Planning a family adventure, and want to avoid the inevitable ‘are we nearly there yet?’ on repeat? Keeping children happy in a car can often be the trickiest part of any journey. That’s where our road trip activities for kids come in. With a little preparation, you can transform that backseat noise into a mix of games and crafts to delight the passengers & drivers too.

 At Cotton Twist, we specialise in imaginative, mess-free kits, so we believe the perfect synergy is out there!

Why Activities Matter on the Road

Ultimately, kids need a bit of structure and stimulation during long drives. Without it, restlessness quickly sets in. As a mum of three kids, I used to dread those trips in the car as they always ended up in tears. Without question, at least two of them would have one of those inevitable fights. In my dreams, I used to think about erecting cardboard screens between them to prevent physical contact. Know the feeling?

By packing a range of road trip activities for kids, the theory is that you’ll ease the journey for your little ones but also for the grown ups too. Our Mini Craft Kits are therefore a packing essential therefore: compact, eco-friendly, and filled with engaging tasks.

Screen-Free Entertainment That Lasts

Avoiding screens doesn’t mean sacrificing entertainment. Here are my top products for a fun car ride:

Make Your Own Friendship Bracelet – once the method has been mastered, this is a brilliant activity for the car, so do make sure your child knows the technique before you embark upon your journey. Each bracelet can take over an hour – maybe even two hours to complete. The brilliant thing here is that the threads are all attached to the friendship bracelet maker. This means that no components will get lost or dropped into the foot well. 

Make Your Own Stitched Tassel Bookmark – this is a brilliant kit as a road trip activity for kids as they can really focus on creating fun patterns with the threads. The added bonus is that the bookmark can then be used on your trip away for all their favourite books!

Make Your Own Spinning Toys – if colouring in is too difficult, this spinner can also be made without the colour element. Once the circles are threaded up, this set of spinners will keep the kids occupied as post assembly, the whizz and whir from the spinner is totally addictive. 

Make Your Own Pirate Catapult – a quick bit of construction with all the materials included, & then the pom pom can be aimed all over the car (excluding the direction of the driver of course) !!! Kids could set up a method of scoring points when tasked with hitting various targets. 

Play Your Own Game of Picaria / Nine Holes or Roman Tic Tac Toe – if you have a flat surface or tray, these games could work an absolute treat!

Top Tips for Road Trip Activities for Kids

Over my 16 years of parenting, I have gathered some pro tips to help things go as smoothly as possible!

• Rotate activities throughout the journey to keep interest high.
• Give each child a drawstring bag so they have ownership over their items. No squabbles guaranteed.
• Store activity kits with smaller parts in lunchbox-style containers for easy access and minimal mess. We have a similar format with our beading tins and boxes so these could be used instead of providing an additional container.
• Create a personalised travel tray for your child using a lap desk or a baking tray lined with felt as a clever base for crafting on the move.

Best For Different Age Groups

Finding road trip activities for kids that suit a range of ages can be challenging, especially if you’ve got toddlers and older siblings in tow. At Cotton Twist, we’ve made it easier with options tailored by age and skill level:

• Ages 3-5: Try our Peg Dolls for storytelling and creative expression.
• Ages 6-8: Our Keyring Kits make great souvenirs to hang on backpacks post-trip.
• Ages 8+: More intricate kits like our stitched kits can really hit the spot for the older children. In fact, there’s really no limit on age for these!

Read More ...

• Planning a celebration? Check out our post on Table Activities For Kids to see how our kits double up as perfect event entertainment.
• Don’t miss our roundup of Party Bag Fillers which make ideal compact activity options for travel.
• For festive journeys, explore our Christmas Stocking Fillers - great for pre-trip surprises or mid-journey treats.