Summer is here, the kids are out of school, and the weather is perfect for spending time in the great outdoors. And honestly, what’s a better way than to play camping games for kids to have fun with your little ones?
A family camping trip is an ideal way to escape the screens and the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Throw a few camping games into the mix, and your vacation will be a blast!
Whether it’s playing cards, enjoying relay races, or admiring the beauty of nature, there are plenty of options out there. Still, these 28 camping games for kids are the best for making any regular trip memorable.
Let’s get rolling!
Table of contents
Outdoor Camping Games for Kids
Outdoor camping games are great for getting fresh air, soaking up the sun, and keeping kids active. Here are some of the best options to consider.
1. Water Balloon Fight
Price at time of publish: $14.99
Beat the heat with the exciting water balloon fight! Whether it is each player for themselves or a dodgeball-style competition between teams, a water balloon fight is excellent for keeping the kids cool and laughing. Not crazy about water balloon fights? Try doing a relay race or throwing water balloons at targets.
So, change your young ones into their old t-shirt to spend a splashy day with their friends.
2. Obstacle Course
Price at time of publish:
An obstacle course is always a big hit, mainly because you can use whatever materials you have on hand. And the best part? It’s suitable for kids of all age groups.
The idea is to create a course that is simple enough to complete yet challenging enough to encourage careful thinking. To create an engaging obstacle course, make sure to include a variety of motions (crawling, balancing, jumping, etc.) and use a large area. Here are a few ideas to help make a camping-friendly course:
- Dodging water balloons
- Stepping in and out of buckets of water
- Crawling under a picnic table
- Running around arranged plastic cups
- Completing chalk-drawn hopscotch on the ground
- Weaving in and out arranged camping chairs
Recommended Read: Top 12 Great Hiking Gadgets Every Hiker Needs This Year
3. Cornhole
Cornhole is a staple at most campsites, backyard BBQs, and tailgates, and for all good reason. It is easy to learn and fun kids camping games to play. And because it folds nicely into a compact box, you don’t have to worry about lugging it everywhere you go.
The rules are simple. Players split into teams and try to toss the bag into the board’s hole. Successfully doing so gets you three points, while throwing the bag on the board gets you one point. The first team to score 21 points wins.
Get your very own Cornhole set from Walmart or Amazon
Price at time of publish: $36.99
4. Ladder Ball
Everyone loves a good game of ladder ball (also called ladder golf or ladder toss). What makes it suitable for camping is its easy setup. Additionally, it can be packed neatly to fit into a carry bag or roof rack. You only need a carrying case, two targets, and some bolas.
The rules are simple: toss bolas on the ladder and score points: one for the bottom rack, two for the middle, and three for the top.
Get GoSports Pro Grade Ladder Toss from Amazon.
Price at time of publish: $34.49
5. Capture the Flag
Capture the Flag is another camping game that both kids and adults can play together. It also promotes teamwork, fitness, and healthy competition. Team up kids versus adults and get into the spirit as you chase each other around.
Split your group into two teams of equal sizes and designate a “base.” Each team has to hide its flag in its base, while the opposing team has to find a way to retrieve it without getting tagged. The first team to successfully capture the opposite team’s flag and bring it back into their base wins.
Before you get started, ensure that the playing space is free of obstacles (like tents and picnic tables) and has sufficient room to run around. Furthermore, if you are group camping with lots of family and friends, break up into three or four teams to keep things exciting.
6. Glow-in-the-Dark Ringtoss
Glow sticks are always a huge hit among children, and one way to use them is for a ring toss! Plop some glow sticks into plastic bottles and refill the bottles with water. Then, arrange them like bowling pins and toss glowing rings on them. This adaption of the classic carnival game will entertain the kids until bedtime.
Get your very own Glow in the Dark Ring toss set from Amazon
7. Nature Tic-Tac-Toe
You can create a tic-tac-toe board from pretty much anything. So why not draw it on a tree or dirt for a camping touch? And use acorns and rocks as the game pieces? Easy, breezy, and fun!
8. Sleeping Bag Race
Are you a fan of the potato sack race? If so, you ought to try the sleeping bag race. Anyone can hop into this race, and besides bringing barrels of laughter, it is also a nice way to exercise.
The objective is to shuffle or hop from the start line to the agreed-upon finish line in a sleeping bag as quickly as possible. And then the winner is allowed to decide what’s for dinner.
9. Bocce Ball
Did you know that Bocce Ball goes back to the days of the ancient Egyptians? While many people know it as a backyard game, most campsites have an open, grassy area, providing the perfect place to play.
The nice thing about this camping outdoor game for both kids and adults, is that it requires less space to play, takes up minimal room, and stores nicely in your vehicle or camper. As a bonus, young kids right up to seniors can participate.
The rules are simple: Everyone throws a ball at the center target ball, and whoever hits closest to it wins. Watch out for other balls on the field and opponents eager to block your attempts.
Get GoSports Bocce Ball Set from Amazon.
Price at time of publish:
10. Tug of War
When it comes to the best camping games for kids, few are as fun and straightforward to play as tug of war. All you need is a long rope, a ribbon or flag, and chalk (to divide the playing area).
Cooperation and teamwork are essential for a good match. Here is how you play: choose a leveled surface on the campground, draw a line to divide the area, and split into two equal teams. Both teams have to line up on each side of the rope and pull, tug, pull!
Each team must try to stay on their side and make the other team cross the line; if they manage to do so, they win!
11. Scavenger Hunt
Price at time of publish: $12.50
Scavenger hunts are popular for keeping the kids busy at the campsite, especially if they are getting a bit restless or bored. And the outdoors is the perfect place to hold one.
Give everyone a list and conduct a nature scavenger hunt. Some nature treasures to include in the list are oak leaves, pine cones, snip shells, maple leaves, and rocks of specific colors.
And don’t forget some pencils or pens to help keep track of the checklist and a cloth bag to store the findings. Have the loser team roast and serve the marshmallows for a fun touch!
12. Park Ranger
Looking for a game that’s both entertaining and educational? Try Park Rangers. It’s good clean, fun, and can teach your kids about the animal kingdom!
To play this camping game for kids, you will need a fairly large space with pre-set boundary lines, creating two end zones. Then one player is chosen at random to be the park ranger, who then stands in the middle and calls out the features of a particular animal.
The other players, who stand opposite the park ranger, must decide which animal they are. If the feature of their animal gets called, they must run from one end zone to the other without being tagged by the park ranger.
The park ranger’s mission is to tag as many players as possible. And once the players get tagged, they have to imagine themselves as a tree and stay still for the rest of the game. The person who doesn’t become the tree till the end is deemed the winner.
13. Kick the Can
Kick the Can is like a variation of hide and seek or tag. To start, you need to put a can in the middle of the ground and select one player to be “it” (one fair way to decide is by drawing sticks).
The designated “it” person must then try and catch everyone else. The caught players go to “jail” (usually a bench or any predetermined area for holding), where they have to wait until freed. The trick to free them? Kick over the can without being caught!
Price at time of publish:
14. Camping Soccer
We mean, who doesn’t like soccer? So why not bring a soccer ball and hold a championship in open areas around camp? Kids can practice ball skills while adults cook dinner or build the campfire. You can even set up goals between rocks or trees around the campsite.
Price at time of publish: $36.95
15. Hide and Seek
This classic game is always fun, but much more at a campground because there are many more places to hide than at home. But before you let the kids take off and hide, remember to set up boundaries for the play area, determine the hiding time, and other ground rules to keep everyone safe.
Indoor Camping Games for Kids
While camping under the bright blue sky and lush green forests is a lot of fun, sometimes the weather can put a damper on your best-laid outdoor camping plans. Luckily, there are some wonderful indoor camping activities and games for kids, to keep your campers engaged and happy. These are some ideas to try.
16. Charades
Charades are guaranteed to get everyone laughing regardless of who’s playing. To play, write down the names of cartoon characters, books, well-known phrases, celebrities, movies, or even camping-related activities onto folded paper slips. Then, toss the papers into a bowl and take turns picking and acting out the enlisted item. But keep in mind: no talking!
17. Mad Libs
Mad Libs have been around forever, and yet it never gets old. Young ones will soon find themselves giggling over the silly fill-in-the-blank stories they come up with after naming random verbs, nouns, and adjectives.
You can either start with someone writing a few lines to a story and have the next person complete it, or you can get a few Mad Libs books to forgo the narrative. That way, when you reach the end of the page, you will have a hilarious story to read around the campfire (and even inside your tent).
Get Camp Daze Mad Libs book from Amazon.
Price at time of publish: $5.57
18. Mosquito Bites
Grab some red dot stickers (or really any themed stickers) and list forbidden words the players can’t use for a set of time. If the campers are caught saying prohibited words like “tent” or “campfire,” then they have to get “stung” with a sticker. At the end of the session, the winner is the one with the least bites.
Another variation is trying to get rid of your stickers by secretly placing them on others.
19. Board Games
We can’t forget about more traditional family entertainment either. Board games are fun for all ages and come in many types. There are even nature and camping-inspired variations of your favorites so that you can stick with the decided theme.
Some popular indoor cabin games include:
- Connect Four
- Bananagrams
- Chutes and Ladders
- Candy Land
- Checkers
If you feel extra creative, you can also create your own unique game using pieces from different board games.
20. Card Games
Card games are always a win-win. They are easy to play, even easier to pack, and are a nice way to unwind and relax after a busy day outdoors. As a plus, they can also help develop the memory and concentration of the children.
Some popular card games include:
- Crazy Eights
- Go Fish
- Matching
- Phase 10
- Slapjack
- And, of course, everyone’s dearest: Uno!
However, remember to check the recommended playing age before choosing any card game. Some are ideal for families with young children, while others are better suited for teens and older kids.
21. Cup Stacking
All those disposable plastic cups lying around the campsite are suitable for several stacking games. Designate a different surface for each person and hold a “Minute to Win It” style race to see who stacks and unstacks cups the fastest. You can reuse the same cups for a mini-golf or indoor bowling game.
22. Hand Clapping Games
Old-fashioned hand clapping games can help kill time during a rainy day at the camp. See if the kids know any new ones from the playground or practice some fun ones from your childhood.
Try these fun hand-clapping games to test the kids’ rhythm and coordination and get them hooked.
- Miss Mary Mack
- Miss Suzie
- Patty Cake
- Lemonade Crunchy Ice
All these options are easy to teach your children. And the best part is, once you teach them, they can also teach their friends and entertain themselves for hours.
23. 20 Questions
The 20 questions game is another fun and simple guessing game. One player thinks of a mystery person/thing/animal/object. Then other players ask up to 20 yes-or-no questions to help them figure out what the other person is thinking.
Since younger children may have difficulty answering yes or no if they are not confident about what they have picked, you may include other answers like “sometimes” and “maybe.”
24. I Spy
The age-old, trusted game of I Spy can be played anywhere and is a reliable pastime for indoor camping. If you are unfamiliar with it, it’s a guessing game where one person takes on the role of “spy” and picks something they see around them.
They then give hints to the other person by saying, “I spy with my little eye something that is (insert clues, like a color or shape, or the letter it begins with).” The others then try to find that object based on the clues given. Each time the players get it wrong, the spy can add a clue by repeating the phrase until someone guesses correctly.
25. Word Ladder
Develop vocabulary skills and decoding with Word Ladder. This engaging game is ideal for kids who love word games and puzzles. In it, players take turns making a new word using the previous word’s last letter until someone gets stuck. For example, bat, tap, pan, net…
Pro Tip: Set some rules to make the game more challenging, such as the words should be at least four letters or set a time limit.
26. Storytelling
Storytelling works for any age and doesn’t require any preplanning. Camping is a great opportunity to encourage kids to use their imagination and tell stories. Whether about an imaginary adventure in the woods or their day hiking, have them make up a story about anything they can think of. It will be a blast to hear what they come up with. Kids, teens, parents, grandparents – anyone can get into the fun with this one.
27. Camping Bingo
Camping Bingo is another fun game, regardless of the player’s age. Your kids will love playing round after round, and it will keep them occupied while you drive to your campsite or set up camp.
Camping Bingo is simple and easy to follow. There’s a 5×5 grid of squares, with each square containing a camping-relating word or image. The caller draws cards with the word or images on them and calls them out to the players.
If a player has the corresponding word or image on their card, they mark the square with their printed token. Whoever gets five in a row (vertically, horizontally, or diagonally) and calls out “Bingo” wins!
Get your own Camping Bingo game from Amazon.
28. Simon Says
Simon Says is one of those games that doesn’t need any supplies and, therefore, is perfect for camping trips. One person is chosen to be “Simon,” who tells other players what to do.
The other kids must only obey commands that begin with “Simon says…” or else they are out. The last person remaining becomes Simon for the next round, and the cycle repeats.
Conclusion
Camping is the best time to turn off the tablets and phones and encourage your kids to get involved with nature and play with one another. And our huge list of the best camping games for kids does exactly that!
Whether you’re looking for a quiet indoor game to pass the time or something more competitive, there’s something for everyone. When playing these games, your little ones can strengthen their relationships with fellow campers and create lasting memories.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some fun things to take on a camping trip?
There are multiple items to bring on camping trips. From books and balls to board games like checkers and Monopoly, many things can add significant entertainment to your outdoor experiences. We recommend reading more on camping hacks with kids if you want a comfortable camping trip for everyone.
What are the best nighttime camping activities?
There is no shortage of things to do at night camping. These nighttime activities include singing songs by the fire, campfire games, holding a storytelling competition, and playing with glow stick rings.
Can I camp with toddlers?
Yes, camping with toddlers is completely possible and can be super fun, just make sure to stack plenty of snacks and be prepared. Some tips for guaranteeing a good camping trip with toddlers are choosing a toddler-friendly campground, the right gear, sleep setup, and taking care of other safety issues.
What are camping games for adults?
Popular adult camping games include horseshoes, ladder toss, spike ball, Kan Jam, Cornhole, and Giant Jenga. They require minimal setup but provide hours of entertainment for all ages.
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Last update on 2025-04-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API