The Family Road Trip & the Role of Games

Few things epitomize the 20th-century American family vacation more than the station wagon. If you grew up anytime between the ’50s and ’90s, then you undoubtedly have at least one memory of the whole family being packed into a station wagon and hitting the highways in search of some family time and that great American adventure. So if you’ve added an RV to your household in order to give your children those same great experiences, then you are in good company.

But while your destinations may offer plenty of excitement, you may find what millions of others with small kids have found: that the journey there can be a bit of a battle. The following is a quick look at some road trip history and games that can help delay the waiting angst:

The Family Road Trip and the Role of Games

By the end of the ’50s, one in every five vehicles sold was a station wagon and a large part of why is because more and more families were taking advantage of the booming post-war economic era and taking their families out on road trip vacations. It was also in response to this that the first big golden era of board and paper games happened.

Just about every publication started putting together books filled with so-called ‘sitable’ activities like puzzles, quizzes, riddles, and how-to activities like coin tricks. New games like the Auto Bingo game by the Regal Games Manufacturing Company were designed to take advantage of the sights and keep passengers entertained. In fact, this game and ones similar to it were so popular and effective that games of their like are still be produced and sold today.

Of course, in those pre-digital decades, keeping kids and teenagers entertained was a bit more difficult. Today’s smartphones and gaming apps can certainly help reduce the amount of ‘how much longers’, but yet there is still a valuable place for the family road trip game. Games help turn the journey from chore into a fun and rewarding experience. Not sure where to get started? Consider these great road trip games:

• Crambo. This timeless game has been played since as far back as the 14th century, entertaining countless people along the way. It is particularly a great choice for elementary-age children who are first learning word deduction and how to compose rhymes. As a bonus, no materials are needed here.
• Black Stories. This one is better suited to older children and teenagers as it involves players solving a murder mystery and so may be a bid morbid for younger children. To play, guessers will try and solve a crime through guessing and deduction.

Need RV Work Before You Undertake Your Road Trip? Contact Premier Coach Works

Gathering up games and activities is an important part of road trip prep work, but more importantly, you want to be sure your RV is in good working order. Contact our team today at Premier Coach Works to schedule a preventative maintenance service appointment to be sure your rig is ready to hit the road without issue.