Assign Some Simple Chores To Keep Younger Kids Busy Around Camp
Im talking SUPER toddler level such as help move firewood from one place to another!
Even if you dont actually need it moved, it really helps to involve them and make them feel like they are helping you rather than getting in the way!
Some other chore ideas include throwing trash away, gathering kindling or getting the toys out from wherever they are stored.
Crafty Camping Activities For Kids
If youre okay with bringing some craft supplies and with having to manage a little crafting clean up while camping, you might want to consider having some nature craft ideas in mind.
Nature can be very inspirational for kids.
Sometimes just providing some colored paper, crayons, and glue is enough to get them involved in a project.
Fun Outdoorsy Camping Activities For Kids
Planning a camping trip? Looking for some quick and easily replicated ideas to help entertain you and a group of kids? Youve come to the right place. As the weather begins to take a warmer turn, lots of you will be starting to plan some super fun camping activities, but you might be short on ideas for entertainment.
Let us take the pressure off for you and show you some fun and simple group games for kids that youll have a blast preparing, and your kids will have even more fun doing!
An excellent way to explore the local campsite and get a familiar feeling for the area. If you have kids who cant yet ride a bike, bring along some stabilizers and use it as a valuable teaching moment. Depending on how many kids are with you, and how many can ride bikes, this could either be a valuable lesson on how to, or a fantastically fun group riding session across the camping terrain. If you are going to be teaching some kids how to ride a bike, you can also use it as an opportunity for kids to each other kids and pass on their skills.
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Addictively Fun Camping Games Kids Will Love
While kids can be overwhelmed with joy and excitement when they first hear the news of a camping trip planned, there are times when the entire experience can become boring for kids. It is no doubt that any trip, be it a camping or hiking trip, is always filled with family bonding experiences and a lot of fun and new things to experience and try.
But kids tend to adapt easily, and the are we there yet? is eventually changed to when are we going home? What is the solution, then? How to keep kids engaged while you are on a camping trip? The solution is simple.
Pull out some camping games to have a blast! In this article, we have come up with a lot of addictively fun camping games for your kids that they are sure to love for inspiration.
It doesnt matter if you have planned to take your kids camping for a week or a month. With these camping games, your kids will forget all about the boredom and will be thanking you at the end of the trip for such a memorable experience.
An outdoor adventure like camping is a very fun way to break the monotony of your routine and spend time with your family. But you have to make sure that you provide some entertainment for your kids. Otherwise, they will only get bored, and you know what happens when kids are bored. They start throwing tantrums and start fighting, which means your camping trip becomes a fighting arena with you being the referee. Nobody wants that. Right?
Fun Camping Games For Kids
During the midst of summer and into early fall, camping is a great activity for the whole family. Especially since it means kids and teens alike can experience the great outdoors sans electronics. On your downtime at the campsite, celebrate screen-free time with camping games for kids.
We have put together a variety of camping games, for those natural athletes, nature lovers, games for younger campers and more. These can all vary by skill and accessibility, so be sure to gauge your surroundings and kids skill levels before getting started. Check in with your little campers to be sure they know the rules and limitations for your camping grounds .
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Baby/toddler Specific Camping Activity Tips
Sometimes, babies just cant be entertained!
Thats why its really helpful to have some backup plans and products to take when camping with a baby!
As there are different ages and stages, be sure to pick an appropriate one.
For example, SUPER little babies likely cannot support their neck enough for a backpack. You can still use a front carrier if necessary though!
Games For Young Campers
Younger campers need games that are safe and provide an opportunity for everyone to participate. Additionally, younger campers build valuable skills such as sharing, taking turns, and good sportsmanship while playing. We have chosen games that are fun, but also provide some personal growth for campers.
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Log Bowling Diy Outdoor Game
Log bowling is a super fun yard game that is a blast to bring on family camping trips! Its a little heavy but packs up nicely in a Rubbermaid Tote for easy loading.
This is a really fun camping game for tweens and teens. And adults as well as large groups.
Ive linked to the DIY version of the game but you can also play with a store bought Molkky set.
Doggy Doggy Where Is Your Bone
A guessing game that works for very young children, begin this game with your campers standing or sitting in a circle. You will need a prop to serve as a bone. Choose one camper to play the dog and find the bone. The camper playing the dog closes their eyes . The facilitator of the game chooses a person from the circle to sneak up and steal the bone. When this camper does so, they say in a disguised voice, Doggy, doggy, where is your bone? After they return to the circle, all the players stand with their hands behind their backs and the camper playing the dog tries to guess who has the bone. Once they guess correctly, the camper who stole the bone becomes the dog.
Summertime is camp time for many children. Increase their fun and create lasting memories with our selection of fun camp games for every age.
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Pack Some Camping Books For Rainy Days Or Other Unexpected Changes In Your Camp Trip
I know I know, people will say that there is no bad weather, only bad clothes or something like that
But lets get real toddlers arent as resiliant as older kids are, and its nice to keep them warm and cozy in your tent, camper or car until the weather passes!
Having some indoor activity might come in handy to help wind down before naps and bed and why not have camping themed ones to make it more special?
If you need some ideas, here is a list of the top kids camping books for toddlers I love complete with tons of pictures that your little one will love!
Snakes And Ladders Game 4999
You cant beat a classic game of snakes and ladders and this version puts you right in the middle. Kids and families can move around the board as the pieces and toss the giant inflatable dice to roll their turn.
The simple mat folds down into a handy carrying case with the dice so it can be easily packed in the car for camping trips. Theres also some lawn pegs included, so you can pin the edges of the mat into the grass and keep it safely in place.
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Getting To Know Your Campground Scavenger Hunt
I realize there are a lot of printables on this list. But they are so great for camping because they dont take up any space! And they are easy and often free like this one! This is a getting to know your campground scavenger hunt.
This is a really fun and useful idea for your first day of a camping trip. Make a family game of exploring the campground. Find the bathroom, the picnic table, where you take the trash, etc.
Its all good information to have for your kids and you. And this is a fun way to collect it.
There is also a second family campground scavenger hunt where your family can search the campground for fun items like a red-checkered table cloth, a spotted dog, a cowboy hat and more. Its a fun game and gives kids a chance to check out and observe whats around them.
Old Fashioned Potato Sack Race
Image source: Blissfully Domestic
Sometimes the best ideas are the ones handed down from generation to generation. Teach your kids to play some of these old fashioned games that can be played with kids of all ages in a big group or a smaller one. To hold a potato sack race, each participant needs some kind of sack to hop in. It could be a pillowcase or a sturdy trash bag. Line up the kids at the starting line and determine where the finish line will be. Then tell them to go and watch the kids try to hop to the finish line. Find more games like this at Blissfully Domestic.
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Flarts Outdoor Game For Families
Flarts are kid-friendly lawn darts perfect for your family camping trip. Basically they are inflatable lawn darts.
Lawn darts are a popular outdoor game for kids from little ones to big ones. And adults. And who doesnt at least smile when they say the word Flarts?
Have some family fun on your next camping trip with Flarts.
Bring A Plastic Kiddie Pool For Cooling Off And Washing Off Later
While my toddler likes the pool, my babies love it way more!
The best thing about it is that it doesnt even have to have water in it to be fun!
Just put some fun noise making toys in the pool, and watch your babies have fun climbing in and out!
You could definitely fill this with water too! This is really great for extended camping trips with kids where you just want to break up the day a little!
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Water Gun Twin Pack 10
While its hard to have a true British camping trip without being plagued by rain, its good to have something up your sleeve in case the sun decides to shine. Tents can quickly get stuffy in the heat, so let kids cool themselves off and have fun with their siblings or friends with these water soakers.
The pistols come in a pack of two and can shoot water up to 10 metres, holding up to 1000ml at a time. Reviewers were impressed with the power of the toys and how easy they were to use, with one parent saying they were, easy to fill, even my 3-year-old can do it by himself.
If youre looking for other ways for kids to stay cool and have fun outdoors, weve found the best paddling pools and accessories for summer.
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Heres A Summary Of The Best Camping Activities For Kids
- Include them in packing for the camp trip
- Go on a campsite scavenger hunt
- Bring a bucket for nature soup
- Assign simple chores such as kindling gathering to keep any little ones busy!
- Have some fun camping crafts ready to use
- Play some fun camping games such as Spot It and Charades
- Bring chalk and let them decorate the camp site !
- Journal Prompts with writing Practice
- Hands On Camp Activity Printables
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Whats The Time Mr Wolf
This is a classic outdoor game to keep kids entertained.
How to play:
Free Printable Camping Charades & Pictionary Games
Everybody loves charades, right? And Pictionary too! Well, check out these two printable versions that are camping themed!
Charades makes a really fun camping game at night when everybody is relaxing back at camp after a busy day outdoors.
Its easy to pack. Just print it out before you go and cut out the words. And you dont need anything else to play. Plus you can play with as many people as you want .
Pictionary is similarly simple and fun. And the camping theme makes a fun twist on the game. You do need a wipe off board and pens. Or paper and pens. Something to draw with, basically.
Both games can be played with groups big or small. And make a fun family game for camping.
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Set Up A Bird Picnic Area
Feeding the birds that visit your garden is a great way to do your bit for nature and bring new birds into the mix. You can buy birdseed mixes from supermarkets during your weekly shop, but there are a few foods youre likely to have in the house that birds will enjoy:
- Cooked pasta or rice
- Raisins
- Chopped apples
If you dont have a bird feeder, dont worry. You put food high up, out of the way of predators such as cats. It may take a few days for birds to find the food youve left for them, so dont get disheartened if they dont visit right away.
Nature Scavenger Hunt Printables For Abcs Colors 5 Senses & Traditional
These four printable nature themed scavenger hunts are perfect for kids to take exploring on a camping trip.
You can use different hunts on different days or different hikes or just when the kids want to explore the campground.
I like the variety of scavenger hunts among the four. And how they help kids be mindful of whats around them in nature by having them look for different things.
The traditional scavenger hunt is a good one for younger kids because it uses pictures instead of words. So even little ones who arent yet readers will know what they are looking for.
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Squirt Gun Water Races
For this game, you just have to string some red Solo cups. The first one to race the cup across the line with a water gun will be the winner. Believe me or not, but squirt gun races are a hoot! I keep thinking about how fun this would be. It is like you took your own DIY carnival with you to the campground!
Tips For Fun And Effective Camp Games
For camp games to be fun and effective there are some simple rules and guidelines to follow:
- Make sure you choose games where everyone can participate and have fun.
- Choose games that fit the age and ability level of your campers.
- Counselors should participate with the campers.
- Give clear instructions and make sure all participants understand game rules.
- Encourage sportsmanship and discourage name-calling, rough playing, and any other behaviors that may hurt campers physically or emotionally.
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Take The Opportunity To Practice The 7 Leave No Trace Principles With Your Kids
More than anything, its so important to pass onto our kids stewardship of nature after all, there would be no camping if there wasnt beautiful, cared for nature to visit!
If camping in a campground, make sure to go over a couple of extra rules too such as not going into others campsites, not using toys that arent theirs, leaving a clean campfire ring, cleaning up the picnic table etc.
Quiet Activities For Camping
Have you taken a walk down the board game aisle at your local big department store lately? Its a little overwhelming if you ask me!
I have very fond memories of my family only ever playing spoons at the cottage. The idea was pretty simple if I remember correctly you all traded cards until something happened which triggered you grabbing for a spoon which usually resulted in chairs flying and people screaming. So, maybe spoons isnt a quiet table game, but these are:
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Baseball With Water Balloons
Image source: Overstuffed Life
Turn a game of baseball into a splashfest when you swap the ball for water balloons! Of course, you dont have to follow the regular baseball rules and can come up with your own way to play. Overstuffed Life recommends simply filling up a bucket full of water balloons and letting the kids line up and take turns hitting towards the rest of the group. At a camping site or any public area, be sure to pick up all the broken balloon pieces when the game is over.
Keep Your Kids Busy Around Camp With These Fun Easy Activities
Keep a kid busy while family camping with these fun camping activity ideas!
These will work for kids of all ages, though its primarily for the younger crowd. Well check out some fun camping crafts, easy snack options, and little chores to help around camp!
Whether you are pitching a tent, or setting up a camper, it is no joke that keeping kids entertained while you get everything done is sometimes really difficult!
I know, for example, if I dont give my toddler some task, he will either start putting rocks in our SUVs exhaust pipe or start smacking things with a stick!
Babies are sometimes a little more difficult to entertain, as occasionally they just want to be held.
And if youre camping with teens, it can be intimidating to be competing against the fun of a phone but I have some tips for them too!
P.S. I am an Amazon Affiliate and do get a small commission if you purchase something through these links! But these are all items I have purchased and love
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