Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Car Journey Games: Free Printable Quiz for Year 5
- ForYear 5
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Car Journey Games is a free printable quiz for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10). It has seven multiple choice questions with three answers each, made to be read aloud on the road. It takes about 10 minutes, needs only paper and a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up the notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, keep page 2 for the grown up and play with two or more people. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
The sheet is a seven question quiz. Each question is multiple choice with three answers, so children listen, think and pick one. The questions cover a mix of everyday knowledge: road signs, places, animals, shapes, number facts and the natural world. A grown up reads each question aloud, players answer in turn, and everyone gives one point for each right answer. Nobody needs to look down.
- Which colour means stop at traffic lights?
- What is the capital city of France?
- Which animal is the fastest on land?
- How many sides does a hexagon have?
- How many legs does a spider have?
- Which is the largest ocean?
- What is 7 x 8?
Why play quiz games on a journey?
Car journeys can feel long for children. Quick spoken games give everyone something to do together and help the time pass. A quiz suits the car because it needs no equipment beyond the printed sheet, and the reader can keep a brisk pace. Short rounds fit a journey well, since you can stop when you arrive and pick the game up again later.
Spoken quizzes build listening and memory. Children hear a question, hold the three choices in mind and decide before they answer. Taking turns and cheering on other players adds social skills too. General knowledge grows from many small moments like this, as children link what they hear in the car to books, lessons and things they spot from the window.
The driver keeps their eyes and attention on the road. If you are driving, let a passenger read the questions and keep the score, or simply listen and join in by answering aloud. Everyone stays in their seat with seat belts on. Children should never unbuckle to reach the sheet.
Skills and curriculum link
- General knowledge
- Listening
- Taking turns
- Recall
- Making a choice from options
Ideas to help players answer
- Listen to all three choicesWait until the reader has finished before answering. The best answer is easy to miss if you jump in early.
- Rule things outIf one choice seems clearly wrong, set it aside. Then it is easier to choose between the others.
- Picture itTry to see the road, the map, the animal or the shape in your head. A mental picture can bring back what you already know.
- Say whyAfter each answer, ask the player how they decided. Explaining a guess helps children notice what they really know.
Key words
- Multiple choiceA question with a few answers to pick from. Only one is the best answer.
- Capital cityThe city where a country's government is usually based.
- OceanA very large area of salt water that covers part of the Earth.
- RecallTo remember something you have already learned.
- TurnYour chance to answer or play before the next person goes.
- ScoreThe number of points you have collected.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2 for the grown up.
- Choose a reader. Read each question and its three answers aloud so nobody needs to look down in the car.
- Play with two or more people and take turns to answer. Give one point for each right answer.
- Check against page 2 once everyone has answered. Talk about each choice, including the wrong ones.
- Come back another day, or play again on the way home. Repeating a familiar quiz builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Read the three options aloud and let the child point or say the letter. Skip any question that is too hard. Say each choice slowly, and let the child hear it twice if they want to. A guess is fine. Talking about it afterwards is where the learning happens.
To stretch confident children
Ask players to make up their own questions for the next turn, each with a clear answer. Say the question aloud with three choices, then check each answer afterwards. Writing a good question means knowing the fact well and giving choices that are fair.
Make it a game
Play I spy and 20 questions between rounds. In 20 questions, one person thinks of an animal or object and the others ask yes or no questions to guess it. Count the questions on your fingers, and swap roles each time.
Talk about it
- Which question did you find easiest, and why?
- Did you change your mind after hearing all three choices? What made you change?
- How could you work out an answer if you were not sure?
- What is something you know that most people in the car might not?
- Which question would you add if you were writing the next round?
- Where have you seen or heard about the things in these questions before?
Take it off the page
Family quiz night
At home, take turns to be the quiz master. Each person writes two questions with three choices and reads them out. Keep a simple score on paper.
Draw the question
Pick one question from the sheet and draw a picture that goes with it. Share your drawing and see if others can guess the question.
Sign spotting
On a walk or a ride as a passenger, spot signs, shapes and numbers around you. Take turns to say what you can see and talk about what each one means.
Who it is for
Parents
Read the questions aloud and let your child answer first. Keep it light and quick. About 10 minutes is plenty. If someone is stuck, read the choices again and invite a guess. Save the talk about wrong answers for after each round.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups. Pairs or small teams work well, with one reader and one scorer.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider general knowledge plan. It pairs well with books, outdoor trips and everyday talk. Use it again for brothers and sisters, or replay it a few weeks later to see what children remember.
Where this fits
Before a quiz like this, younger children practise listening to a question, remembering it and giving a short spoken answer. They also learn to wait for their turn. These are the habits that make group games enjoyable.
After this, Year 5 children can move on to writing their own questions, running a quiz for the family or class, and checking facts in books. They can also begin to explain how they know an answer, which builds careful thinking.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Car Journey Games for?
It is written for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10), in Key Stage 2. Younger or older children can join in too, especially if a grown up reads the choices aloud and helps them talk through each answer.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 10 minutes. You can play it all at once or split it into short rounds across a journey. Playing a second time, or adding I spy and 20 questions, makes it last longer.
- Can the driver play?
Yes, by listening and answering aloud, but the driver's attention stays on the road. A passenger should read the questions and keep score. The driver should never read the sheet or write on it while driving.
- Do children need to write anything?
Not much. Players can answer aloud, point or say a letter, and a grown up can keep score. This makes it easy to play in a moving car where writing is awkward. Pencil is handy if you play at a table.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another journey, and it works well in black and white on plain A4 paper.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity, and needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives help and stretch ideas, so you can adjust it for mixed ability groups.
- Is it a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it suits car journeys, quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. It also gets children talking, listening and taking turns rather than looking at a device.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.