9 Fun Travel Games for Kids on the Go

Getting there is half the fun — unless you're a toddler or preschooler with a mean case of the wiggles and a disdain for seats with shoulder straps. What can you do to keep your child happy in a train, plane or automobile? Plan ahead by packing a few kids' travel activities designed for low-effort entertainment so you can make the miles fly by — and put a stop to choruses of "Are we there yet?" All you need for these travel activities is loads of imagination and a few props, so try one (or all) the next time your family hits the road, the rails or the skies!

One of the most versatile playthings you can pack in your travel activities bag: a mini white board and some dry-erase markers.

While a toddler can have a ball simply scribbling and erasing, your preschooler can practice her letters, play tic-tac-toe with a travel companion or enjoy your homemade version of Pictionary: She draws something, and you try to guess what it is (or the other way around).

You can even jump-start her artistic imagination by drawing a squiggle or a shape on the white board, then having her fill in the rest of the picture.

Variations on the classic 20 Questions make for great travel activities for kids because they require no gear beyond an active mind. To play a kid-friendly version, think of a simple category, like "fruits" or "animals," then pick something to be and offer three clues to your identity.

For instance, "I'm yellow, I'm squishy and monkeys love me. Who am I?" A banana, of course. Or pretend to be a member of the family and offer clues like "I'm tall, I'm bald and I wear glasses."

Take advantage of the scenery speeding by and make a mobile scavenger hunt by using index cards to draw pictures of things that are easy to spot on the road, like a semitrailer or a tall building. Hand your tiny traveler one card from the deck at a time, and challenge her to find the object pictured.

Or have the whole family (except the driver) join in the fun by picking a single object for everyone to keep an eye out for, like a cow or a blue car. When someone spies it, have them shout "toot," "burp," or whatever buzzword will have your tot cracking up. And don't forget the old favorite, I Spy.

Turn your toddler into a copycat by doing funny things with your hands and arms — blowing a kiss, patting your head — and challenging her to mimic what you do.

With a preschooler, add to the challenge by patting your cheeks or rubbing your belly three times, then see if she can do the same number of actions. Or create a sequence — chin touch, cheek pat, head bob — and invite her to follow along. Then copy her as she creates her own (never mind the funny looks from fellow passengers).

This kids' travel activity works best on planes and trains. Write alphabet letters on small sticky notes and put them on the back of the seat in front of your child. Then call out a letter and challenge her to pull off the right sticky note. Afterward, she can use the letter notes to spell out simple words on her tray table.

Got a toddler? Nix the alphabet letters and draw easy-to-identify shapes on the sticky notes, like a square, circle, triangle or heart.

Need a kids' travel activity that's a great quiet-time activity too? Multitask those magazines you just picked up for the trip (since you probably won't get a chance to read them until your child is napping). Your toddler can play I Spy with you, hunting for photos on the pages based on clues you give her ("I spy a girl with a ponytail") and find all the flowers or pets.

Your preschooler can hunt for her favorite color, find the letter "A" and count the number of people wearing jeans. Or turn a few insert cards into instant puzzles by ripping them up and having your preschooler piece them back together again.

Party games for the car? Why not? Play a sitting-down version of charades by using upper-body movements to act out activities like swimming, chopping down a tree or eating spaghetti. (You can also play this one in-flight or on the train.)

Or play freeze dance by blasting the car stereo for a minute while everyone wriggles and boogies in their seat (except the driver!). When the music stops, freeze in place with a silly face. Whoever holds their position the longest wins that round. Bonus: The family will burn off some pent-up energy.

A few sheets of tinfoil equal the perfect arts-and-crafts travel activity for kids, since tinfoil is as pliable as Play-Doh but far less messy. By ripping, twisting, folding and scrunching, your little one can transform tinfoil into funny new creations — a snake, a girl, a snowman.

She can wrap up everyday items, like a crayon or a hairbrush, and have you guess what's hiding inside. Or she can make a tinfoil ball for an impromptu game of tray-table soccer, played by flicking the ball back and forth between her fingers.

Bring along a small baking sheet and some magnetized dolls or alphabet letters. Your toddler will have fun moving them around, and you'll love that the pieces stick to the sheet.

Older kids can have even more fun if you tote a roll of self-adhesive magnetic tape (available at craft stores). Just snip off a piece of the tape and you can turn almost anything into an instant magnet, including magazine pictures or small cars.

Bonus: A rimmed baking sheet makes a great lap tray for containing coloring books and crayons or other small toys too.