Top family car games

After a nationwide search to find the country’s favourite family car games, iconic car maker Saab reveals ‘Backseat Face Snap’ as the winner.
 
Submitted by Renee Smith and her family from Merseyside, the fun-filled game requires backseat passengers to decide on four facial expressions. The players then face each other and cover their faces, revealing their expressions and if they’re the same, they shout ‘Snap!’
 
Other games that came top in Saab’s competition to find the most fun and innovative games that can be played on the move include: I Like Bananas, Island Shipwreck, Traffic Bingo, a themed Alphabet Game and Guess Upon a Rainbow.
 
Saab launched the national campaign earlier this year to bring back quality family time when in the car. The campaign encouraged parents to look at more interactive ways of keeping their children entertained when travelling as a family.
 
Charles Toosey, Managing Director at Saab GB comments: “Our ‘Bring Back Family Time’ campaign came on the back of a recent poll of UK parents, which showed that many parents were not taking advantage of the fantastic opportunity to engage with their children whilst travelling in the car.
 
“With family life being so hectic these days, travelling in the car is one occasion when we can really spend quality time with each other.
 
“Congratulations to our competition winner Renee and our runners-up and thanks to all the families who sent in their favourite car game ideas. We are delighted to announce the results and we hope that families will be inspired to make the most of the quality time spent together in the car as they play them.”
 
As the winning submission, Renee and her family have been rewarded with the ultimate fun family experience: a family ticket to Alton Towers, including accommodation at the amazing Alton Towers Resort Hotel, plus a complimentary Saab 9-3 SportWagon to drive for the weekend.
 
Saab’s cut-out-and-keep collection of the nation’s ultimate car games
 
Fancy a game of Backseat Face Snap?
 
Great, let’s go! Decide on four faces, such as happy, sad, pull tongues and funny face. Next, face your challenger and cover your face with both hands in front. Count together 1, 2, 3...the reveal!
 
Are you the same? Shout “SNAP!” or let’s try again!
 
Submitted by Renee Smith and her family from Merseyside
 
I Like Bananas!
 
When you see a car, say “I like...” followed by something of that colour. For example, if you see a red car, shout “I like tomatoes!” or for a green car, you might say “I like apples!” Take it in turns as a family, and the winner of the round is the first to spot a yellow car and say “I like bananas!”
 
It’s simple, it makes the journey fly by and it’s a great game for even the youngest of children.
 
Submitted by Rachel Edney and her family from Tamworth.
 
Island Shipwreck
 
You and your group of passengers are stranded on an island with sea surrounding you and all you have are trees, plants, a fresh water stream and your beach wear.
 
When you come across a lorry on your journey, choose one item for your island. For example, if you see a supermarket lorry, you could choose a case of vegetables, or if you see a van with DIY on it, you could choose some tools to build a house.  The idea is to write down all of the provisions you are collecting that you are going to need to survive on the island!
 
Want to make it harder or be more creative? You could choose items to create your very own paradise island or draw your island at the end of your journey. It’s amazing what lorries will pass you by!
 
Submitted by Dawn Whittaker and her family from Barnsley
 
Traffic Bingo Game
 
Give every passenger boards with small pictures or words on of things that you might find on your journey, such as speed limit signs, post boxes, and petrol stations (or perhaps you might want to make it harder with suggestions like windmills, cows and public telephones?). As you go along, tick off the boxes when you see the items on your board. The winner is the first one who has marked off the most boxes by the end of the journey.
 
Submitted by Emma Oldfield and her family from Chester
 
Themed Alphabet Game
 
It’s simple! Pick a theme, such as countries, fruit, movie stars, football clubs – anything that comes to mind! Work your way through the alphabet, taking it in turns to name something that belongs to your chosen theme. Can you find a word for those tricky letters such as Q, X and Z? Give it a go and see!
 
Submitted by Elisabeth Barnwell and her family from Milton Keynes
 
Guess Upon a Rainbow
 
Give passengers a wipe-clean piece of card or board, which has all the colours of the rainbow on: red, yellow, pick, green, orange, purple and blue. It could be coloured spots, squares or lines or you could even create the board in the shape of a rainbow. You each have to spot something red on your journey that begins with R, then something yellow that begins with Y, something pink that begins with P and so on, working your way through the colours of the rainbow.
 
Once you’ve found items for every colour, to win, you must find something that has two of the colours of the rainbow on it. Want to make it more challenging? The item you find must begin with any letter of the word RAINBOW!
 
Submitted by Jamie Harwood and his family from East Sussex