Are we there yet? Nope, and we won’t be for a while. So try these tried and tested ways of whiling away the hours to your holiday destination, and quieting all that whining from the passenger seats.
Car trips are a drag. “When will we get there?” is not just a kid’s question, but the driver’s too. The driver, the one who usually packs the boot, puts the petrol in, checks the oil, makes sure everyone is fed. And that’s just the school run.
Longer journeys, and we all have to dig a little deeper.
I’ve learnt that games are the best way to engage myself, and those around me, while I’m in a car. Games make the journey fun. They keep the smaller people from begging for more screen time, limiting the restless silences when my laaities are just itching to finish another level of whatever digital distraction they’re involved in, which keep them in their own secluded orbit. Games fill the gaps.
They make things go faster, and help me to connect with my kids, or my navigator (if I should ever locate one.) After all, the beach is a very long way away. We’re hungering to get there, and the shorter the trip, the better.
Stuck on the road, I’ve learnt a few handy resources. Some games are visual, and some are verbal, having nothing to do with my surroundings. Some are just clearly for laughs.
Number plates. All cars have them, or should. They’re just code, waiting to be deciphered. Either you can play WORDS – make the longest word out of those letters, in order – like GVN 049 GP – and I would make the word ‘governing’ and score a point for each letter, which means 9 points. Whoever gets the longest word wins. You can also add up scores with like, say, five cars in a row. (Good for spelling!) Or play with NUMBERS – as in CA 469-793 – and work out their relationship. Um… both 4,6 and 9 and 7, 9 and 3 equal 19. Or they can be divided, reduced, patterned, odd and evened, whatever. As long as it makes sense.
Sweet or Sour. Okay, this one takes a bit of pluck, but if the kids are in the mood, it’s hilarious, especially in town traffic. All they do is wave to the driver or passenger of another car. If the person waves back, they’re sweet, if not, sour, and deserve their tension-filled fate. A variation on this is where the entire car chooses an unsuspecting pedestrian victim, and hoots and waves like they’re the best friend you’ve ever had, and not seen for years. Most people wave back with a sheepish grin on their face, not knowing you from a bar of soap.
I Spy. Another visual game. We’re digging deep here, and clues are essential. Something beginning with a letter of the alphabet. “I spy with my little eye, something beginning with G.” Inside or outside the car? Hard or easy? Whoever suggests the game goes first. When anyone cannot for the life of them persevere, they can utter, “I give up!” The holder of the word, if everyone gives up, then reveals the answer. “Ground. It’s all around you!” Eish. That person gets to go again.
Interview. Can get completely whacky. One person interviews another about something that they haven’t achieved, and can only fantasise about. For example – “that time you did your naked hot air balloon trip over Germany” or “scored the winning goal in the World Cup final.” Invent fake names if it helps, and just let it go from there.
Category Game. This is a total winner. We play it in a circular order. Someone goes first, and suggests a category we all agree on. For example, “Things that you can wear.” So, first person says “Socks.” Second person says “A tie,” third says “A bra” and so on. Anyone who repeats what someone else has says is out, immediately. If you can’t come up with anything, you’re also out. Last person standing is the winner. Everyone judges together whether the word is valid or not. If not, the person can get another chance, but not endlessly. Best not to count down, but around five seconds is a good standard, depending on age. Good categories in my experience are dwellings (very funny at times), hats, sweets and chocolates, drinks, colours, body parts and perhaps even ways to die, although I haven’t played that yet.
What animal? Someone chooses an animal, and keeps it in their mind. Others, collectively, have only 20 questions to guess, and their questions are restricted to yes/no answers. Does it live on land? Is it a reptile? Can it swim? Does it have four legs? Does it eat meat? You get it. Another version is the classic 20 Questions. Choose a thing. First question doesn’t count, and is always “Animal, vegetable or mineral?” Same rules as above, only yes/no answers. Nice game because you play as a team and amass clues together to get a result. Or not.
Cricket. Potentially dull, but can get quite exciting if the traffic is thick, as it’s all about fate and can keep you on your toes. We take turns. I score a point for each oncoming vehicle, but five points for a motorbike, 10 for a bus, two for a bakkie, and so on. A blue car gets you out, say, or a red one. We all agree beforehand. And then have all sorts of arguments about the shades of colour of various vehicles. “That car was green!”
Do you have any good car games to share?
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