Best Camping Activities for Kids
The best easy camping activities for kids of all ages!
Looking for some fun activities to keep the kids busy and make the most of your camping trip? Whether you want to teach them to entertain themselves in pre-technology ways, give them something to fill those ‘boring’ quiet times (which are supposed to be relaxing!), or simply make more memories sharing quality time together, this list of activities will have you packing bags ready to go!
My family has been planning a camping week away and part of my research has been making notes of fun ideas to do with the kids. Plus I’ve included activities that have worked for us in the past. You’ll find some ideas for all ages, from toddlers up to teens! And of course, adults can join in too! These really are some fun, practical and easy camping activities your family will love (and remember for years to come).
5 Camping Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Pretend cooking: Give your toddler a big pot or bucket with some water. Let them pick leaves, collect sticks, scoop up dirt and choose their own nature ingredients. They can stir with a big stick or a spoon. This is a great activity to do when you are busy cooking dinner – let them ‘cook’ alongside you.
Make damper, AKA camping playdough! Damper is a traditional campfire bread recipe in Australia, and it’s super simple to make. The best part is, it’s also a super simple dough toddlers can play with. So do your cooking, and give some to your toddler to play with too.
Play washing – hang up some rope between two trees at your toddler’s height, give them pegs and let them ‘hang up washing’. Whether you have real washing, or just give them some tea towels or spare clothes, it doesn’t have to be real washing. Although if it is, all the better! They might also want to hang up toys, or make up their own game, which is even better.
Take some normal indoor toys and let them play outdoors with them. My son loved having his cars out in the dirt and grass, making jumps and tracks with rocks and sticks. My daughter loved having her barbies/dolls outdoors.
Collections: Get your little one excited about finding something (or encourage their own enthusiasm). They might love ‘special’ sticks or rocks (as my son did), feathers, or coloured leaves. We would always make a big collection throughout the camping trip, draw pictures of these things, and eventually take them home for the kids to take to their preschool/daycare. Back at home, the educators loved having lots of natural items for play time. (Of course don’t take nature items from national parks!)
At this age, remember that toddlers still need a fairly predictable routine. And also, make the most of nature around you to provide endless entertainment for your little ones. It’s okay if they get dirty – filthy, even. They will come out the other end with a better immune system (it’s good for their microbiome!) and a love for being outdoors.
10 Camping Activities for Kids
The kids loved putting on a talent show on our recent family camping trip!
Making ham + cheese damper, and toasting marshmallows are fun camp cooking activities for kids
Camp cooking fun – let the kids try making some super simple camp cooking recipes. Damper is a great one to start with, it’s basically just a dough (you can flavour it if you plan ahead, or eat it plain). This recipe explains how to make it, and the fun cooking process of wrapping the dough around a stick to cook it! Or try some desserts, like cooked banana with chocolate chips (in foil). The idea is that the cooking should be simple enough they can do it themselves, and you can just provide supervision around the fire.
Friendship bracelets (and other time-consuming crafts).
Card games.
Put on a performance, e.g. a talent show, circus, or play. This is a hit when you have groups of kids camping together.
Gather firewood. Amazingly, kids love this activity.
Create a cubby/fort, treehouse or other ‘secret’ play area of their own.
Water fight – pack some water balloons (we love these reusable water balloons) or small water guns
Glow stick games
Spotlight – this is a game of hide and seek at night, where you use torches to find each other. Obviously you need safety boundaries in place.
Go looking for animals and creatures. You can make a bingo-style checklist (the kids can design their own one if you want an extra activity). Or go at night with torches, respectfully of nature, and see what you can find. We always found possums and owls, it was a real thrill.
At this age, kids just want to have fun. Give them the gift of a break from screens and rushing to get ready and go from one place to the next. Let them try things, take risks, and have time to do games and hobbies and be creative. Make sure you have enough time just ‘hanging out’ at camp, not always doing tourist activities.
On our family trip, we’ll spend the sunny mornings out exploring the region, then come back to camp for the afternoon. The kids will be expected to ‘entertain themselves’ (i.e. play) while we have an afternoon rest (cup of tea) around the fire, prepare dinner, have showers, and get the camp ready for night time etc. That afternoon time is when the kids have the best fun playing with each other and doing quiet activities together.
5 Camping Activities for Teens
Card games. Teens are the perfect age for the more fun, competitive, strategic card games. They can last for ages doing a game they really enjoy. You don’t need to stick to traditional card games, although it is a great opportunity to teach them the games you loved as a teen. There are plenty of fantastic games out there these days. Just choose some that are easy to pack and don’t have lots of little pieces.
Photo challenge. Ok, if you want to do pre-screen then give them a traditional or disposable camera to work with. Otherwise, give them a daily photography challenge, or get them to make a video of the trip. Come up with challenges or ideas that resonate with your teens, whether it’s a documentary or a stop-life video with rock characters.
Real jobs, e.g. Chop firewood, prepare dinner, look after the fire, fill up water jugs, etc. Give your teens real responsibility for jobs only adults usually do. Many teens will thrive with this, if you don’t hover and correct them.
Journal. This could be a nature journal, sketch journal, or just a traditional diary. Or get them to write a story or make up a song while you’re camping, if they are creative like that.
Go exploring. Give your teens the trust to wander off a bit on their own, if you’re at a safe campsite. Maybe your teen could go fishing on their own, to the camp-shop on their own, or on a bushwalk. Set boundaries, let them know when they’re meant to be back by, and give them some freedom. This will be so refreshing for all of you.
Camping with teens is an opportunity to give teens two things: First, responsibility. They can learn real skills that will stay with them for life. Show them you see their maturity and give them opportunities to be with the adults if they want it. Second, time away from rushing, busyness, drama, screens and stress. This second one is a gift they may appreciate only once they’ve settled into camp rhythm. Try to think about your teen’s strengths and hobbies, and give them time to do those things – whether it’s being creative, or simply having time to throw a ball around.
Best Toys and Gear to Take Camping for More Fun
Here’s a summary of the gear/items mentioned in this post. They are often simple things you might already have, or some ideas you could even think about stocking up on for birthday and Christmas gifts. Camping is often the best time to really get use out of
Bikes
Friendship bracelet kit or supplies (e.g. thread, beads)
Cards, e.g. traditional packs, waterproof packs (a lifesaver when it rains) or new card games depending on what the kids love. Bring the games you already have at home but never have time to play.
Sparklers and glow sticks
Walkie talkies (instead of phones!). These are great if the kids go off somewhere by themselves, so you can contact each other.
Torches
Buckets - collapsible ones work best for easy packing
Fishing gear
Notebooks/note pads and nice pencils or pens
Reusable water balloons (you don’t want to get little plastic balloon pieces all over the campsite, and water guns are too bulky, so these are the perfect solution!)
Simple ropes and pegs
Mesh bags for collecting things (e.g. leaves, shells, feathers) for younger kids.
I hope these activities, games and ideas give you plenty of inspiration for your family’s next camping trip!
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Here’s a bonus activity idea from another blog - make a colour scavenger hunt where kids have to find something around the campsite, or on your hikes, to match each of the colours. Or see who can find the most colours, or fill in a rainbow with nature objects the quickest, etc.
