After a long winter or a long week, we love to load up our gear and the kids and go on a camping trip. Since discovering camping activities for my kids, camping is as exciting for me as it is for them! It is something that we all look forward to, thanks to these camping ideas.
Some of our most memorable times as a family have been together in a tent while camping–like the time my husband zipped up the tent before our dog made it in and she jumped on top of the tent in her search to find us. When a dog is on top of the tent, the dog and tent are on top of you! The more we called her name to get her to come down, the more she ran, bouncing from my tummy to my husband’s head before lying down on my daughters feet. The laughter, the squeals, and the relief when she was safely inside are fondly remembered often by our children.
We’ve made special memories on ATV trails, during nature walks, while playing games, and sitting around the fire. The best camping activities for kids are simple and rewarding. That’s my favorite part!
Benefits of Taking the Kids Camping
There are so many benefits when it comes to camping with kids.
- Screen Free Time: We like to camp in areas where cell phone and internet service is limited, so we can completely unplug. It’s a delightful break from tablets, computers, and the constant ping of our phones.
- Quality Family Time: when we’re on a nature walk or sitting by the fire, we connect with each other and as a family unit in new and special ways.
- Rest: Occasionally, we plan an early morning start for an activity, excursion, or hike, but most of the time, we don’t have alarms or strict schedules. Our minds and bodies can rest.
- Creativity: Kids love to create and play with limited structure, time limits, or direction. Camping is the perfect place for them to do so.
- Fresh air and open space: It’s magical to be free in the fresh air and open space to explore, learn, wander, and create.
Camping Activities for Kids
The best part of camping is the activities we enjoy together. We always include a few new camping activities for the kids each time we go, but we always remember to take our favorites! We are so excited to share our favorite camping activities for kids that everyone loves.
Nature walk
One of my family’s favorite camping activities is going for a nature walk. The time spent walking along, and admiring nature is priceless! Gathering sticks, rocks, admiring plants, and simply talking to one another in a quiet place can be the base for some amazing memories.
Camping Bingo
Camping bingo is the perfect camping activity for kids. This timeless, flexible game can be played anytime, anywhere. While camping, make it even more fun by grabbing some pebbles for your marking chips.
Camping Charades
Camping Charades will bring laughter and fun as deer, birds, logs, and streams make their way into the camp through your acting skills! We love playing this around the campfire each night with the kids.
Leaf rubbing
Leaf rubbing is a fun activity that you will definitely want to do. You can do this activity to many things other than leaves, but leaves are a fun place to start. Simply place the leaf under a regular sheet of printer paper and color over the top with a crayon. It’ll produce images of the leaf, its veins and stem (and whatever else was under the paper while coloring). Try it on tree bark too! This is one souvenir you won’t mind coming home from your camping trip!
Rock painting
Pack some paint and paintbrushes on your next camping trip, and then turn the kids loose on the rocks! Painting with small twigs and leaves is fun too! Once my kids rock paint while camping they love to hide a few for the next campers to find!
Artwork
Creating masterpieces on the ground with twigs, rocks, and leaves is sure to spark every imagination. You may have Picasso or Rembrandt in camp without even realizing it! Challenge the kids to only use nature to create unforgettable art to enjoy while camping.
Rock art
Another great camping activity for kids is rock art. We love to gather rocks and then create pictures with the rocks. Dogs, clouds, horses, birds, the list goes on and on. Finding small rocks of varying shapes and sizes creates a magnificent supply and gives the imagination room to run.
Fishing
There’s nothing quite like a quiet morning or evening on the bank with a pole, some line, and a worm. Kids love fishing while camping. Don’t forget a fishing license if it’s required!
Hiking
Hiking is one of our favorite camping activities for kids. No matter the age of your kids there is always a hike to go on. Hikes can be long or short, steep or flat. The details of the trail are important to consider as you’re choosing which trails to embark on. Wear good, comfy shoes (not new ones!), pack a lunch and some water, then head off with your crew to enjoy nature together.
Bird watching
Kids love bird watching. Grab a birdwatching book to take camping with you, or just pick a spot and listen to the birds sing, watch them go about their work, and admire their beauty in their natural habitat.
Rock skipping
Who doesn’t love rock skipping while camping? Some flat rocks and the right angle produce magic when they’re tossed across a body of water. I haven’t mastered rock skipping yet, but my husband has, and my kids delight in seeing his rocks skip multiple times across the water. When their rock skips, it’s reason for celebration!
Plant identification
Who says you can’t teach your kids new things while camping? Plant identification is a family favorite! There are endless resources for plant identification, so find one you like and enjoy matching plants you find to your book or app. Many local libraries have a variety of plant identification books to choose from. Not only is this a fun activity but also helps teach kids the plants to avoid while camping.
Bug collecting
Bug collecting is my kids favorite, mine not so much! All you need is a jar, a twig, and you are ready to go find bugs! Who knew that finding a grasshopper may be the highlight of the entire camping trip for the kids. Sometimes my kids get lucky and find pretty butterflies or moths to catch and enjoy for a little while before we turn them loose again.
Creek Swimming
Creek swimming is another great activity to do camping with kids. Be sure you have all safety nets in place, such as lifejackets, ensuring the water is safe to play, etc., and then enjoy cooling off in the creek. One of my friends used to tell me that the solution to all boredom is simple: add a little water! I find this to be true now, too!
Snipe hunting
Snipe hunting while camping is a must, especially with older kids. While snipe are real birds, snipe hunting is all about using your imagination! All you need are some empty pillowcases, flashlights, bug spray, and determination to be successful. Enjoy some laughs as you hunt for snipe as a family! Who knows, they might fly over you or walk ahead of you. This game is most fun when played with kids or people who think the snipe is real and take the hunt seriously. Their faces when they discover it’s all been a game of imagination are priceless!
Stories around the fire
Stories around the campfire are a must when it comes to camping activities for kids. These stories can be rehearsed, passed down from generations, classics everyone has heard a million times, or made up on the spot. Just enjoy being together and telling stories. Roast marshmallows while you listen for even more fun.
ATV excursions
A highlight for our family is time on our ATVs as we go on ATV excursions while camping. We have traveled many miles and taken in so much of the Earth’s beauty as we’ve traveled together on our ATVs. We have four-wheelers. Many of our friends like side-by-sides so find the thing that is right for your family. It’s important to ensure all safety checks are completed and in place before heading out on your adventure. Our rule that you always want to follow is never ride without helmets, long pants and sleeves, closed-toe shoes are a must and knowledge of the area to avoid becoming lost.
Whittling
Whittling is another great activity to do while camping with the kids. While fun, this activity will require some knowledge beforehand. Whittling is, put simply, woodcarving. Softwoods, like pine, are easiest to whittle. Since carving involves a sharp knife, appropriate instruction and supervision is required.
Stargazing
Our favorite nighttime activity is, hands down, stargazing! Clear nights give way to incredible views of the sky. Whether we can locate specific constellations or not, we are inspired by the sheer magnificence of the view!
S’mores
Camping isn’t camping with S’mores! Graham crackers, a piece of Hershey’s chocolate, and a fire-roasted marshmallow are all you need to enjoy this yummy treat. I’ve discovered the ease of using chocolate covered Grahams or Keebler Fudge Stripe cookies and it has made S’mores even easier around the fire as it combines the cracker and chocolate into one!
Fire safety
Learning about fire safety and then building a fire is a keystone camping activity. Is it really camping if there’s no campfire? Teach your kids early how to help build the fire. This might mean help gathering sticks and twigs to help get the fire going.
Lumberjacking
If you’re going to build a fire, you’ll have to claim the title of lumberjack, at least temporarily. And when it comes to gathering wood, a title like that makes the task even more enjoyable! My husband likes to chop wood, so he has really enjoyed teaching my son how to swing an ax…and he lives for the reward: building the fire!
Animal sound identification
My kids love to do animal sound identification while camping. Listening to animal sounds and identifying what you hear can be tough, but imagination is welcome here! Is it a coyote? A bear? A snipe? Maybe it is Dad snoring! No matter what it is the kids love listening to all the sounds nature has to offer while camping.
First Aid
Learning First Aid is essential while camping and can be made to be a really fun camping activity with a few baby dolls, tourniquets, and bandaids. Discovering ways to handle minor injuries and what to do in the case of serious injury is vital, especially if you’re in the wilderness and quite a distance from help.
Survival
What boy wouldn’t love playing survival while camping? My husband loves to go camping to practice specific survival skills with our kids. For instance, we may camp with the intention of locating water, determining what water sources would be suitable, and then purifying it. There’s nothing as refreshing as fresh, clean mountain water! We always pack water and go to a place he is familiar with. Our motto is, “We’re going to learn survival skills, but we take everything needed to survive with us.”
Compass/orienteering
Camping activities for kids don’t have to take a lot of effort. Compass and orienteering are some of those activities that are easy to do and super important to teach kids. Knowing how to operate a compass, looking for signs in nature to determine direction, and discovering ways to orient oneself in nature is an exciting exploration for kids and a vital life skill that they will thank you for later in life
Map reading
Learning how to read a map isn’t a common skill today due to the ease of electronic maps in our modern world, but escaping the modern world is why we go camping, right? When it comes to map reading, we start with simple maps to search for treasure (like the creek when we’re going swimming!) and move up to more complex maps as our kids discover how to utilize them to plan excursions, to measure the distance, and time it will take to get to your desired destination.
Homemade butter
Making homemade butter while camping is always fun activity for the kids. All you need is some heavy whipping cream and a jar! To speed up the process, add just a little salt. Then shake, shake, shake until the butter starts to form. You will then have delicious homemade butter for your pancakes in the morning!
Dutch oven cooking
Planning meals and cooking them in dutch ovens will always be my favorite part of camping! We like to try new recipes and have our go-to, tried, and true meals like Dutch Oven Potatoes and Peach Cobbler. Involve the kids in your Dutch oven cooking while camping. Soon you will find that they want to make a meal for the family while camping.
Camping Scavenger Hunt
Camping scavenger hunts are always a favorite. Grab the camping scavenger hunt printable and see how many items you find as a team. Who doesn’t love finding treasure while camping.
Flashlight tag
Darkness makes a simple game of tag a little more tricky, and that is why my older kids always beg to play flashlight tag while camping. The one who is “it” has the flashlight, closes their eyes, and counts. While they count, everyone hides. We like to wear headlamps so we can see when we’re running to hide, and then we turn them off once we are hidden. When the person who is “it” finishes counting, they turn on their flashlight and start searching. When the light shines on you, you’re “it”!
Puppet show
My little kids have always loved puppet shows while camping. Puppets have been constructed from pillows, sleeping bags, paper plates, and cups many times while camping. Let the creative juices flow and put on a puppet show that everyone wil love
Cornhole
Cornhole is easy to pack and something we always take with us when anytime we camp. Without devices to distract us, we can play for hours!
Bike riding
Having a place to ride bikes is so nice for our kids while we are camping. They’re used to riding in our suburban neighborhood, so going out into wide open space on new terrain is an excellent adventure for them.
Puzzles
I always have a puzzle in my camping gear! I don’t take any huge puzzles; a 300-500 piece puzzle is ideal. They can be assembled in a relatively small space. It’s our go-to activity before bed or on rainy days.
Geocaching
Geocaching is one camping activity for kids that you don’t want to miss out on. There are apps for geocaching, but our 82 year-old neighbor taught us that the best geocache is the one you discover by accident! Finding unique rocks never gets old.
Cloud shapes
I have many fond memories of looking at the clouds with my Grandpa and trying to see all the things he saw. It’s an activity that my kids often request as well. We’re always looking for a unicorn, a bear, or a dragon. Camping slows us down and gives us space to really enjoy this treasured activity.
Sing around the fire
We like to sing anytime, so gathering around the fire is an opportunity that can’t be resisted. We sing songs from “She’ll be comin’ ‘round the mountain when she comes…” to “Home, home on the range….” to “Jingle Bells. We take turns choosing a song, and then everyone joins in!
Search for and identify animal prints
Looking for animal tracks will keep my son entertained all day long! He has found many prints that I would have easily missed. This is the perfect camping activity to do when you want a nice quiet activity during the afternoon after being busy all morning on an adventure.
Rock climbing
If the area you’re camping in has an area for rock climbing, you’re in for a treat! You don’t have to have big rock walls to climb, though. Even large rocks are fun to climb on.
Knot tying
Perhaps it’s the boy scout in him, but my husband will sit under a tree and tie knot after knot. My kids enjoy learning knot tying from him, and I’m always amazed at how he can remember all the different knots and how easy he makes it look.
Slingshots
A forked branch and an elastic can lead to days of fun and adventuring like Tom Sawyer with making homemade slingshots. Grab some cans, stack them up in a pyramid, and let the kids shoot at them with small pebbles. Boredom busted!
Float the river
Floating the river while camping is a fun excursion. I like gentle rivers, but my family is always up for a whitewater rafting adventure. Whatever you prefer, if it’s available, enjoy it! Be sure you have life jackets for the kids!
Tug of war
Grab a long rope, a team, and a line in the sand to make a homemade tug of war. This game satisfies even the most competitive part of us and helps us teach the kids teamwork along the way. We always have the losing team serve the winners dessert around the fire.
Tree identification
Tree identification is one of my personal favorites while camping. We recently took a trip to southern Nevada and entered into just a bit of California. We learned about the Joshua trees there and were excited to point them out as we continued traveling. It stepped up our I-Spy game.
Edible food search
Have you ever done an edible food search while camping? Searching for edible plants and berries in the wilderness can be really rewarding. We stumbled upon a patch of huckleberries once and knew we had hit the jackpot!
Shadow show
Plan a shadow show for one of the nights you are camping. Making shadows on the tent wall or on a tree gives way to epic tales of adventure. Wolves, eagles, and bunnies are simple, but many figures can be made with a flashlight and two hands!
Water balloon fight
Hot days call for water balloons and what better way to cool off camping than with an epic water balloon fight? We keep some balloons with our camping gear, along with a syringe to be able to fill them up. Always be sure to pick up the pieces of balloons, though!
Glow stick dance party
Music, dancing, and glowsticks create memories to last a lifetime while camping. A glow stick dance party is a must. Be sure to pack extra glow sticks because you can almost guarantee that neighboring campers will want to join in the fun!
Journaling
Early in the morning is when the sun starts its ascent and it is my favorite time to sit quietly and journal. I enjoy writing about what I see, hear, feel, smell, our adventures, and memories I cherish. Camping gives me a rare opportunity to be free of distraction, which has created an environment that I cherish for quiet reflection and recording.This same activity has become my kid’s favorite thing to do before breakfast. The younger ones draw pictures of what they see while the older ones reflect on the beauty all around them.
Glow stick ring toss
Glow stick ring toss is a must camping activity for kids. Glowing rings bring a boring game of ring toss to life! We find some sticks and stand them up in the dirt, assign each a point value, and it’s off to the races! I always win this one.
Sleeping bag races
Sleeping bag races are one we save for the last day so I can clean up the sleeping bags when we get home, unless we have a nice grassy area to race in. Both legs go in the bag, the whistle blows, and the first to make it across the finish line wins!
Arm wrestling tournament
I appreciate activities that take no prep on my part so an arm wrestling tournament. is perfect! Who will this year’s camp champ be?
Thumb wrestling tournament
Definitely a highlight for the kids while camping is a thumb wrestling tournament. Thumb wrestling has changed since I was a kid and our thumbs weren’t quite as nimble as they are today. You’ll know who’s been texting the most with this one!
Giant Jenga
You can purchase or make your own giant Jenga with 2×4 pieces of wood to take camping with you. Find a nice flat spot, and get to work building and then removing. This game is perfect for camping because it is hard to lose the pieces (unless someone uses them for firewood) and they are pretty indestructible.
Yoga
Bring your Yoga mat and bring relaxation and calm to your camping experience with a family yoga session in the morning as you watch the sun rise.
Obstacle course
Nature creates its very own obstacle course which makes it a favorite camping activity for kids. The first to navigate the course is the winner! Change it up, make new courses, and see how well your kids sleep every night!
Bubbles
We take a giant bottle of bubbles, a big tray, and lots of different bubble wands when we go camping. When there’s a little breeze, the kids happily blow bubbles all afternoon.
Magnifying glass or microscope
My son loves bringing his magnifying glass while camping. If it’s not in his hand, it’s in his back pocket. He likes to look at everything he finds under it. There are some small, portable microscopes that would be really fun to keep in your camping tubs so you always have them on your camping trips to explore and see things up close.
Card games (Uno, Phase 10)
Card games are a must while camping. Phase 10 is a family favorite for us! Someday, I’m going to win. Keep a deck of cards, Uno, Phase 10, and other small games with your camping supplies so you always have them when you are away.
What are your favorite camping activities for kids? Share them with us in the comments!
Michele Tripple is a renowned author and expert in the fields of parenting, relationships, and personal development. With her degree in marriage and family studies, her experience as a Family Life Educator, and over a decade of experience as a professional writer, Michele has authored books that provide practical advice and insights into improving family dynamics and personal growth. Her work is celebrated for its blend of research-driven information and relatable, real-world applications. Michele has been a keynote speaker at conferences and has contributed to numerous publications and media outlets, solidifying her reputation as an authoritative voice in her field and helping families build relationships.