If you go on an annual family road trip, you've probably spent as much time planning in-car entertainment for the kids as you've spent planning the actual getaway. A tablet and some apps can save you tons of time and space. No more packing decks of cards, paper and pens, magnetic scrabble or flash cards. Pretty much any game you've played with the kids in the car is now available as an app, plus there are plenty of new game apps that may also help reduce the number of times you have to answer the question, "Are we there yet?"

A couple of apps to look for:

Road-Trip-Bingo. Just like bringing the regular bingo card full of road signs, vehicles and traffic signs, but instead of marking the items on the card, they just tap the picture on the screen. App bonus? Two players can participate at once.

Mad Libs: On the Road. With 20 different stories ranging from 'A Family Car Trip' to 'Your Junk is Someone Else's Treasure', this is a perfect game for everyone in the car, and a great way to initiate some conversation with the kids.

Brain Quest. The traditional educational travel card sets in digital form.

You can browse the App Store to find more great offerings for kids, and there's even a whole book dedicated to the subject: 'iPad Apps For Kids For Dummies', by Jinny Gudmundsen of USA Today's Kid-Tech column.