Travel

Banish backseat boredom without spending a dime By Suzanne Rowan Kelleher

Road Trips

Keep kids entertained with toys, games, and apps. (Flickr: jencu)

What do parents dread most about family road trips . It’s not the cost of filling up the gas tank. It’s also not traffic or toll roads or Sunday drivers. It’s the thought of their own little cherubs stuck together in tight quarters for hours. Oh, the backseat squabbling. The poking. The whining. The impatient cries of “Are we there yet?” Just. make. it. stop.

Luckily, there are lots of ways to keep kids happily entertained and enjoying each other’s company . And the best part? You can achieve it without spending a dime. Here are our picks for the 10 best free car games for kids:

1. I Spy. “I spy with my little eye, something red.” This easy-to-learn game is perfect for preschoolers, and can keep them entertained for unbelievably long periods of time. The directions are simple: One person spies something and recites the line, ending in a clue. Everyone else takes turns trying to guess the mystery item.

2. Road Trip Bingo . This fun game combines bingo with a scavenger hunt. Give each child a flat surface, such as a clipboard or hardcover book, to put on his or her lap. Each player gets a free printable bingo card and a zip-lock bag with 16 pennies. When a player spies an item on his card, he covers the picture with a penny. Just like in regular bingo, the first player to cover all the squares in a straight line wins.