End the Car Ride Battles: Device-Free Solutions for Better Trips

We get a LOT of requests from parents asking us how to make car rides better. Car rides with the family can sometimes feel like a battleground especially when bad moods, family fights, or sibling rivalry turns a short trip into a full-blown nightmare. Whether it's bickering, punching, name-calling, or more, parents struggle when a tablet-free car ride can quickly spiral out of control, especially when kids aren’t getting along. 

What we know about these outbursts is that they're often rooted in deeper feelings of insecurity: a perceived lack of parental affection, a fear of favoritism, or a loss of family connectedness or cohesion. When children feel these strains, the family connection begins to fray and bad behavior reigns.

So what can you do? Address the underlying disconnect with proactive fun. By introducing creative, device-free word games to your car rides, you not only defuse tension but also strengthen the family bond—transforming stressful journeys into moments of connection and shared laughter.  When parents can set the tone of the car ride as light and carefree, kids will pick up on it and match the mood.  Start by saying "Hey, kiddos - I have an idea.  I've been wanting to play a game..." then suggest one of the following!

Device-Free Car Ride Games

1. Gross Out Smoothie

How to Play:

1. Pick a Target: One family member is chosen as the “guest.”
2. Create the Smoothie: One person gets to create an entire smoothie recipe with the goal of grossing out the guest.
3. Serve Up the Grossness: Read the smoothie recipe aloud with outrageous ingredients.

"I take blueberries and I mix them with chocolate then I add fingernails and hair from the bathroom!"

Let the outrageous combinations fly as each person gets a chance to be both the chef and the guest over multiple rounds. The key is to keep it light and fun—ensuring that every family member feels included and no one is singled out.

2. I'm Thinking of a Person

How to Play:

1. One person picks a real or fictional character.
2. The rest of the family asks yes-or-no questions to guess who it is.

"Okay, I'm thinking of someone!"
"Is it someone we know?"
"No, they're fictional."
"From Batman world?"
"No."

This classic game keeps everyone engaged and sparks plenty of conversation and laughter.

3. Monkey Paw Wishes

How to Play:

1. A family member shares a wish they have.
2. Everyone else invents creative twists where the wish ironically ends, completely changing the intended outcome.

"I wish I could be with Mom always."
Turns into:
"Imagine if Mom and you became fused at the spine—you'd have to go to school together, work together, and even use the bathroom together. Every time someone rolls over, you're rolling on top of each other, waking up all night!"

This game invites wild imagination and hilarious scenarios that keep the mood upbeat and connected.

4. What Food Did You Eat to Cause That?

How to Play:

1. Someone makes a fart sound.
2. Each family member takes turns guessing what food might have caused that sound.
3. The person who made the sound selects their favorite guess.

"Fart sound"
"That person definitely ate too much ice cream!"
"I think that sound comes from Chipotle burritos!"

This silly game adds humor and playfulness, perfect for diffusing tension during long trips.

5. Don't Make Me Laugh

How to Play:

1. Everyone sits in silence, building up anticipation.
2. One by one, each person offers a short phrase, sentence, or sound designed to make everyone else laugh.
3. If someone laughs, they’re out for that round until only one person is left laughing-free, or you can reset after each round.

"Chicken feathers!"

This game transforms the car into a stage for silly humor and fosters a spirit of friendly competition.

6. I Spy

How to Play:

1. One person selects an object in or outside the car and gives a clue, e.g., "I spy with my little eye, something red."
2. The others guess what it is.
3. The first to guess correctly gets to pick the next object.

"I spy with my little eye something red."
"Is it the stop sign?"
"Yes, you got it!"

A timeless classic that sharpens observational skills while keeping the journey entertaining.

7. I'm Looking For...

How to Play:

1. Each family member picks a few items to look for on the road—choose items that aren’t too easy to spot.
2. Everyone keeps an eye out during the drive.
3. The first person to find all of their chosen items wins.

"We're looking for a stop sign, a person walking a dog, a billboard with no words, and a yellow school bus!"

Turn your car ride into an engaging scavenger hunt that keeps everyone actively involved.

8. Biggify

How to Play:

1. Choose an animal or an item (like your house cat).
2. Imagine it growing huge.
3. Discuss the hilarious implications of that object or animal becoming enormous.

"Okay, what if we biggify our cat—as big as the ceiling?"
"She'd have to go outside to go poop because her litter box would be too small, and she'd try to lie on the couch, forcing us to sit on her instead!"

This game sparks creativity and results in lots of laughter and shared storytelling.

Turn Car Rides Around... Metaphorically

We know when we increase connection, we increase cooperation, family cohesion, and create joyful moments of reprieve in a child (and adults) busy life! Give it a try today and see if you can break the habit kids can get into when they "get into it" with each other every ride. You can do this!