Road Trip Bingo Cards to Print for the Car

The word list

These 48 squares lean toward what a family sees on interstates and two-lane country roads. Swap in your own landmarks, such as a famous roadside statue or a state border, before you hit the road.

How to play road trip bingo in the car

The whole point of car bingo is that nobody has to call anything. Each passenger looks out a different window and covers a square the moment they spot it, so the game runs quietly in the background of the drive. That makes it a welcome change from a back seat full of complaints.

1. Give every rider a card, a clipboard or hardcover book to lean on, and something to mark with. Dry-erase markers on a card in a page protector work well, because they never tear.
2. Agree on the rules before the engine starts. Does a sign on the other side of the highway count? Can two riders cover the same sighting?
3. Riders cover squares as they see them. A cow barely visible in a faraway pasture counts only if a second person agrees.
4. The first rider with a full row, column or diagonal calls out bingo. The driver acts as referee but keeps eyes on the road.
5. Play on after the first winner so everyone gets to finish. Many families go for a blackout card on a long day.

Three ways to change the game on a long drive

• Alphabet round. Print a card whose squares are letters, then find each one on signs and plates in order. It pairs well with the list above when you need a second game.
• Team of two. Pair a younger child with an older one. The reader handles the words while the little one handles the spotting.
• Border crossing bonus. Every time you cross a state line, riders can cover any one square of their choice as a free gift, which keeps long empty stretches from feeling hopeless.

Tips from the front seat

Print a fresh set for each leg of the trip rather than one deck for the whole week. A farm-heavy list works on day one, but a city route needs different squares, so edit the list the night before.

Cards with a smaller grid suit younger riders. A 3x3 board gets done in twenty minutes, while a 5x5 may last an entire afternoon. Mix sizes if your passengers differ in age.

Keep a small prize bag in the glove box. Stickers, gum or choosing the next music track make winning more fun than the squares do.

Printing for the car

Two cards per page gives each rider big squares that are easy to read in a moving car. For lap-sized boards, choose four per page and cut the sheet into quarters. Cardstock holds up better when it bounces around in a rental car, and a pencil stuck through a binder clip stays put over potholes.

If you will be printing at a hotel business center, download the PDF in advance so you do not depend on a signal. The ink saver option keeps the grid light, which also reads well in dim evening light.

Keeping peace on a long ride

Be generous with what counts. A rule that rejects half the sightings leads to arguments faster than boredom does. If two riders disagree, the driver can offer a coin toss and everyone moves on.

Take advantage of the stops. When you pull into a rest area, let everyone check for squares that need standing outside, like a flag or a picnic shelter, then collect the cards again at the end of the break.