Perhaps the most common concern with road trips with kids is what to do in the car. You will probably hear your children say, “Are we there yet?” and “I’m bored” too many times to count. Here are 3 things you can do to make the trip more enjoyable for them and you!
1. Give yourself extra time and take quality breaks
Be sure and give yourself plenty of time to take quality breaks. When we say quality breaks, we mean breaks that allow adequate time and room for your children to move and wiggle.
Get creative. Don’t always stop at fast food restraunts and gas stations. Parks make fantastic rest stops as the children are able to run around and get those wiggles out.
Since I-15 is the main corridor through the state we have listed below some of our favorite kid- friendly places for rest stops along the interstate. You can click on each location for their website or directions.
- Santaquin- Rowley’s Red Barn
Stop in the classic red barn for ice cream and produce from a local family owned farm. We have heard from @heyerikanorton on Instagram that the Apple Cider Slush with Caramel Ice Cream is a must get!
- Scipio- Petting Zoo
This roadside petting zoo is fun for the kids to get out and pet bunnies and other small animals.
- Filmore- Maverik gas station has a playground
Most all Maverik gas statons will have a grassy area with a picnic table. What is so wonderful about this one is that it also has a playground and a dog park.
- Cove Fort– located between Fillmore & Beaver
This historical site is a great stop for a tour to learn about its importance as a way station for travelers, The Pony Express, and telegraph lines in the late 1800’s.
- Beaver- The Creamery
The creamery in Beaver is an amazing new stop along the way! Here you can get lunch, ice cream, and dairy products like their infamous squeaky cheese. What is so neat about this place is they have a wonderful kid play area.
- Cedar City- Park Discovery
A great park with a very large play structure.
- St. George- Thunder Junction All Abilities Park
This park has it all! An amazing splash pad, playground equipment for all abilities, a $1 train, and typically an ice cream truck driving through.
- Seven Magic Mountains– Located 20 minutes south of Las Vegas.
Ok so this one isn’t in Utah, but it is along the main I-15 corridor that many take to visit California so I have included it here. This is a fun stop to see neon painted boulders stacked on each other.
Search for treasure along the way!
You can also download the Geocaching app and make stops along the way to look for treasure! Many rest stops (gas stations, fast food restraunts, etc.) will have a Geocache hidden nearby. Read what we have to say about the worldwide treasure hunt of Geocaching.
2. Give them a camera so they can take photos
By far our #1 tip to keep your kids occupied during roadtrips is to give them a camera and let them take photos of things they see along the way. It is so fun for them (and you!) to see what they take a photo of.
It gets them really looking outside at the different landscapes. As they look, they ask more questions which lead to discussions or teaching moments that you will look back on fondly.
Not only are the cameras great to use in the car, but they are also fun to let your kids take photos of the activities you will be doing on your trip. It is fun to look at the pictures the children take. You see the outing in a whole new light as you see it from their perspective.
Tip!
Purchase a kids camera or just use an old cell phone you do not use anymore!
Cell phone cameras get a lot of gunk and grim on the lens. This is because your children are just grabbing onto a rectangle block. There is no where to guide their hands as to not touch the camera lens.
A great alternative is to purchase a kids digital camera. Since it is a camera it is designed to be held where you don’t touch the lens as frequently. Therefore helping your children’s photos to turn out more clearly.
We personally love the OZMI kids camera! It is a little smaller so they are able to hold it more comfortably in their hands. It comes with a lanyard so that they can wear it around their neck and not lose it. This camera is so easy to use that our 3 year old figured it out within minutes.
We highly recommend this camera and have provided our Amazon affiliate link below if you are interested in trying it too.
3. Games that require looking outside
There are many games that you can play in the car to keep your children occupied. The key is to play games that get your children looking outside.
A game that is fantastic for getting your children to look outside is roadside Bingo. They mark off different landmarks or things they see along the way. Getting them looking outside for anything that they can mark from their sheet.
You can purchase a generic roadside Bingo at the Dollar Tree. Or download our free printable custom Utah road trip Bingo below.
Utah Road Trip Bingo
Color the square of something that you see on the side of the road or something that you do on your road trip through Utah (like a hike).
Don’t forget or underestimate the power of some of the classic games that get children looking outside. Games like the alphabet game, I spy, and 20 questions are great for children to look outside and experience their surroundings.
Happy Trails
Our road trips don’t have to be full of dread. The key to keeping your children occupied is to get them looking outside. You can do that by taking quality breaks, giving them a camera to take photos, and by playing games that get them looking outside such as roadside bingo.
