Before leaving on the trip, give each child a map that shows your starting destination and your last destination, as well as any stops along the way. Stop at welcome centers and rest stops, letting the kids pick brochures for different attractions along the way. Ask each child to pick one destination to add to the trip. Before you will stop the car, the child must show you exactly where the destination is on the map, how much time it will add to the trip, and the total cost for the family. Keep the game going, by asking the kids to look at the map and find any alternate routes or shortcuts.
Decide on a daily budget for each child and give everyone their budget first thing in the morning. Explain how far you plan on driving, how many times you will stop, and make sure that the kids know they are responsible for everything they need for the day. To make things easier, offer to pay for meals, but make the children pay for their own snacks. Each child must budget their money and if they spend it all at the first stop, then they don't get any for the rest of the day.
At the beginning of the day, start the alphabet and ask the kids to find a word on any sign you pass that starts with the letter "A." Once you find the first letter, move onto the other letters in the alphabet. Move in a circle, letting the kids take turns finding the letters. Or, award one point every time a child finds a word, with the winner being the child with the most points when you reach the end of the alphabet.
Create a list of items you might see on a road trip, such as a blue car, rest stop, gas station, outlet mall, construction cones, and a semi truck. Give each child their own list and ask the kids to find every item. Give everyone a pencil and tell them to write down where they saw the item. When you reach your destination, check the lists and see which child found the most items.
