7 Fun Camping Games for Kids
Keeping kids entertained on a camping trip can be a challenge. What most adults enjoy about camping can elicit complaints of boredom from our kids. I’ve experienced this firsthand with my kids. When I first took my kids camping at a young age, they got bored quickly. I learned to make sure we had camping games.
Having some fun camping games at the ready can keep kids entertained and provide fun for the whole family. This list of seven fun camping games for kids should help keep the complaints to a minimum and create lasting memories for everyone.
Would You Rather
This game is fun for kids and adults alike. It’s all about choosing between two equally unpleasant (or enticing!) options and explaining why. It’s another game that will get your kids to use their imaginations. Once they get the hang of the game, the options they give you might have you wondering what is going on in their little heads.
How to Play: Present two options for other players to choose from. For example: Would you rather eat a worm or pull out your eyebrows? Their answers and reasoning might surprise you.
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Jelly Bean Roulette
Jelly Belly has a game called Beanboozled. You spin the wheel and eat whatever bean the pointer lands on. They can either be delicious or disgusting and you won’t know until you eat it. Fans of Harry Potter should get a kick out of this game. My son loved it when he was younger.
How to Play: If you don’t want to purchase the game, grab some fun-flavoured jelly beans and put them in a bag. Close your eyes and pick one!
Storytelling
Storytelling around a campfire is a time-honored tradition. Getting the kids involved and having them add to the story can engage their imaginations and create wild stories. Often when creating stories with my kids, the things they come up with are wild and make for interesting tales.
Telling stories around the campfire can even serve as an opportunity for your kids to learn about you or your family history. We all have stories of our own adventures. Use this time as an opportunity to connect as a family.
How to Play: Start by gathering together and telling an animated story. You can invite the kids to add on to the tale, or to create their own.
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Frisbee Golf
This is a quick and easy game to set up. While there are disc golf courses you can play at, you can also create a DIY version at your campsite. All you need is a frisbee. You can get creative using baskets or hula hoops for targets.
How to Play: Using distinct points around where you are and decide how many throws of the frisbee it should take to reach each one. Just like in golf, the lowest score wins. For instance, if you decide it should take three throws to get to the tree stump, then it is a par 3.
Try Not to Laugh Challenge
This game is a popular trend on TikTok and YouTube. All that is required is a glass of water and a sense of humor.
How to Play: Take a drink and hold the water in your mouth. Seems simple enough. That is until the other players try to get you to laugh. They can do whatever they can think of except for tickling to make you laugh. It’s fun and the rules are simple. We play this game occasionally at my house, even when we aren’t camping.
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Freeze Tag
Who hasn’t played tag or freeze tag at some point? It’s a great game for kids and adults to burn off some energy and have fun together. Just make sure you have the space to run around and keep away from the campfire.
How to Play: One person is “it” and tries to catch the other players and have them freeze in place. Players who haven’t been tagged can “unfreeze” those are by tapping them! The game is won when everyone is frozen or when everyone is unfrozen for three minutes.
Obstacle Course
This is easier to put together than it might seem at first. You can even change it to a kind of “the floor is lava” type game. Kids love to climb and jump and its great exercise. With a bit of creativity, you can incorporate almost anything into the obstacle course. You can even challenge yourself and run it with the kids.
How to Play: Use the environment around you like logs, rocks, benches, etc. Create a small course for your kids to run through and compete against each other.
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Final Thoughts
The appeal of camping is different for adults. We get to relax and let the stresses of the week melt away. For our kids, especially younger ones, it can get dull quickly if they aren’t being stimulated. Using these fun camping games should keep them entertained and burn their energy during the day. We want to encourage our kids to enjoy being outdoors and getting away from electronics, but sometimes they will need a little help before they really appreciate it.
