Road Trip Bingo for Kids: Keep Everyone Entertained in the Car
Why Road Trip Bingo Actually Works
The usual solution to "are we there yet" is a tablet loaded with movies. Road trip bingo does something different: it makes kids look out the window on purpose. Instead of passive screen time, they're scanning the landscape for a red barn, a water tower, or a horse in a field.
The best road trip bingo cards use things kids might spot anywhere in the country — not things specific to one route. Browse our road trip bingo cards or build your own with clues from this guide.
40+ Road Trip Bingo Clue Ideas
Things to Spot on the Highway
- Red barn
- Water tower (any kind)
- Windmill (wind turbine)
- Rest stop sign
- Speed limit sign with the number 70+
- Mile marker (any number ending in 0)
- Billboard with a person's face on it
- Cop car on the shoulder of the road
- Emergency vehicle (firetruck, ambulance)
- Construction zone
- Bridge over water
- Tunnel
- State line sign or welcome sign
Animals
- Horse in a field
- Cow (any kind)
- Sheep or goats
- Dog with head out a car window
- Bird of prey (hawk or eagle) perched or flying
- Dead skunk smell (that counts!)
- Deer near the road
Other Cars & Trucks
- Semi truck with a recognizable company logo
- Out-of-state license plate
- Car the same color as yours
- Car with a trailer or boat
- RV or motorhome
- Bus (school bus, charter, or city bus)
- Motorcycle group (3 or more bikes)
Roadside Stops
- McDonald's golden arches
- Gas station with a price sign
- Motel (old-school roadside kind)
- Diner
- Outlet mall or shopping center
- A drive-through with a long line
- Truck stop (the big kind)
Nature
- River or creek
- Lake or pond
- Mountains in the distance
- Rainbow
- Storm clouds building
- Flat farmland as far as you can see
- Fog
How to Set Up Road Trip Bingo
Digital Version (Best for Connected Tablets)
- Before leaving, go to BingWow's road trip cards or create a custom card with your chosen clues.
- Set up a multiplayer game and share the invite link to each child's device.
- Reset cards every hour or so to keep the game going on a long trip.
Printed Version (Works Offline)
- Before the trip, print bingo cards from any BingWow card (click "Print Cards — Free").
- Laminate them or put in a clear sleeve — use dry-erase markers that wipe clean.
- Each child gets a unique printed card so everyone spots different things first.
- Re-use the same cards by wiping them at each rest stop for a fresh round.
Road Trip Bingo Prize Ideas
- Gets to pick the next playlist or podcast
- Picks the next gas station snack
- Chooses where the family stops for food
- Extra screen time at the next rest stop
- Front seat privilege (age appropriate)
- A small surprise from the road trip prize bag (stickers, mini toys)
Get started: browse road trip bingo cards or build a custom card for your specific route.