UAE National Day weekend road trip with kids: Free games for the whole family

Big plans for the long weekend with the kids? Planning on a road trip to other emirates or over the borderlines, but afraid of that dreaded question that’s bound to play on repeat – ‘Are we there yet?’ Here’s the solution – games that’ll keep everyone occupied, making the journey almost as fun as the destination. The best part? These games are free.

I Spy: Look out the window for a brief second and take notice of something. Begin your sentence with ‘I spy with my little eye, something beginning with (enter alphabet the object starts with)’. The rest of the family must guess the subject. The possibilities here are limitless.

Spot the coloured cars: Each one pick a colour, then count the cars of that hue that pass by through your trip – the one who gets the most wins! You can also tweak this game to include types of cars or brands of vehicles, if you are a family of car enthusiasts.

Shuffle the alphabet: Remember name/place/animal/thing? Well it’s the same concept – you pick a category and start with the letter A; the next person needs to name something with the alphabet the first one ended on. For example, if the category is animal and the first person says ape, the second person says elephant, the third person must say something with the letter ‘t’ and so on.

Riff-off a story: Turn author with the whole family in tow – the first person starts a story and after a few sentences the second one takes off. The genres will meld and you’ll find yourself laughing as the tale unravels. Tape this session, if you can, so you can re-listen to the road adventure.

Antakshari or a musical riff off: In this singalong game, make teams. One team sings a number and the sound they end with is the one that the next team must begin their song with.

Tell a story: For a literal character-building exercise, check out homes along the way and pick one – now create the backstory of the person who lives there – what do they look like?, what are their hobbies?, what do they do? It’ll not only keep the kids entertained but also keep you on your toes.

Play the ‘would you rather’ game: This may also offer some insight into your little one. Ask would you rather, for example, never eat chocolate or pizza again? Or, would you rather play at the beach or on a mountain.

Picture perfect: Make pit stops along the way and allow your child to take a picture of his/her favourite toy with various backdrops. It’ll not only mean the child working out the frame and shot but also give you memories of watching your little one focused at work.

Don’t say this word: Before you head off, make a list of words – or phrases - you don’t want to hear spoken – including, ‘Are we there yet?’. Every time someone says these words, they get a point. At the end of the trip, the pertson with the least points wins.

App it up: OK, so so far we’ve managed to stay away from technology – but you’ve got to admit, it’s got its uses; download free gaming apps such as Lego Tower that will keep the kiddos entertained as you enjoy your quiet ride.