Everyone loves a day out – but the journey there isn’t always so popular!

With around 122 million day trips being taken by UK families this year, you’re going to have some time to kill on the way.

So how do you keep everyone happy without resorting to a tablet or smartphone? We’ve gone back into the archives pre-Google to bring you the six best in-car games you can play as a family.

Some you may know, some you won’t – but all will keep you all amused as you head to your day out.

1: I Spy

The traditional family favourite, there are always new things to see to try and outfox each other. From birds of prey to roadside works of art, the verges of the UK’s roads are fertile ground for this fantastic game – no equipment needed.

Remember, only give two hints per go and under NO circumstances change what you’ve spied!

2: The Registration Plate Game

There are a few versions of this, but here’s the one that works best for UK travellers. A nominated spotter sees a registration plate and shouts it out. The players either call out or write down a word that includes all those letters. The player who uses the most letters from that plate, or if it’s a draw, the fastest player, wins that point and takes next go as spotter.

3: The Movie Game

This is a great test of memory for slightly older kids. The first player names an actor (parents, maybe you start and think of an actor your children know). The next player names a movie they were in, then the next player names another actor in that movie. The next player needs to name another movie the new actor appeared in and so on until someone stumbles.

4: The Name Game

A simple one for all ages. Whoever starts the game says the name of any famous person – David Beckham, for example. The next player has to quickly, without hesitation, say the name of another famous person that begins with same letter as the first star’s surname – say, Beverley Knight. If a player comes up with a name where the first name and surname start with the same letter – Kevin Kline, for example – the direction of play reverses.

5: The Picnic Game

If you want to create real tension, try the Picnic Game. It sounds simple – the game starts with player 1 saying: “I went to a picnic on Saturday and I brought…” then saying a foodstuff beginning with the letter A. Player 2 repeats the phrase, plus the ‘A’ food and adds a food beginning with B. The next turn the player has to recite the phrase, foods for ‘A’ and ‘B’ and add one for C. It won’t take long before everyone is both giggling and willing the players on as they struggle to remember all the previous foods and then which letter they are supposed to be on!

6: Twenty Questions

No list of car games could be complete without this staple. One player thinks of an object (it can even be a person, film, TV show – anything really). The rest of the car need to take turns asking questions to guess what it is. However, the player answering the questions can only answer Yes or No. The first person to guess the right answer gets the next go – if no one guesses correctly within 20 questions, the answerer gets another go!

Do you make the most of the journey time when taking the family on a day trip? It’s a great time to have some fun together without screens or distractions.

Find out other ways to make the most of family time by playing our quiz, How Connected Is Your Family?