roadtrip-apps

Roadtrips are a classic family activity. They are a great way for families to bond, see new sights with each other, and build memories. However, a long the way parents have to figure out how to keep their children from getting bored and frustrated from the many hours, and even days, on the road.

Fortunately, with the advancements in smartphones, kids can use technology to keep themselves occupied and entertained during the long hours on endless highways. So here are five roadtrip game apps that kids can enjoy. Due to the small size and portability of smartphones they make an ideal way for children to keep themselves amused during a road trip. And parents can enjoy some time of peace and quiet driving while their kids are occupied.

One: The Oregon Trail

The famous Oregon Trail was a popular computer game and now a popular smartphone app. This is a game that kids can play for hours, as they try to figure out how to survive the rugged Oregon terrain, and learn more about the struggles the early pioneers went through trying to conquer and make a home on new land. Kids can have fun strategizing and figuring out how to thrive on the land.

Two: Road Trip Scavenger Hunt

This is one of the most fun and appropriate games children can play during a roadtrip. Scavenger games have always been played without an app, but now it can be even more fun with the Road Trip Scavenger Hunt app. Parents don’t have to constantly think of things to spot. Instead the scavenger hunt app has over 100 things that families can try to spot together. Children can keep track of who’s leading, and even program if they want to look for objects or only words.

Three: Geography Drive USA

With Geography Drive USA children can actually learn useful information as well as having fun. The app allows children to play trivia games based on geography, landmarks, and history. It’s been noted that the average American doesn’t know enough about United States geography and history, so this app will help kids start to learn more, and parents might even learn a thing or two as well. There is also a fun game show theme to make the app seem less like a social studies class and more like entertainment.

Four: Mad Libs

The Mad Libs app calls itself the greatest word game. This is the type of word game that will inevitably bring out the silliest in people, which is a good thing during a long roadtrip. Each family member can take turns creating a silly story via fill in the blank and get a good laugh in the process. Children can also improve their vocabulary while playing this game.

Five: Stack The Countries

This game fully utilizes the interactive capabilities of a smartphone, by allowing the user to literally stack the countries while learning things about them like:

Geography
Capitals
Landmarks
Continents
Flags
Country Shapes

The challenge is to collect, or stack, all 193 countries for the children, which should keep them busy for an ample amount of time.

Roadtrip apps are able to combine classic games, trivia, and interactivity to help give parents new ways to keep their kids entertained during roadtrips. And while kids may not understand at the time how important roadtrips are to building family memories and bonds, they will be extremely grateful for the experiences when they reach adulthood. With apps like the Oregon Trails becoming available to younger generations, in a way older generations can now share with kids some of the nostalgia they have for computer games that they grew up playing also.

photo credit: Andy