10 Exciting Camping Activities for Kids

When taking the whole family on a camping trip, it is important that everyone enjoy themselves including the little campers. However, oftentimes young children find that they are bored without the conveniences provided to them by modern technology.

After a couple of hours, the chorus of whines and complaints can begin to wear on even the most patient of parents. How can you avoid those whines and keep the children entertained while still having some camping fun and a good time yourself? With these 10 exciting camping activities for kids, of course!

And if you’re looking for some fun camping gifts for kids, don’t forget to check our list here.

Set Up The Tent

A Fun Way Is To Include Your Younger Kids In The Camping Set-Up

Research and have them help you build a tee-pee! Or, if that’s a little too technical, have the young kids help you set up the tent. While setting up the campsite, teach your children the proper, safe way to start a fire. If you don’t know or don’t remember how to build a fire, the internet abounds with resources on how to build one with minimal resources.

Campfire Cooking

While nearly every parent remembers to bring s’more-making ingredients along on a camping trip, there are other foods and beverage-related activities that children will enjoy as well.

Well-supervised children can help prepare campfire meals by cooking potatoes or corn-on-the-cob via long skewers over the campfire. For a snack for kids of all ages, help them mix Oreos, pudding, and gummi worms into mason jars for a ‘bugs in the dirt themed dessert.

Fishing

Fishing is always a must for a camping trip for the entire family, even if it only lasts for a few minutes with more energetic children. If you do not own fishing poles, even splashing around a nearby creek or pond with buckets and the ‘intention’ to catch fish is lots of wet family fun.

Children of all ages, even the older kids love bugs and nature, and camping is an excellent way to explore that interest and have a great time! For one activity, you can punch holes in the lids of mason jars and capture lightning bugs, worms, or any other type of bug. Larger mason jars can be used to contain frogs and lizards. Just remember, set the little creatures free after observation!

Nature Crafts

Bring A Piece Of Paper And Crayons, And Collect Leaves For Leaf Rubbings

Collect rocks of different colors and other natural elements along with leaves and compare the designs they create when rubbed.

Another great camping craft project calls for nothing from home but peanut butter and bird seed, but can result in hours of entertainment!

Have the kids collect pine cones, smear them with peanut butter, then roll them around in birdseed – hang the result around the camp site and watch the different types of birds come and go.

Just remember to hang food-products high in a distant tree (or remove them completely) before leaving the campsite for an adventure or going to sleep – bears and other creatures may be attracted to the scent and come exploring.

You could also try a nature scavenger hunt, which is always a hit with kids (click the link to download our free printable)

If you have been dealing with screen addiction, taking some unplugged time away and getting involved in all of these outdoors activities instead can really help as a way of resetting.

Active Camping Games

Hiking Is A Fun Activity And A Good Way To Exercise

Hiking is also a great, entertaining activity to include in a camping trip, and children love to lead the way. Help them pick out their own walking stick, and hit the closest trail!

Why not make a journey stick to take on your hikes around the area.

Family Games for Camping

A great way to bond and have fun together is by playing some family games during your trip.

Almost everything is more enjoyable when given a competitive format. Challenge your child. Tell them you can do a better job setting up the campsite, or that you can find the supplies for dinner faster than they can.

In the same way, your mother used to trick you with the “silent game” you too can make your child both useful and joyful with a simple game.

There are also traditional fun camping games that can be played. Hide-and-seek is a favorite of many children, and who wouldnít love to play it in a new environment? Just be sure the parameters of the playing area are clear and provide your child with a whistle for safety reasons.

If you find that you cannot find your hidden youngster, don’t be afraid to blow ‘your’ whistle, or to yell out that they win. As long as the game is played safely, it is always fun to change up the arena of a classic game.

There are also many other games, including a land version of Marco-Polo, charades, or catchphrases.

Bubbles at the Camp Site

If your children aren’t much of the ‘nature-loving’ type, they can still have fun on a camping trip without bringing electronics with some outdoor activities.

Bring bubbles for endless chasing and popping fun! Be aware that bubble solution can affect the fabric of some tents, so keep the bubbles away from the tent area to be on the safe side.

For younger children, toy dump trucks, buckets, and other dirt-moving devices can provide hours of play time.

For the early-evening / night time, hand them glow sticks and let them run around in the woods and have fun – hide-and-seek and tag are always much more entertaining as the sun is setting than mid-day!

Map Reading and Survival Skills

Another Fun Idea Is To Teach Your Child To Read A Map Or A Compass

This is, of course, age-dependent, but older children may enjoy the challenge. Place an X on your map, and at the spot you have them searching for leave a small treat. Teach them to read the map and compass until they reach the desired spot. Just be sure that you yourself can read a map first.

Build A Campfire And Tell Stories

Though certain campsites no longer allow open fires, if yours does, a campfire is always a fun idea. Roast marshmallows and tell scary ghost stories. Make sure that your child takes an active role in the storytelling, as this is a great chance for them to use their imagination.

Stargazing

Stargaze Is Great Fun – as well as educational!

The stars can be absolutely beautiful when in an area undisturbed by things like streetlights. Lie outside and stare at the stars, and see if you can spot any constellations. For the ones you donít know, take turns naming them with your child.

Exploring

Exploring Is One Of The Best Camping Activities

This is a favorite of many kids, and most campsites offer safe hiking trails. Take your kids to explore the woods, or to build a den from sticks, keeping them in a safe proximity at all times. Just be sure to leave back for your campsite before dark.

Camping can provide endless hours of fun for all ages, not just adults. This weekend, pack up the kids, sleeping bag, picnic table, walking sticks, camp chair, load the van and get out into the great outdoors.

Camping with children can be an exciting adventure filled with fun activities and a great opportunity that creates incredible memories for the family. Once at the campsite, however, parents are often hit with the realization that children prefer activities as opposed to simply sitting in the woods, relaxing around a campfire. If prepared, parents can engage children in the environment around them with a variety of activities that they will love.

No matter what type of personality your child has, there are an endless amount of fun camping activities to keep them entertained on your next camping trip. Just remember the number one reason you’re there: to have fun and make memories as a family on your next camping adventure!

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If you’re planning a camping trip with friends or family, send them this list so you can get planning all the fun adventures the kids are going to have together.

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