Travel Games

I went into this article intending to give you Travel and No Prop games, but had so much fun, I decided to stick with travel games. Youth groups are constantly traveling, and it’s always nice to have a bag of tricks to pull from. Only a few of these have need of props, and the variations are endless. Please comment with your favorite, or your new twist.

184
Materials: None

Play:
Name a random subject, and players take turns completing this story: “184 (‘objects’) walked into a store, and the cashier said, ‘I’m Sorry, (must swing right arm and say ‘I’m Sorry’ in a gruff voice), but we don’t serve your kind here.’ (Insert Pun).”

*For example: “184 bananas walked into a store, and the cashier said, ‘I’m sorry (gruff voice and arm swing), but we don’t serve your kind here.’ So they peeled off.”

Letter Tile Find
Materials: Tile letters from a game that has tile letters (Scrabble, Bananagrams, etc.)

Play: Everyone gets 4 tiles, and keeps them hidden in hand. They then select one at random and hold it. On go, they race to name something they see OUTSIDE of the vehicle that begins with that letter. Once they call it, they may discard the letter, until out.

Variations:

  • Use letter-labeled cheese crackers (in the snack food aisle), and players may eat their winnings.
  • During each round of play, the word “Swap” may be uttered once by whoever names it first. Upon hearing, all players must quickly swap their current tile with another player(s) until all have swapped, and resume play.

Letter Tile Name
Materials: Tile letters from a game that has tile letters (Scrabble, Bananagrams, etc.)

Play: Everyone gets 6 tiles, and keeps them hidden in their hand. They then select one at random and hold it. The leader names a category, and players race to name something within that category that begins with that letter. The first two to do so may discard that tile. The first to use up all their tiles wins.

Variations:

  • Use letter labeled cheese crackers (in snack food aisle), and players may eat their winnings.
  • Take turns of who the leader is.
 Hey Cow/ My Cow

Materials: NONE

  • Hey Cow Play: Players look out their side of window. If, on their side, cows are passed, they are to roll down their window, and yell, “Hey Cow”. Players score 1 point per cow, and 3 points per cow that turns to look.
  • My Cow Play: Each player plays independently, and yells, “Cow,” upon spotting a cow or field of cows, and receives 1 point per cow. Additionally:
    • If a player passes an arch-themed fast food burger franchise, they may select 1 other player to deduct 1 cow from, since that cow has been grilled .
    • If they see a lake, they may deduct 3 cows, as they have sunk.
    • If they pass a cemetery, everybody except the player who calls it goes back to zero.

I Called It First
Materials: NONE
The following 3 games have the following format:

  • Players have a set of items that they are looking for (items below).
  • When a player sees one of those items, they may call it, and may check it off their list.
  • Once a specific item is called, only the player that called it may check it off their list.
  • Even if a player has crossed off a certain item, they may continue to call in order to block others from calling that item.
  • Once a player has named all the items, they have finished first!
  • List Options:
    • PASS (Thanks to Erin Wolfe for this game)-Police Car, Ambulance, School Bus, Semi
    • 2, 4, 6, 8 – Be the first to find vehicles with that many tires. Also called Motorcycle, standard vehicle, Semi without Trailer, Truck pulling a Fifth Wheel!
    • Generation Gap- Be the first to find an infant, youth (of any age), Adult, and Older-Adult.
    • Color by Cars – Use colors of the rainbow for your list: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.
    • Tank (Thanks to Erin Wolfe for this game)- First to find a tank.

Variation: Players can earn points for each item they find. Tally totals at the end.

Green Light Challenge
Materials: NONE
Play: Upon approaching a red light, one participant is selected and asked to look straight at the light. Other participants are asked to place their hands on either side of their face to prevent looking at the oncoming traffic light. When the player thinks the light is about to turn green, they shout “Now,” and a stopwatch is begun and stopped once the light turns green. After everyone has a turn, the three players who had the shortest times compete in the finals!

See also:

Published May 19, 2011

About the author

Sean Cramer graduated as a DCE from Concordia University, River Forest and served as a Program Assistant/Associate at Camp Lone Star in La Grange, TX. After moving back to his hometown near Rockford, IL, Sean currently works with Developmentally Disabled individuals. Aside from awaiting a Call in professional ministry again, Sean enjoys volunteering, reading, playing games, exercising and observing his dog be absolutely resistant to any new tricks.
View more from Sean

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