Tips and Tricks to Entertaining Your Child in the Car

Entertaining a child while driving may not be the easiest task a caregiver has. It is a task that holds many hats as it is necessary while keeping safety as a priority. Music is a great distraction but how else can we entertain a child while driving? 

Audiobooks are not just for adults, children can use them as well. This is a great way for children to listen to their favorite book, while also discussing what is happening in the story. This can help with their imagination, reflecting, fact checking and retention. These skills are great to learn especially during the early years when learning how to read. 

Your child may enjoy bringing their own toys or books along for the ride, and having a small bin or basket in the car to keep them organized can make the trip even smoother. 

A really fun game that challenges memory, imagination and creativity is the Animal Car Game!  Here is how it goes :

A: If you were an animal, what would you be?

B: I would be a dolphin.

A: If you were a dolphin, what would be your name?

B: My name would be Bluey.

A: Hi, Bluey the dolphin how old would you be?

B: I would be 5 years old.

A: Bluey the dolphin, who is 5 years old, what would be your favorite food?

B: My favorite food would be pizza! 

A: Blue the dolphin, who is 5 years old and loves Pizza. What would be your favorite activity?

B: My favorite activity would be playing hide and seek with my friends.

And so on… This works on the child’s memory of repeating what you say and keeping them busy in the car.

Another favorite (and a true oldie but goodie!) is cloud-watching. Encourage your child to look out the window and share what shapes they see in the clouds.

By opening the door to creativity during car rides, kids begin to feel empowered by their imagination and may even invent their own fun games along the way!

Remember, a car ride with kids doesn’t have to be stressful, it can become an adventure when you fill the time with creativity, laughter, and connection.