25 Best Family Travel Games, Apps & Podcasts For Kids

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25 Best Family Travel Games, Apps & Podcasts For Kids

Family travel is an exciting adventure! The long-haul travel, in a plane, train or car is another sort of sanity-stretching adventure for sure! After countless long-haul trips all over the US and Europe, our family has come to rely on a few travel game standards. I’ve pulled together the favorite family travel games, apps, podcasts, and printables for kids that are sure to inspire the curiosity and imagination of your family as you trek around the globe.

Here are 25 of the favorite family travel games, apps, podcasts, and printables for kids that even the parents will enjoy. You’ll definitely want to grab these fun travel games, apps, podcasts, and printables to inspire more fun on any family travel adventure.

Don’t worry! Your kids are safe with these. The apps and podcasts below all contain high ‘kid-approved‘ ratings. I’ve done the homework to keep your family safe so all you have to do is start having fun!

Fun Apps for Learning on Location

These apps are super fun, educational, and ready to inspire your gang no matter where your travels take you.

Field Trip – This awesome app is great for planning in advance or on the fly based on your location anywhere in the world for 13+.

Sago Mini Road Trip – Preschool road trip fun!

ThinkRolls: Kings & Queens – Inspiring fairy tails for ages 5+

Stack the States & Stack the States 2 – A super fun geography game for ages 8+

Barefoot World Atlas App – IOS geography app for ages 7+

image of boy viewing skyscraper through stationary binocular viewer.
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Fun Travel Games

Miniature board games, card games, and travel games to start conversations!  There are so many fun new travel games out, that I had to share them with you. Put the screens away, grab a game and have some fun getting from Point A to point B. You’ll be there before you know it!

50 Things To Do On A Plane – Or on a road trip! This wipe-off card set has fun games everyone will enjoy.

Backpacker – The Ultimate travel card game for traveling anywhere in the world.

The Art of Travel Conversation – You’re gonna love this game if you want ways to jumpstart conversations about world culture, history, languages, and more.

Mapominoes – Probably best not played in the car as I’m not sure where you’d lay the cards down… but a  super fun travel geography game to play in the camper, at a table or even waiting for a flight.

Spot It! On The Road – Everyone will love this road trip version in the Spot It! card game series.

Boredom Buster Games for the Road – no pens, paper, or dice required! Perfect for the back seat or on an airplane!

Homeschool Travel Learn with the Let’s Study Europe bundle

No more cobbling your curriculum together and hoping it works! Everything you need is included in this World Geography bundle!

image of woman holding banner that says'Keep Exploring'

Great Podcasts & Audio Stories

Here are some of our favorites! My kids think your kids will love them too! They’re perfect for curious minds and nap times.

The Past & The Curious – Catchy, silly songs along with interesting, little-known stories about history. What’s not to love?

Around The World Stories – Original children’s stories and activities to help you make learning about the world an unforgettable adventure.

WOW in the World – Kids and grown-ups alike will enjoy this science podcast exploring science and technology wonders all over the world.  

The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian – My son loves this series! The title says it all -exploring galaxies and solving mysteries. There are now 2 seasons for 13 hours of out-of-this-world enjoyment.

Story Time – A podcast just for the littles, featuring 10-15 minute stories full of so much fun, it might even help prevent naptime chaos that’s so common with traveling.

Free Travel Printables For Kids

Road Trip Travel Journal from Thinking Kids Press – This digital travel journal is perfect for any trip. Just print the pages you want & put them in a binder. You could also spiral bind it for an awesome souvenir/keepsake from your trip.

The FREE Country Printables, listed below, are absolutely bursting with fun things to do! You will enjoy them in your homeschool or while you travel. They contain travel games, podcasts, and videos that are perfect for learning on location no matter where you are at or where you are going.  

The videos, printables, and cultural and historical context for each country are so extensive, you’ll decide to sit in the back seat with the kids just to make sure you don’t miss anything. They are that good! Some printable sets also have an add-on companion novel and workbook. It’s such a perfect combination to keep your family engaged and excited.

Companion Novels & Workbooks

Image of family walking down old Italian street in Viterbo, Italy with overlay text Grab your passport, Let's Go!
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Grab Your Gear! Let’s Go!

Now that you are ready with travel games and a few country unit studies and inspiring novels, head here for more travel planning resources for England, Ireland, Scotland, Switzerland & Italy. There’s everything you need to create an epic family travel adventure!

Learn how to make your homeschool subjects dovetail with your travel plans with these unit studies!

Your Family Travel Activities Questions Answered

What are some tips for keeping children entertained during family travel activities?

Here are a few tips for keeping children entertained during family travel activities:
🌟Make it interactive. Children are more likely to stay engaged if they can participate in the activity.
🌟Take breaks. Don’t try to do too much in one day. Take breaks throughout the day to rest and recharge.
🌟Be flexible. If your children are getting bored, be willing to change your plans.
🌟Have a backup plan. In case of bad weather or other unexpected events, have a backup plan for activities that you can do indoors.

What are some fun and educational family travel activities?

There are many fun and educational family travel activities to choose from, depending on your interests and budget. Here are a few ideas:
🌟Visit museums and historical sites. This is a great way to learn about the history and culture of the places you’re visiting.
🌟Go on nature walks or hikes. This is a great way to get some exercise and enjoy the outdoors.
🌟Visit parks and playgrounds. This is a great way for children to burn off energy and have fun.
🌟Take cooking or dance classes. This is a great way to learn about the local culture and have some fun at the same time.
🌟Go to the beach or pool. This is a great way to cool off and have some fun on a hot day.
🌟Visit amusement parks and zoos. This is a great way to have some fun and excitement.

How can I choose family travel activities that are appropriate for all ages?

When choosing family travel activities, it’s important to consider the ages and interests of all members of your family. Here are a few tips:
🌟Choose activities that are physically appropriate for everyone. If you have young children, avoid activities that are too strenuous or dangerous.
🌟Choose activities that are interesting to everyone. Try to find activities that everyone in your family will enjoy.
🌟Mix up the activities. Don’t do the same thing every day. Try a variety of different activities to keep everyone entertained.

By following these tips, you can help ensure that everyone has a fun and enjoyable time on your next family vacation.

Did you get your USA State Travel Resources?

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