they can listen to the soundtrack they wish using their smart devices. It will help reduce a lot of scuffles in the car as everyone wants to play their soundtracks on the radio.

Watch Movies On The Road

Most teens are movie buffs, and now is not the time to carry the house rules around. Let your teens zone out on movies and videos, which will help pass the time.

If your car has a backseat entertainment system, the more reason you should rejoice, as this will mean that each person in the vehicle has the liberty of watching whatever it is that they wish.

You can find our selection of the best classic road trip movies over here

There’s no reason to fret if it is not equipped with the backseat entertainment system. You can ensure that before you embark on the trip, you have downloaded enough movies to keep everyone entertained as they watch on their smartphones and tablets.

Mobile/Video Games

Your teen gamers will want to carry their gadgets along with in a bid to kill the boredom. Allow them, BUT before you board the car, set down some ground rules of when the video games will be played.

Playing games in a moving car often makes passengers feel sick. If possible, you can make your teens wait until you reach your destination to enjoy the video/mobile games.

Road Trip Journal For Teens

Most teens fancy the idea of journaling. Who wouldn’t? A journal is an excellent companion for teens as it helps them document events.

Your teen will love journalizing postcards, maps, and information sheets that will occupy their time. They can also make notes of places you’ve been through and the memorable fun moments.

Prepare For Motion Sickness

Mostly hormones play a role in causing motion sickness. And since teens’ bodies are filled with an abundance of estrogen and testosterone, they might experience car sickness during adolescence, even if they didn’t suffer as younger children.

You can ensure to have some motion sickness medicines just in case, try Natures Fusion Vertigo drops, or pressure bands can help many motion sickness sufferers.

Reward Good Behavior

Rewarding good behavior will keep siblings’ fights and sassy backtalk to a minimum. You can do this by allowing teens with a valid license to have a turn at driving, or get a stopover convenience store treat.

You could also surprise your teen with gifts on your trip. A silly gift that is fun, affordable, and compact will do the trick.

© Family Road Trip 2026

The post Things To Do On A Car Trip For A Teenager appeared first on Family Road Trip.

If you’re planning a family road trip with children of any age, you know that it’s best to have a variety of activities on hand. Digital versions of books are an excellent alternative to lugging a bagful for each child.

However, it’s not always possible to sit and read with your child, especially if you’re in the front driving and they’re in the back. There’s also the dreaded possibility of your child getting carsick due to reading, and that’s a mess that everyone wants to avoid!

The perfect solution we have found is audiobooks for our family road trips. The best thing about having the audio versions of our favorite books on our family vacation is that we can listen to them as a family or on our individual devices.

If you’re looking for listening recommendations for your next cross-country journey – or even the next town over -read on to discover our list of Best Audiobooks for Family Road Trips. 

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Best Audiobooks for Road Trips – Tips and Suggestions

Finding and listening to audiobooks for road trips is fairly straightforward, but we do have some advice on how to have the best experience possible.

Family Audiobooks vs. Kids Audiobooks

Your child or children’s ages will ultimately determine what road trip audiobooks you choose, as it’s challenging for a toddler or early grade school to navigate a listening app and select something appropriate. You’ll likely need to plan on playing books for this age group aloud.

If your kids are in the higher elementary through high school ages, they may want to listen to books individually. However, we’ve found many great audiobooks for our whole family to listen to, and it’s fun to discuss what’s happening in each book and what we think will happen next.

Listening Devices and Headphones For Audiobooks

The most common way that many people listen to audiobooks is with their smartphone or tablet. One of the most popular and versatile tablets on the market is the Kindle Paperwhite, and several other Kindle variations are great for combining reading and audiobooks.

If your child is too young for a smartphone and doesn’t have a tablet, an MP3 player is an inexpensive alternative. You can download your favorite audiobooks for kids from your computer, and no internet connection is necessary.

When it comes to the best headphones for audiobooks, almost any kind will do. We suggest choosing a comfortable wired pair for young children, as it may be a headache when Bluetooth is involved. If you’re in the market for new ones, here are a few solid options:

For Toddlers and Preschoolers:

Noot Kids Wired Foldable Stereo On-Ear Headphones

Buy it on Amazon

For Grade Schoolers:

JLab Neon Bluetooth Folding On-Ear Headphones

Buy it on Amazon

For Tweens and Teens:

PurelySound E7 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones

Buy it on Amazon

For Adults:

Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus True Wireless Earbuds

Buy it on Amazon

Best Listening Platform For Road Trip Audiobooks

There are several audiobook listening platforms to choose from, but our family has had the best luck with Audible. The Audible Books app is very user-friendly, and you gain access to millions of titles with only a small monthly fee. Audible even offers a generous 30-day trial period, which we’ve outlined below:

Audible Premium Plus Membership

• One credit a month for a premium title that’s yours to keep (2 credits for Amazon Prime members)
• Full access to the Unlimited Plus Catalog (audiobooks, podcasts, guided wellness, Audible Originals)
• Email reminder before trial ends
• A monthly fee of $14.95 is payable after 30 days
• Simple online cancellation if you don’t want to continue after your free trial

We started our trial three summers ago and thought we’d later cancel it, but it’s the gift that keeps on giving!

Best Audiobooks for Family Road Trips

We’ve split our guide up to the best audio books into different age groups, plus those we think a family of mixed ages can also enjoy playing together.

Best Audiobooks for Toddlers

One of the best things about Audible’s narrated children’s books is that many of them come with actual illustrations, which your little kids can enjoy on their Kindle device while listening. This list of audiobooks is ideal for toddlers.

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (Narrated by Buffy Allen)

Goodnight Moon

Length: 4 minutes

Margaret Wise Brown’s timeless classic about a little rabbit saying goodnight to all of his most-loved possessions is an excellent way to let your toddler know that it’s time for rest. Buffy Allen’s smooth narration is very calming and soothing, making it a good fit for a bedtime story. 

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (Narrated by Peter Schickele)

Where the Wild Things Are

Length: 5 minutes

Parents of all toddlers can relate to Sendak’s endearing story of a tantrum-throwing Max and his journey to an island full of Wild Things. Your child will love the background music and Schickele’s different voices as they listen.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle (Narrated by Gwyneth Paltrow)

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?

Length: 11 minutes

Bill Martin’s lyrical and repetitive text perfectly pairs with Gwyneth Paltrow’s voice in this book about Brown Bear and all of the different animals he sees. The Audible book also comes with a “turn the page” version, so your child can follow along with a digital copy of the book.

Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson (Narrated by Owen Jordan)

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Length: 6 minutes

The power of one’s imagination is brought to life in the story of young Harold’s nighttime adventures with his purple crayon. The background music can become a distraction with this one, but Owen Jordan’s narration is a treat.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (Narration by Jane Harvey)

The Snowy Day

Length: 5 minutes

This touching story about a little boy’s excitement over a snowy day can be enjoyed year-round. This should certainly go on your list of best kids audiobooks to listen to over and over again.

Best Audiobooks for Preschoolers

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss (Narrated by Jason Alexander)

Green Eggs and Ham

Length: 5 minutes

If you’re searching for fun audiobooks for road trips, look no further than Seuss’s classic about Sam I Am’s attempt to persuade a picky eater that green eggs and ham are indeed delicious. The sound effects and background music are perfect, and Jason Alexander does a masterful job with the characters’ voices.

Llama Llama Red Pajama and 19 Other Stories by Anna Dewdney (Narrated by Anna Dewdney and Cassandra Campbell)

Llama Llama Red Pajama and 19 Other Favorites: Llama Llama Mad at Mama; Llama Llama Misses Mama; Llama Llama Holiday Drama; and More

Length: 47 minutes

We love it when we can find audiobook bundles like this one, and it includes 20 of Dewdney’s best-loved books about dramatic Baby Llama and his many adventures. These books are just begging to be read aloud, making them ideal for long road trips.

The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak (Narrated by B.J. Novak and Busy Phillips)

The Book with No Pictures

Length: 9 minutes

What book is better suited for an audiobook than one without any pictures to begin with? This book is filled with laugh-out-loud stories and sounds, and Novak and Phillips bring the words to life.

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin (Narrated by Adam Rubin)

Dragons Love Tacos

Length: 6 minutes

If your children love dragons, they enjoy this silly book about taco-obsessed dragons and the unfortunate consequences of spicy salsa. Rubin infuses humor and fun into his narration, and the music and sound effects greatly enhance the story.

Pete the Cat’s Super Cool Reading Collection by James Dean (Narrated by Teddy Walsh and Lewis Grosso)

Pete the Cat’s Super Cool Reading Collection

Length: 6 minutes

The cool adventures of Pete the Cat are a fun option for slightly older children, especially when they get to follow along with their own copies of the books. These stories work well as conversation starters about what Pete is doing and feeling, and you’ll arrive at your destination before you know it!

Best Audiobooks for Grade School

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams (Narrated by Richard Armitage)

The Velveteen Rabbit

Length: 24 minutes

Your child may just have a renewed interest in their forgotten toys after listening to Williams’s timeless classic about the journey of a snuggly velveteen bunny from beloved toy to the magical world of Rabbitland. Richard Armitage does an outstanding job with the narration and brings each character to life with his different reading voices.

The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dave Pilkey (Narrated by Len Forgione, Dazjon Freeman, and Ben D’Amico)

The Adventures of Captain Underpants

Length: 1 hr

Children of all ages will laugh out loud at the antics of fourth-graders George Beard and Harold Hutchins, two silly class clowns. Together, they create the superhero Captain Underpants. Freeman and D’Amico bring the books to life with their energetic narration of Captain Underpants’ adventures.

Dinosaurs Before Dark by Mary Pope Osborne (Narrated by Mary Pope Osborne)

Dinosaurs Before Dark

Length: 41 minutes

Immerse your children in the world of The Magic Treehouse, a mysterious place where anything can happen – even travelling back in time to the age of dinosaurs. Join Jack and Annie as they embark on the journey of a lifetime and attempt to make it back to their own time before dark.

Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo (Narrated by Ron McLarty)

Mercy Watson to the Rescue

Length: 19 minutes

This early chapter book introduces the reader to Mercy Watson, a one-of-a-kind pig who loves buttered toast and snuggling in bed with her owners. McLarty provides entertaining narration that meshes well with the music and storyline.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate and Patricia Castelao (Narrated by Adam Grupper)

The One and Only Ivan

Length: 3 hrs and 46 minutes

Themes of friendship, art, and hope are brought to life through the eyes of Ivan, a gorilla who has spent 27 years of his life in a glass enclosure at a shopping mall. Grupper’s narration tugs at the listener’s heartstrings and is a great conversation starter.

Best Audiobooks for Tweens

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson (Narrated by Bailey Carr)

Fever 1793

Length: 6 hrs and 12 minutes

Mattie Cook’s struggle to survive the historical impact of yellow fever in Philadelphia is eerily resonant given the current pandemic.  Carr highlights the strengths of Mattie’s character while also echoing the diverse accents in 1793 Philadelphia.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo (Narrated by Graeme Malcolm)

The Tale of Despereaux

Length: 3 hrs and 30 minutes

Sometimes the most unlikely characters become the biggest heroes, as is the case with Despereaux Tilling, an extraordinary mouse. Despereaux, along with several other unique individuals, embarks on unforgettable adventures.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber (Narrated by Rebecca Soler)

Caraval

Length: 10 hrs and 36 minutes

The line between reality and illusion is blurred in the story of two sisters who get more than they bargained for when they attend the legendary Caraval performance. Your tween will be on the edge of their seat the entire time, making this one of the best audiobooks for road trips.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (Narrated by Tatiana Maslany)

The Hunger Games: Special Edition

Length: 10 hrs and 35 minutes

Katniss Everdeen’s race for survival will keep your tween listening as she uses her wits, compassion, and determination to win the Hunger Games. Maslany breathes new life into Katniss’s character with her youthful and often lyrical reader of this dystopian hit.

Wonder by R. J. Palacio (Narrated by Diana Steele, Nick Podehl, and Kate Rudd)

Wonder

Length: 8 hrs and 6 minutes

August Pullman’s humorous yet heartwrenching initiation into the world of middle school highlights the necessity of kindness and empathy in everyone’s lives. Auggie’s narrator fully immerses herself into his character and gives the novel absolute authenticity.

Best Audiobooks for Teens

In this list of the best audiobooks for teens we’ll look at some nonfiction books as well as modern classics to get your teens thinking and engaged on something fun for your road trip.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Narrated by Lauren Fortgang)

Shadow and Bone

Length: 9 hrs and 21 minutes

Good audiobooks for road trips draw the reader into different worlds, and there are few worlds more interesting than the Grishaverse. Alina Starkov discovers an unknown power within herself and suddenly becomes her society’s savior, but nothing is as it seems. Fortgang does well with the voices of different characters, especially the villainous ones.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han (Narrated by Ali Ahn)

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

Length: 8 hrs and 44 minutes

Your romance-loving teen will enjoy Jean Song’s misadventures in romance and the importance of the written word, making this an entertaining road trip audiobook. The narrator struggles a bit with distinguishing male voices, but not enough to detract from the audiobook’s overall value, overall a great listen for teen girls especially.

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah (Narrated by Trevor Noah)

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

Length: 8 hrs and 44 minutes

We believe that nonfiction should always have a place on your list of good audiobooks for road trips, and Trevor Noah’s memoir is an eye-opening account of the injustices of apartheid in South Africa. Noah’s performance earned him the Audie Award for Best Male Narrator in 2018, and after a short listen, you’ll understand why.

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus (Narrated by Kim Mai Guest, MacLeod Andrews, Shannon McManus, and Robbie Daymond)

Length: 10 hrs and 43 minutes

We love that this audiobook for teens has different narrators for all of the major characters, giving it an added layer of authenticity and entertainment value. When five strangers come together, and only four make it out alive, you’ll want to keep listening until the mystery is solved.

Best Audiobooks for the Whole Family

Perfect for listening to altogether, these are the best family audiobooks to keep the whole family engaged on the road:

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen (Narrated by Peter Coyote)

Hatchet

Length: 3 hrs and 42 minutes

Brian Robeson’s unforgettable story of resilience will captivate your whole family as he must use every bit of knowledge he possesses to survive in the Canadian mountains. Peter Coyote’s narration is both brilliant and poignant.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (Narrated by Jim Dale)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Book 1

Length: 8 hrs and 18 minutes

Our list of best audiobooks for families wouldn’t be complete without the magical world of Harry Potter. Jim Dale’s unparalleled voice talent brings every single character to life, no matter how minor. This is an outstanding audiobook choice that every family should invest in; really long drive? Why not download the entire Harry Potter series?

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (Narrated by Michael York)

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe: The Chronicles of Narnia

Length: 4 hrs and 21 minutes

It’s no wonder that C.S. Lewis’s beloved tale of four siblings and their adventures in Narnia is an essential audiobook for family road trips as well. Even though this book is the second installment in the series, it works well as a stand-alone listen.

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (Narrated by Lynn Redgrave)

Inkheart

Length: 15 hrs and 34 minutes

Your family will love this novel where the characters in books actually do jump right off the page! Redgrave’s narration immediately draws the listener into the story, which only works to enhance the novel’s overall message.

More Road Trip Tips and Inspiration

Now you’ve got your family road trip audio entertainment sorted, you may also be interested in:

Best Healthy Road Trip Snacks – over 40 ideas for ideal snacks to pack on a family road trip

Road Trip Trivia Games – a great way to stimulate some family conversation and put minds to the test

The best road trip toys perfect for taking on long journeys for every age group

First Aid Kit for Road Trips – we highly recommend you keep these important items at hand when undertaking a road trip – plus why road trip insurance is important

Road Trip Essentials – never miss an important item again, work your way through our list of pre-trip checks to make on your vehicle through to comfort items for the whole family with our FREE printable checklist

Disclosures: We are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You can read our full disclosure policy here.

© Family Road Trip 2026

The post Best Audiobooks For Family Road Trips in 2026 – Toddlers to Teens appeared first on Family Road Trip.

Keeping kids comfortable, entertained, and safe on the road, here are the most important things we pack for every family road trip.

Don’t forget to check out our complete road trip essentials packing list to get you & your car prepared too – or our complete guide to traveling with a newborn – this list is exclusively for your tots to school-aged kids!!

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1. Infant Car Seat

The most important thing before hitting the road with kids is ensuring they’re safe and secure.

Every child needs an appropriate safety restraint in a vehicle until they reach the height and weight to move into an adult seat. You will need to check the rules and regulations on the place you are road tripping to for the exact age and size a restraint might still be required.

2. Booster Seat

Once your child has outgrown their infant seat, moving them into a booster seat is the next vital investment you will make for a family road trip.

There is a long phase where your child will be too short to appropriately use a car seat, so you will need to move first to a booster providing a 5-point harness, then on to a seat that can be worn with a lap belt.

3. Seat Belt Cozies and Neck Pillows

Moving through the ages and stages of infant seats, you will find once they move out of a snug infant seat, there’s a tendency for little ones’ heads to start bobbing around while they try to nap in the car. This can be resolved by getting your child an appropriately sized neck pillow.

Seat Belt Pillow

Neck Pillow for a 3-7 year old

Toddler Neck Pillow

When they are very small, a wrap-around neck pillow, then as they graduate into a booster and full-sized chair, something soft and cozy they can wrap around the seat belt.

4. Side Window shades

Once your child is safely and securely seated, keeping the sun from their eyes is the next thing to consider to ensure a comfortable journey. We often think of the driver and front passenger needing sun shades, but often forgotten is how equally annoying those rays can be for a child in the back.

Whilst some new cars these days come with built-in sun shades that can be rolled up or down for sun glare, you will most likely need to invest in a set of side shades for your family road trip. Remember, SUVs may need a larger-sized sunshade to completely cover the window.

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5. Car Seat Protectors

With the best will in the world, there’s no denying that kids are MESSY! Spilled drink bottles, cookie crumbs, bathroom accidents, you name it, we’ve cleaned it! What helps with the clean-up operation is having appropriate protection on our seats.

This includes a cover over their infant car seat or booster and a protective cover over the actual car seat. For toilet training kids, we recommend you invest in a piddle pad. These provide one more extra layer of protection to prevent your car from inground smells and stains.

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6. Feeding and Snacks, Snacks, Snacks!

If you think snacks are important at home, just wait until you hit the road with your kids!

They seriously grow an extra stomach once they’re about 15 miles away from home. Having a great stash of pre-prepared snacks is an absolute essential on family road trips.

It’s really important, especially on those long driving days, that you focus on healthy snacks that deliver long-lasting energy, as opposed to highly sugared snacks that kids can’t then burn off while seated in the car

• We have a bumper guide to the best healthy road trip snacks for kids here
• Still feeding an infant? Look for our top tips tor traveling with breastmilk, along with our guide to the best portable bottle warmers, can also work great for warming infant meals on the go

7. Water Bottle

Hand in hand with snack time is keeping everyone hydrated. It’s a fine balancing act, though, between keeping hydration levels up and constant bathroom breaks – I bet we’ve ALL been that parent on the side of the road at least once!

Our tip is to keep the drink bottle a reasonable size. It should only last between bathroom breaks you have scheduled in. A sippy cup or bottle with markers is helpful so you can encourage them to drink more shortly before a designated break.

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8. Tablets/Portable DVD player

Even if you’re normally a “no screens” family, we often make an exception for the very long road trip days. Tablets can be pre-loaded with your kids’ favorite movies or games to play.

Don’t forget you may not have any wifi or data during your journey, so make sure anything you want is actually downloaded on their device.

It’s important as a family to set your own ground rules when it comes to electronic usage in the car. Perhaps set it by mile markers or reaching a certain point on the trip; screens need to go away, so they’re not missing any highlights out the window too.

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9. Travel Toys

Children of all ages need something more than just a tablet or electronic item that they can physically hold and play with. For babies and toddlers, this can be as simple as small rattles, felt books, and shape-sorting toys.

As kids get older, you can introduce sticker books, crafts, and coloring through to small travel games for siblings to play together.

You can find our complete guide to family road rip toys here!

10. Music, Audio Books & Podcasts

Either for the family to share over the car stereo or on individual devices, audiobooks and podcasts can be a great way to pass the time on the road.

We love Spotify Premium or Music Unlimited on Amazon for our in-car entertainment.

An Audible subscription can also be an excellent way to access a bundle of good audiobooks for your trip.

11. Family Games

As well as toys, we like to have a few family game ideas up our sleeve.

These can be simple games without any props, ranging from I-spy to “Would You Rather” type questions to counting games and taking sides in the car to spot things out the window.

Older kids will enjoy playing road trip trivia games to stretch their minds or keeping scavenger hunt running tallies.

You can find our complete guide to family games to play in the car over here.

12. Headphones & Headphone Splitter

For any use of electronic devices in the car, there will definitely be moments you want some headphones to accompany your kids’ entertainment.

Your kids can still listen to a device together with a headphone splitter but will need their own set of headphones.

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Remember, toddlers and younger children need something that is volume-limiting to protect their ears.

Your older tweens and teens may be ready to graduate to earbuds.

13. Travel Tray For Kids

Keeping your kids organized in the back, it can be well worth considering a car seat travel tray. These come in all different shapes and sizes, with the best models able to fit over your child’s car seat or booster.

They can use the flat surface for coloring and games and have a convenient place to hold tablets and drink bottles.

14. Tissues & Water Wipes

Kids are messy. Period! You will always want multiple packets of tissues and wipes in easy-grabbing range for your car.

Printable Road Trip Checklist

Save time packing for your next family road trip, and get this road trip packing list printed out, ready to check off items as you go!

Disclosures: We are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You can read our full disclosure policy here.

© Family Road Trip

The post 14 Road Trip Essentials for Kids You’ll Need appeared first on Family Road Trip.