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35 Screen-Free Road Trip Games for Toddlers (That Actually Keep Them Happy!)
Discover 35 screen-free road trip games for toddlers to keep little ones happy on long drives. Simple travel activities, games and toddler travel essentials.
LONG DISTANCE GRANDPARENTINGFAMILY LIFE
7/15/20263 min read
Long car journeys with toddlers can be an adventure… or they can feel like the longest few hours of your life!
Whether you're taking the grandkids away for the weekend, heading off on a family holiday or simply tackling a long drive, having a few simple activities ready can make all the difference.
The best part?
Most of these ideas are inexpensive, screen-free and easy to pack.
I've also included some of my favourite travel products that have made road trips much easier over the years.
Let's get started!
1. I Spy Colours
Instead of searching for objects, ask your toddler to spot colours.
"Can you find something yellow?"
"Can you see something blue?"
Even young toddlers love pointing things out.
2. Animal Spotting
Keep an eye out for:
🐄 Cows
🐑 Sheep
🐎 Horses
🐕 Dogs
Turn it into a counting game.
3. Reusable Sticker Books ⭐
One of my favourite travel activities.
Reusable sticker books can keep toddlers busy for ages without creating a mess.
Amazon Recommendation - Reusable Sticker Activity Book
4. Water Wow Books ⭐
Magic water colouring books are brilliant for road trips.
Just fill the pen with water and let little hands colour away - no mess, no lost textas!
Amazon Recommendation - Melissa & Doug Water Wow Books
5. Window Gel Clings ⭐
Toddlers love decorating the car windows with reusable gel stickers.
Easy to remove and use again and again.
Amazon Recommendation - Window Gel Clings
6. Count The Trucks
How many trucks can you spot?
Blue trucks.
Red trucks.
Big trucks.
Little trucks.
7. Finger Puppets ⭐
Finger puppets are tiny to pack but create endless stories.
Amazon Recommendation - Finger Puppets
8. Sing Nursery Rhymes
Sometimes the old favourites work best.
9. Busy Board ⭐
A busy board gives little hands plenty to explore while sitting safely in their seat.
Amazon Recommendation - Busy Board
10. Spot The Shapes
Can you find:
⭕ circles
⬛ squares
⭐ stars
11. Magnetic Drawing Board ⭐
Draw.
Erase.
Start again.
Perfect for travelling.
Amazon Recommendation - Magnetic Drawing Board
12. Colour Wonder Books ⭐
Mess-free colouring with invisible markers that only colour the special paper.
Amazon Recommendation - Colour Wonder Books
13. Road Trip Bingo
Print simple picture bingo cards before you leave.
Amazon Recommendation - Road Trip Bingo
14. Tell A Story Together
Start with:
"Once upon a time..."
Let everyone add one sentence.
15. Spot The Letter
Choose a letter.
See who finds it first on road signs.
16. Snack Necklace
Thread cereal onto string before leaving.
A snack and an activity!
17. Felt Story Board ⭐
Create little scenes with reusable felt pieces.
Amazon Recommendation - Felt Story Board
18. Count Windmills
Or pick an object that you know you will see along the way (eg Fire Station)
19. Spot The Rainbow
Find one object in every colour.
20. Travel Magnets ⭐
Magnetic animals or shapes on a cookie tin.
Amazon Recommendation - Travel Magnets
21. Lacing Cards ⭐
Great for fine motor skills.
Amazon Recommendation - Lacing Cards
22. Guess The Animal
Make the noise.
Guess the animal.
23. Bubble Pop Fidget ⭐
Simple but surprisingly entertaining.
Amazon Recommendation - Bubble Pop Fidget
24. Pop Tubes ⭐
Stretch.
Twist.
Connect.
Amazon Recommendation - Pop Tubes
25. Mini Whiteboard ⭐
Great for drawing.
Amazon Recommendation - Mini Whiteboard
26. "What's Missing?"
Place three toys on the seat.
Hide one.
Guess which disappeared.
27. Soft Books
Perfect for younger toddlers.
Amazon Recommendation - Soft Books
28. Finger Songs
Itsy Bitsy Spider.
Wheels on the Bus.
Row Row Row Your Boat.
29. Toy Rotation Bag ⭐
Don't hand out everything at once.
Swap activities every 20–30 minutes.
Amazon Recommendation - Toy Rotation Bag
30. Surprise Bag
Wrap inexpensive toys.
Let them open one every hour.
31. Travel Snack Box ⭐
Small compartments with different snacks make snack time feel like an activity.
Amazon Recommendation - Travel Snack Box
32. Colour Hunt
Make a counter sheet and mark them off every time someone finds the right colour.
Green.
Purple.
Orange.
Black.
33. Window Drawing Board ⭐
Another great reusable option.
Amazon Recommendation - Window Drawing Board
34. Family Playlist
Let everyone choose one song.
35. Create A Travel Treasure Bag
Collect safe little treasures along the journey whenever you stop.
Leaves.
Pinecones.
Interesting rocks.
Things you can look back on and connect with through your memories of the trip
My Favourite Road Trip Essentials
💚 My Favourite Finds
Looking for the products I use and recommend?
Browse my curated Amazon collections in your country:
🇦🇺 Australia: [Storefront Link]
🇺🇸 United States: [Storefront Link]
🇬🇧 United Kingdom: [Storefront Link]
🇨🇦 Canada: [Storefront Link]
As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Creating Calm Chaos.
Before You Go...
Every road trip is different, but one thing I've learned is that children don't need expensive entertainment -they simply need variety.
Packing a mix of games, songs, snacks and simple travel activities can turn a stressful drive into a fun family adventure.
Whether you're parents heading away for a holiday or grandparents bringing the grandkids home for the weekend, I hope these ideas help create a few happy memories along the way.
Safe travels!
Much Love
Kim 💚