Looking for a free printable license plate game to make your road trip with kids more fun?
Perfect for summer road trips, this screen-free activity is a fun travel game that doubles as a fun geography lesson!
It’s especially great for homeschoolers, teachers planning travel-themed lessons, or any family heading out on a summer adventure.
The game is fun for kids of all ages. Siblings can play together, or turn it into a family challenge to see who can spot the most.
It’s designed for road trips in the US or Canada. The license plate game is an “I Spy” style activity that turns long stretches of highway into a travel scavenger hunt.
Just print out the 2 page PDF and bring some colored pencils, your road trip is about to get a whole lot more fun.
A Classic Road Trip Game With a Fun Twist
The license plate game is a classic car game for road trips, but this printable version comes with a twist.
Instead of checking off plates you see, your kids will color in each state or province on a black-and-white map when they spot its license plate.
This will help kids learn geography on the go. It’s an educational activity that helps kids learn state and province names, their abbreviations, and geography.
How to Play the License Plate Game
To play, just follow these simple steps:
- Print the 2-page PDF before your trip.
- Pack it with your road trip supplies:
- clipboards or lap desks are helpful
- a pencil case with crayons, pencil crayons, or markers
- laminating the maps is a great option if you want to reuse them. Just add dry-erase markers!
- a bag or backpack where kids can keep their road trip activities near them during the drive
- a travel binder would be helpful if you have multiple printable road games and activities
- As you travel, keep your eyes open for different license plates on the road. Encourage kids to shout out when they find a new plate, so everyone can join in on the fun.
- When you spot a new plate, color in the matching state or province on your map.
Download Your Free Printable License Plate Game
Ready to hit the road? Use one of the forms below to download your own free copy of this printable license plate game.
The 2 page PDF includes both the USA and Canada license plate game maps:
- Page 1: A map of Canada, labeled with all provinces and territories.
- Page 2: A map of the USA, with all 50 states labeled using their two-letter abbreviations (like NY for New York and CA for California).
The printable road trip game is black and white to keep ink costs low.
Just print and go, no prep required!
More Fun Road Trip Games and Printables
If you’re planning a road trip with kids, don’t forget to check out these other printable car games:
- fun road trip bingo cards for the whole family
- an alphabet I Spy game for those long drives
- early elementary children will enjoy this printable road trip word search
- or this easy road trip crossword puzzle for 1st and 2nd grade kids
They pair perfectly with the license plate game and help create a full road trip activity pack.
Did your family play this license plate game? I’d love to hear how it went. Tell me, which state or province was the hardest for you to find? Drop your answer in the comments below.
Happy spotting! 🙂