4 Kids Games to Play When Camping
Camping with kids can be entertaining and busy enough without needing anything extra. But when you do need to pull something out of your bag of tricks, you don’t want to have to pack the kitchen sink to be prepared. Here we’ve pulled together four games that you can play with materials that you are likely to already have on-hand - no extra space or packing required. Phew!
For Big Groups: Create a Rain Storm
Waiting out some thunder or lightning? Hanging at a pavilion wishing for rain? This is a fun and engaging way to pass the time!
Set up: None
Materials: None
Steps: To start, designate a person to lead. Gather everyone in a close group and instruct them to copy the leader’s actions.
Rain is coming. Leader begins to quickly rub hands together.
It’s sprinkling! Leader begins to snap and the group follows suit. Doesn’t this sound like light rain?
It’s raining a little harder…Leader begins to clap hands (can start out gently and clap harder/louder as the rain comes in).
Big fat raindrops! Leader begins to slap thighs as the rest of the group follows.
It’s POURING. Leader stops feet. For full effect, this works best on hard surfaces.
Now the rain begins to let up. Continue the steps backwards until you are back at step 1 for the storm to pass.
Variations: You can use pots, pans - anything on hand to vary the rain effect sounds for different rounds of the game. Playing at night? Assign someone to add in thunder and lightning with flashlights and noisemakers of your choosing. For anyone who needs help making the movements, assist them if desired or give them a different sound responsibility to add to the storm.
Precautions: Avoid this game (or stop before it pours) if the noise will be a disturbance to nearby campers or wildlife.
For Nighttime: Firefly Tag
This game is a spin on the traditional Flashlight Tag. With this game, the person who is “it” is the one without the flashlight and the rest of the group are the “lightning bugs”, trying not to get caught. If you live in the mountains where there are no lightning bugs (?!), you can start the game with a quick learning opportunity about these summer-time favorites!
Set Up: Clear the play area of any tripping or fall hazards and give everyone who is a lightning bug a headlamp or flashlight. If you have littles, pair them up with someone who can help.
Materials: A flashlight or headlamp for all players (minus the person who is “it”).
Steps: Designate a person who is “it”, and then have them turn away while the other players scatter. After the designated hiding time, each player will randomly turn their light on and off quickly, once every 15-30 seconds. This creates the illusion of lightning bugs! The person who is it will work to tag someone to take their place.
Variations: The game can be played until all lightning bugs are found (caught lightning bugs can all go to a designated space and continue to light up their lights randomly to create distraction!) or when the next person is tagged, the game can continue without resetting, since no one can be seen easily.
Precautions: Be sure to only play in a safe area, free of any drop offs, cliffs, water, low branches, etc… that may be hard to see at night. If a hazard like a root or rock is unavoidable, mark them with a light so that the players can see it.
For All Ages: Nature Scavenger Hunt
This is a game that is great for most ages and is adaptable to any location and activity - these can be done around camp, or can be used to help motivate little ones on hikes!
Set Up: None needed, unless you would like to set up your own items around camp (we discourage collecting items in nature unless you have placed personal items on the hunt).
Materials Needed: Paper, writing utensil, and anything else that makes this fun (binoculars, magnifying glass, etc…)
Steps: Begin with a pre-made scavenger hunt list, or ask those playing to help come up with one together. Check off your list as you go and use each find as an opportunity to talk about the item - whether that is practicing the name and basic descriptions or more in depth details about it for older kids.
Variations: Complete the scavenger hunt as a group or individually. Make it competitive as a race, or focus on learning and observing. If you want to go paper-free, take pictures as you go to compare your finds at the end.
Precautions: When finding things in nature, be sure to leave what you find - a great way to practice LNT!
For a Challenge: Tarp Flip
If you’re looking for a challenge at camp, and don’t have a lot of space to run around but you do have a tarp or a sturdy ground blanket, this is a great game that promotes communication, team building, and problem solving.
Materials: A tarp, or any sturdy blanket/towel, etc… that can fit all people on it.
Set Up: Lay the tarp or blanket down on the ground with just enough space for all people to sit/stand on it.
Steps: Instruct all people playing that they need to find a way to flip the tarp/blanket over without stepping off of it. That’s it! It’s your job as the “facilitator” to not say a whole lot and let the group figure things out through trial and error.
Variations: Depending on the amount of challenge you want to give, make the tarp bigger (easier) or smaller (harder). If you notice one person is doing all of the talking, tell them they can only communicate through hand signals to encourage others to speak up (or instruct them to close their eyes, etc…).