After all the hours you’ve spent driving and preparing to camp, your child says they’re bored.
Why did you bring your family here if you’re just going to ignore them and soak up the sun?
If you’re looking for ideas to keep your kids entertained while camping, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s talk about a variety of activities that require little to no preparation, as well as some games that the whole family can enjoy.
Looking for things to do while camping?
There are two types of families when it comes to planning their free time. Some families like to plan everything out and have a set schedule while other families are more flexible and adaptable.
Which type of family are you?
Do you enjoy having crafts prepared in advance, so you can start working on them as soon as the mood strikes? Do you play board games or word games with your family regularly?
Are you a family that enjoys entertainment and having fun together, or are your children content to occupy themselves with what they can find around them?
Some of you may be a little bit of both.
If you let it, camping is about spending time in nature, not packing.
But even if you prefer to plan things out, the weather can sometimes cause a change of plans.
There are times when it’s not ideal to be outside, like if it’s really cold or rainy, or the person is feeling overwhelmed and tired. Sometimes, being on a long camping trip can make people less excited about being outside, especially if there are no good cellphone signal or Wi-Fi. Older kids might not want to be outside as much because they don’t want to get dirty or climb trees.
Make Camping Even More Fun
However, camping can also be a lot of work. Packing all the gear, planning the trip, and making sure everyone is on the same page can be stressful. Then, once you’re out in the wilderness, you have to set up camp, cook meals, and clean up after yourself. While camping can be a lot of fun, it can also be a lot of work. Packing all the gear, planning the trip, and making sure everyone is on the same page can be stressful. Once you’re out in the wilderness, you have to set up camp, cook meals, and clean up after yourself.
Here are some fun things to do while camping: water activities, sports, and games. You’ll also find things to do on rainy days, activities to do in your tent, ideas for nighttime, and suggestions for the most fun places to camp.
You’ll never have a dull camping trip again!
Water Activities
There are many things you can do in the water if your campsite is near a lake, river, pool, or other body of water. While some of these activities are exhilarating, others are more relaxing. Slip on your bathing suit and enjoy the water.
Fun Things to Do While You’re Camping
- Skip stones
- Build a sandcastle
- Fish
- Swim
- Float or lounge
- Boat, canoe, or kayak
- Go water skiing
- Go tubing
- Ride a wave runner
- Play water volleyball or basketball
- Dive
- Snorkel
Even if you aren’t camping near water, you can still play with water. Try these fun suggestions that are great for cooling off on hot days:
- Have a water balloon fight
- Attack each other with squirt guns
- If you are at a site that has utilities, bring an inflatable wading pool and fill it with water
- Line a truck bed with a tarp and fill it with water for a makeshift pool
Sports and Physical Activities
There are many sports and physical activities you can do while camping.
Choose sports that match your activity level and enjoy playing them.
- Disc golf (frisbee golf)
- Horseshoes
- Ringtoss
- Blongo (hillbilly golf)
- Corn Hole
- Lawn bowling
- Soccer
- Football
- Kickball
- Baseball
- Bikes
- Hiking
- Spelunking (caving): Make sure you have an experienced guide with you
- Rock climbing
- Tree climbing
- Capture the Flag
- Hide-and-seek
- Sardines
- Tag (there are dozens of variations)
- Red Rover
Play Games
What better time to play games is there than while camping? There are fewer distractions like televisions and computers. Games are entertaining and promote cooperation and family bonding.
- Card games are perfect for camping. Cards are easy to pack and can be slipped into backpacks for easy access. Bring a deck of normal cards—there are limitless games to play with it. Other card games suitable for camping are Uno, Phase 10, Fluxx, Rook, Old Maid, Five Crowns, Quiddler, and Apples to Apples. Pack the cards in plastic freezer bags so you don’t lose any or get them wet.
- Board games can also be fun to play while camping, especially if you have a picnic table or other place to play. Keep in mind that pieces are easily lost in the outdoors.
- Games like charades and I Spy are ideal because you don’t have to bring anything with you to play them.
- Bring paper and a pencil. Then you can play Hangman, Tic-Tac-Toe, and Dots.
Exploring Nature
One of the best things about camping is being able to explore the natural world up close. Here are some activities that can help you make the most of your surroundings while also respecting the local wildlife.
- Birdwatching
- Animal watching
- Collecting fireflies in a jar
- Bug collecting
- Nature gathering (pine cones, rocks, flowers, etc.)
- Leaf collecting
- Searching for wild berries, nuts, and other edible plants
- Having a scavenger hunt
- Going on a photo safari, taking pictures of the flora and fauna you find
- Looking for evidence of Big Foot (or other creatures)
- Picking berries
- Whittling
- Collecting firewood or kindling
- Finding the perfect walking stick
- Geocaching: Check out the video to find out more
Relaxation
Most people go camping in order to relax and de-stress from their busy lives. These following ideas will help you to relax and forget about the rest of the world.
- Swing in a hammock
- Watch the trees blowing in the breeze
- Listen to nature
- Take lots of naps
- Daydream and let your mind wander
- Float on the water
- Stargaze
Activities to Play in the Tent
Other than sleeping, what are some things you can do inside your tent?
These are things that can be done easily in a tent:
- Read books or magazines
- Read aloud to each other
- Card games
- Board games
- Crafting (knitting, sewing, drawing)
- Watch movies on portable devices
- Play on other electronic devices (iPods, iPads, Gameboys, etc.)
- Make up stories to tell each other
- Snuggle
Nighttime Activities
When camping at night, there are plenty of things to do. Being in the darkness of the woods can be more thrilling than being in the city with all of its lights.
Games that are spooky or involve scares can get your heart rate up. Alternatively, doing things that light up the night can be just as much fun.
- Make shadow puppets
- Go for a nighttime walk
- Play flashlight tag
- Play hide and seek in the dark
- Go for a midnight swim
- Study the stars
- Shoot off fireworks or release sky lanterns (depending on fire danger)
- Play glow-in-the-dark bowling: Put glow sticks in 2-liter bottles filled with water and use a ball to knock them down
Around the Campfire
Hanging out around the campfire is one of the most memorable camping experiences. These are some activities to do by the firelight:
- Tell ghost stories
- Play Truth or Dare
- Sing campfire songs
- Play the guitar, harmonica, or another instrument
- Dance around the fire
- Try out new varieties of s’mores
- Reenact your favorite story, scene-by-scene
- Make colored fire: Packages of colored fire crystals or pine cones are sold at most camping supply stores
Other Camping Ideas
- Bring pets along while you are camping. They can join in on the fun.
- Invite friends and family to go with you for company. Let the children bring friends to help keep them occupied.
- Meet other campers. Talk and socialize. You meet very interesting people while camping. You may even make new friends you’ll continue to keep in touch with.
- Bring lights and decorations to make your campsite look cheery.
- Try new camping recipes and food.
Built-in Fun
The best way to avoid boredom while camping is to camp somewhere with pre-planned entertainment.
If you’re looking for a specific activity to keep you busy on your camping trip, make sure to check if the campground you’re interested in offers that activity. Some common amenities offered at many campgrounds include hiking, biking, fishing, and swimming. Pick a place that offers something your family enjoys doing so everyone has a great time.
This is a list of common amenities campgrounds often have. Some of these will vary on a site-by-site basis:
- Pools
- Some places even have “lazy rivers” and water slides
- Playground equipment
- Game rooms (pool tables, air hockey, arcade games)
- Horseback riding
- Miniature golf
- Daily activities (group games, movie nights, crafts, lessons)
- Themed weekends (holiday and seasonal activities)
- Water sports (canoes, kayaks, wave runners)
- Certain locations might have zip lines
The best places to camp near attractions in the U.S. are at tourist spots or near an attraction.
So, go camping and have some fun!
Crafty Camping Activities for kids
Having nature craft ideas while camping can be fun, but you will need to bring some craft supplies and be prepared to clean up afterwards.
Nature can be very inspirational for kids.
If you give children some colored paper, crayons, and glue, they will often become engaged in a project.
Crafting at the Campsite
Here are some suggestions you could give them to get their creativity flowing:
- Have a birthday party for their stuffed animals
- Make a treasure hunt
- Create a nature collage
- Have a paper air plane flying contest
- Make camping hats decorated with leaves and twigs
- Make a book to record all their nature finds at the campsite
- Create a camping comic book
- Challenge your kids to make a map of the campground
Rock Painting
If you have paint as part of your craft supplies, you could suggest that the kids paint rocks they find around the campsite. Using water-based, non-toxic paint means that the rocks will be washed clean by the rain, or you could gather rocks to paint ahead of time and bring them with you.
Nature Paintings
Use finger paints, berries or chalk to color pinecones, leaves, or each other! There is also a wonderful art project where you tie a marker to a string dangling from a tree branch, just long enough to touch a piece of paper. Let the wind move the marker to make your own nature art.
Books and Boredom
…saving the best ideas for last!
Reading is the best activity to do while camping. Kids might not agree, but then there is a lot of possibility in boredom.
Let your kids be bored sometimes, it could lead to them being more creative.
This means that instead of planning extra activities for your next trip, just let your kids use their imagination and the natural world around them to have fun.
