14 Classic Camping Games the Whole Family Will Love
There is no better way to connect with family members than to head out on a camping adventure. Having an opportunity to disengage from the outside world is an ideal opportunity to bond with each other. Camping games are a fun way to connect, no matter the age of your campers.
Having camping games to play that connect the whole family and entertain children is a great way to pass the time and build memories your children will talk about their entire lives.
It helps to be prepared to pass the time before you head out with your family. Having a few fun tricks up your sleeve is a great way to be prepared for the moments that matter.
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CAMPING GAMES TO KEEP THE WHOLE FAMILY ENGAGED ON YOUR NEXT CAMPING TRIP
Games build memories and bring people together. Best of all, many games require little to no items to make them possible. Many of these items you already probably have packed! There is already so much to pack for camping, why bring more than you need?
The best thing about camp games is putting the technology down. With these game ideas, you won’t have kids asking to play a game on your phone.
Connection in families is essential, and many are realizing how much technology stands in the way of relationships.
Camping is a way for families to disengage from everything but each other. It is a chance to close the divide.
GET MOVING
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Some camping games are perfect for getting your family out of their camp chairs and on their feet.
1. Ducks and goose
Depending on where you are from, the game Duck, Duck, Goose is a classic.
To play this game, players sit in a circle. The player designated as the “it” person walks around the outside of the circle tapping the heads of the players, saying “duck” until he decides to bestow the title of “goose” on a player.
The “goose” chases the “it” around, trying to tag him. If the goose is not successful, he becomes the person selecting the next goose.
A fun alternative to this game is to walk around with a full cup of water. The player who takes the whole cup of water to the head has to do the chasing.
Perfect for a hot summer day!
2. We’re going hunting
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Creating a list of nature-themed objects to find is another of the fun camping games you can play. Scavenger hunts like these are a great way to get the whole family involved in some friendly competition.
If you choose to make your own list, include items like uniquely shaped rooks, flying bugs, crawling bugs, sticks, and butterflies. There are plenty of lists you can find online to print for free, as well.
This game is easy to set up. You can pair up as teams or have everyone play for themselves.
3. YOU’RE IT
Tag is a fantastic way to spend time while camping. It is a classic game that always brings screams of laughter from children. There are many varieties that keep things fun and interesting.
Tag is one of those camping games you can play after dark, too. Just grab a flashlight and set off on a quest to tag one another with the beam of light.
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4. MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR
Sleeping bag races may not be for the uncoordinated, but that is what makes it so fun!
As a twist on the classic Sack Race, instead of using flour sacks or burlap bags, campers use their sleeping bags. Once players are in a line, with their feet in the bags, they have to hop to the finish line and earn bragging rights!
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TIME TO GET COZY
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Settling in around a campfire after playing camping games is a perfect way to settle in for the evening. That does not mean the fun is ending, though! This time at the end of the day is ideal for connecting with your family and playing even more fun camping games.
5. With my little eye
I Spy is a perfect camping game when sitting around the fire.
The instructions are simple. Notice an object and describe the object with just one adjective. This game has the potential to be hilarious, as players try to stump each other with unique descriptors.
6. That’s scary
Some camping games are classics. Scary stories never get old. For some reason, pulling up to a crackling campfire while eating some marshmallows is a perfect opportunity to share some spooky stories.
Out of all the camping games, this one requires the least planning. If your kids are too little to be spooked, tell stories that have a funny twist.
Make this game into a contest for added bragging rights.
You might also take the time to share your memories. A major bonus of camping is building a connection. Parents telling their childhood stories is a perfect opportunity to relate to a younger generation.
7. There’s no way that’s true
Two Truths and a Lie is another one of those camping games that requires no prep-work.
The premise is each person states three facts about themselves. Two of those statements are truthful, and one is a lie. The players have to guess which is the lie.
I DON’T WANT TO GO TO BED!
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The best part of camping is staying up late. Knowing the only thing that needs to happen the next day is more relaxing, it is easy to overlook rigid bedtimes. There are great games to play late at night when everyone tucks into their tents for the night.
8. What’s in the shadow?
All you need for a shadow puppet game is the dark, a decent flashlight, and your imagination. Set up your flashlight and practice your animal shapes with your hands.
9. Let them be
Snuggled up in a tent waiting for drift off to sleep is a perfect time to talk. The kind of talking that invites stories and sharing.
Those quiet times of whispered conversations are the heart of connecting with people. It would be easy for parents to ask their kids to go to sleep. It is, after all, dark.
But those shared moments and whispered conversations are part of the bond building that carries through to adulthood. These are the stories they will share with their children one day while gathered around a campfire.
LET IT RAIN
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Often there is some downtime while camping when the energy level is low. Rainy days and quiet moments don’t have to slow you down. There are plenty of camp games to keep everyone happy!
10. It looks like…
A perfect game for some down-time is watching clouds and trying to figure out what they resemble. This activity is an ideal way to spend a quiet afternoon.
11. Where is the glue?
Having a craft bucket is a fantastic way to fill up some quiet moments. Scissors, glue, paper, and crayons are great additions to a craft kit for kids. Pull up to your camping table and get the creativity flowing.
Granted, planning a crafting kit takes a little more time and consideration, not to mention space to pack it with all the other gear. This activity may be worth the space dedicated when packing, especially if you can leave the charging cords at home!
12. Time to curl up
Sometimes curling up with a good book is what is needed to decompress.
With so much competing for our attention each day, it is often difficult to find time with no distractions to commit to a good book.
To make it even more fun, go to the local library and check out some nature-themed books for the kids to share. Don’t forget to grab a book for yourself!
13. I have a sense for these things
Another camping game to occupy your senses is playing sensory games. It is one of those camping games that requires absolutely nothing but yourself.
To play, all you do is find somewhere comfortable to sit.
Start with your eyes closed and tune in to what is happening around you. Starting with what you hear, listen for noises you would not ordinarily hear. Listen hard.
Once you can name a few sounds you would not ordinarily notice, it is time to move to a different sense. You can do this with all your senses. It gives the whole family time to pause and notice the world.
14. Is that my phone ringing?
A fun game to play while camping is called Telephone. This game tends to work better with a large group.
The person who starts will whisper a message to the person on either their left or right. It is only whispered once by each person. In turn, each person continues to whisper the message until it works it’s way around the circle.
In the end, the final person says the message
aloud to compare it to the original message. Hearing how your message gets jumbled in translation can lead to plenty of laughter.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE USED TO
The connections created by playfulness during times like camping are the stories your kids will tell and retell for years to come. There is so much satisfaction as a parent to know you created space for your kids that build their memories for years to come.
Camping as a family is a perfect opportunity to connect without the competition of a fast-paced technological world. We can’t pause our world, but camping gives us the opportunity to stop and notice the world around us and the complex nature of who we are to each other.
What is your favorite camping memory? Tell us in the comments!
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Daniel C. Warren gradually morphed from a weekend warrior into a full-time outdoorsman and outdoor blogger. From picking up trash in the woods or sleeping under an open sky to hiking until his plantar fasciitis says no more or having a field day fishing with like minded fellow countrymen, there’s little he doesn’t wholeheartedly enjoy while out in the wild. While some might call him a true-born nature freak, he likes to see himself as a “born-again” outdoor enthusiast. Daniel just can’t get enough of nature, and we’re grateful whenever he decides to share his latest experiences with us.
