Travelling these summer holidays could mean entertaining the kids for hours before arriving at your destination.
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Road trips are sure to test the endurance of most parents, however, there are some tips and tricks to get by with minimal headaches and more fun.
Australian Community Media put together this retro guide of classic car games for curing backseat boredom without using technology.
Counting horses
Each child faces out the window on their side of the car, with the middle child opting for either the left or right-side and simply counts the number of brown, black, spotted, grey horses in the paddocks. If a child sees a white horse then their count is restarted.
This game can be played between towns and the highest point-scorer is declared the winner or the first person to reach a century is the winner.
Car cricket
If your family enjoys friendly competition, and sledging is an acceptable past-time, then buckle up for car cricket. This game can be played anywhere with other vehicles on the road travelling in the opposite direction, although for the best results play in a rural area.
How to play:
The first person to "bat" scores runs with passing vehicles. Motorbikes score one run, a four-wheel-drive or van scores two runs, a truck scores four runs, and a bus scores six runs. Red cars are out.
A player retires when they reach 100, and is also declared the winner. If all players are out before reaching a century the highest run-scorer is the winner.
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Licence plate bingo
There are a variety of games that can be played using the licence plates of vehicles, and most have very simple rules to follow.
- Spellcheck: Spell your entire name using the letters on the licence plates of vehicles travelling in the opposite direction. The first person to spot every letter is declared the winner.
- Practice your mathematics. Pick a number between one to 100 and add or multiply the numbers on the licence plates of vehicles travelling in the opposite direction. The winner is declared when a player can equal their number. For younger children, this game can be simplified, with players picking a number between one to nine and spotting pairs, or their chosen number.
Memory
How to play:
Beginning with the first player they say aloud, "I'm going on a trip and I'm going to pack [something beginning with the letter A]." The next person continues by repeating the first person's line (something with the letter A), and continuing with "I'm going on a trip and I'm going to pack [something beginning with the letter B]." This continues with each consecutive player and letter.
A player is out if they are unable to remember what comes next and play moves ahead to the next position. The game continues until either the letter Z is reached or no one can remember their lines.
More tips
Further tips from the NRMA for surviving a road trip with kids include planning ahead and having a few ideas for fun things to do along the way.
Their advice included: hitting the road early to avoid heavy traffic; let kid's plan a stop or activity along the way; pack healthy snacks and drinks; stop for a scenic walk or hike to burn some built-up energy; develop a reward system for good behaviour; don't eat meals in the car, and; stay overnight along the way.
The national insurer and roadside assistance provider added that before travelling check that the vehicle is running smoothly and that roadside assistance is up-to-date.
