17 strategies for keeping kids entertained on long car rides

My go-to strategy for long car rides is creating a rotation of small, structured activities instead of relying on one big distraction. Kids get restless when they don’t know what’s coming next, so a predictable activity cycle keeps them engaged longer.

The activity that consistently works best for our family is a story-building game. One person starts a short sentence, and each person adds a new line as we go. The story always goes off the rails in funny ways, and the kids stay focused because they’re waiting for their turn. It requires zero materials, works for any age, and keeps everyone interacting rather than zoning out.

When the energy dips, we switch to quiet-time options like audiobooks or “object hunt” lists where the kids look for things outside the window — red cars, bridges, animals, certain road signs. The mix of creative play and passive observation keeps the ride from feeling long.

The key is rotating activities every 15-20 minutes so nothing overstays its welcome. It turns the drive into a sequence of small wins rather than one long stretch of boredom.

My go-to strategy for long car rides involves audio storytelling through podcast series that engage Sakura’s imagination while teaching cultural concepts and geography that connect to our travel experiences. We discovered “Wow in the World” science podcast and “Circle Round” folktale series that hold her attention for hours while sparking conversations about different cultures, scientific concepts, and storytelling traditions from around the world — these educational podcasts transform passive entertainment time into active learning opportunities that prepare her for cultural experiences we’ll have at destinations or reinforce concepts from places we’ve visited together.

The activity that works best involves collaborative storytelling games where we take turns adding sentences to ongoing adventure stories featuring Sakura as protagonist exploring places from our travels or imaginary cultural destinations combining real geography with creative fantasy. During our 6-hour drive to Scotland, we created elaborate story about Sakura learning traditional Highland dancing and discovering hidden castle passages, weaving in actual Scottish history and cultural details that made the journey educational while keeping her completely engaged through creative participation that passive screen watching cannot provide for sustained periods.

I also pack small activity bags revealed hourly containing new coloring supplies, travel-sized craft projects, or educational card games that provide novelty and variety preventing boredom from single long activities that lose appeal. The key involves balancing structured activities with free creativity time, ensuring Sakura has both guided entertainment and space for independent imagination that long journeys can nurture when we embrace travel time as opportunity for connection, learning, and creative play supporting her development beyond mere distraction.

I’m the father of twin boys who’ve driven more miles in the back seat than most adults. Here’s what actually works, from our experience, for keeping kids not just entertained but happy (well, as happy as you can get) on ambitiously long road trips.

The most surprising MVP of our road travel toolkit is a pair of simple LCD Boogie Boards (called “iPads” by my kids, because we ration real iPad time, and in their minds these scratch pads have equal status). The reason these are so effective is because they’re low-tech. They’re nearly indestructible, they never run out of power just when you need them, and the critical feature is that siblings can send drawings back and forth on them.

One of our favorite games is to start a drawing and then switch boards after each new addition. The game can last an hour, which is literally a lifetime in kid time. There’s a little “erase lock” switch that reduces fights about accidental erasing, and no sticky drawings to track into the car. But the send-drawings-back-and-forth part is essential. This is the only technique I’ve found that can entertain both kids at once without them tearing each other’s throats out.

The other set of hacks I learned was about avoiding meltdowns due to lack of supplies. I pack twistable crayons (to avoid inevitable sharpening-related meltdowns) and pens on strings (to avoid inevitable top-lost-related meltdowns) and ration out notebooks or coloring sheets (instead of dumping them all at the beginning of the trip). Rationing supplies works for us because we’re dealing with a fixed time, and we want to stretch out the consumption of supplies. It makes getting a new notebook or coloring sheet a small event, and stops the fight over who is using the last one.

Both of these strategies have proven robust on multi-day trips. They work because they make it at least minimally easy to participate, keep the game novel, and prevent disaster.

One of the things that has worked well for us is homemade “story cards.” A week before a long trip. I share a few simple pictures drawn on index cards: an airplane, a dog, maybe a tree or silly monster and let each child pick one when boredom sets in. As we drive down the road on a recent day, my son drew the pirate card, and he spent nearly 30 minutes concocting a tale about treasure that had been buried in each town we drove through. When he looked away, we’d trade a card and re-enter the fray, so the game always felt new. I also love that it doesn’t require screens or more than a few scraps of paper. It makes the backseat its own little world.

My go-to strategy for keeping kids entertained on long car rides is to mix screen-free activities with short digital breaks so they don’t get bored or overstimulated. One activity that consistently works for our family is “story-building,” where each person adds one sentence to a story as you go around the car; it always keeps everyone laughing and engaged. My son is 11 years old now, and the games and giggles don’t get old till today!

I also recommend bringing along familiar comfort items to help kids feel secure during the journey, which makes the entire trip smoother and more enjoyable. For example, our organic cotton blankets and handmade Bedtime Buddy toys are perfect for adding comfort, routine, and a sense of home while traveling. My son Ary always chooses to dress in cozy loungewear for long haul drives and brings his quilt along for the ride. It’s no doubt that comfort is essential for all ages!

My go-to strategy on long car rides is surprisingly simple: I ask my kids questions. People act like keeping kids entertained is some impossible task, but if you show real curiosity, they’ll talk for miles. I’ll start with something light — “What was the funniest thing that happened this week?” — and then ask follow-ups. Sometimes they’ll even say no one ever talks to them that much, and then the floodgates open.

It’s not intrusive, just genuine intrigue. Kids love to be asked what they think, and once they warm up, they can’t stop. We’ve tried the usual games and screens, but the most reliable thing — the thing that actually connects us — is conversation. It turns a long drive into something we all look forward to.

I’m a parent who loves long drives.

Where most things go wrong is when the child is not up for the journey, is uncomfortable or has some pre-running feud with you or their sibling.

What we do to ensure the drive is enjoyable (or at least not high drama):

1. Playlist democracy. 1 of her songs is followed by 1 of my songs. We both develop an appreciation (or distaste, LOL) for each other’s musical choices.

2. No phone calls. We both have busy days, so we try and use the time we get in the car to catch up and get a sense of what we are looking forward to on that day.

3. Rhyme games. If we are in a new region, we love reading the road signs and making up stories and rhymes about the place.

4. Snack milestones. We love to do our research on legendary eateries that are close to our route. When we are carrying our snacks, we try to find great picnic spots along the way.

5. Custom-made Podcasts. Our hack to learn more about the place we are headed to is to use Google NotebookLM. We turn articles and stories about the place into audio podcasts that we can listen to on the way.

WunderKind is an app which turns reading into a memorable, personal experience. It features beautifully illustrated books and uses generative AI to place the child at the center of every story. With just one photo, WunderKind transforms the child into the hero of a fairytale. Their name appears throughout the story, woven naturally into each scene. With each beautifully illustrated tale, a child’s imagination comes alive, nurturing a lifelong love for reading, emotional growth, and self-esteem along the way.

For families on the move, it’s a calm, screen-light ritual that keeps kids engaged and turns long flights, car rides, or hotel stays into cozy, connected moments.