Our cars may be bristling with DVD players to entertain the little ones, but new research proves that the classic in-car family game of “I Spy” is far from dead.

Seventy years after the first recorded report of the game*, Citroën, found that 63 percent of parents have played “I Spy” with their children in the last few months. The age of the child impacts on the popularity with 38 percent of 3-8 years old having played it, compared to just 6 percent of 9-11 year olds.

Separately, the research, which was carried out following the launch of Citroën’s new family focussed C4 Picasso MPV, discovered that food and drink was the most popular form of ‘in-car entertainment’. When parents were asked how they kept their children quiet on long journeys, almost a quarter admitted to using snacks and refreshments.

Encouragingly, a child’s favourite toy was the next best choice (18 percent) by mothers, followed by a selection of music suitable for younger ears (17 percent) and books (13 percent).

What do you regularly use to entertain your children in the car?

Food & Drink 22%

Favourite Toys 18%

Childrens Music CDs 17%

Books 13%

Childrens Story CDs/Tapes 10%

DVDs/Films 9%

Gameboys, PSPs etc 6%

MP3 players 4%

Car Bingo 1%

Modern day gizmos and gadgets like DVDs (9 percent), handheld computer consoles like Gameboys and PSPs (6 percent) and MP3 players (4 percent) play a lesser role in keeping the little ones quiet according to Citroën.

Child psychologist, Dr Pat Spungin, a respected authority figure on all aspects of family life, commented: “All parents know that the only way to make a long car journey tolerable is to keep the kids occupied. Spending some time playing traditional in-car games like I-Spy, are still good ways of entertaining young children but technologically savvy older children expect their entertainment to be more sophisticated.”

The author of ‘The Parentalk Guide to Brothers and Sisters’ also added: “MP3 players and DVDs do the job of keeping the kids engaged but at the cost of family interaction and fun.”

Citroën interviewed 1,024 mothers on parent and family advice website, Mumsnet.com.

The Citroën C4 Picasso, with its flexible 5 or 7-seat interior, class leading passenger space and comfort, also boasts unrivalled levels of visibility thanks to its unique panoramic windscreen, large windows and narrow side pillars. Is it the best car in the world for playing I Spy? Probably.