Have you got a camping trip planned for this summer? It’s important to keep the kids occupied for some of the time so that you all get the most out of the trip. I’ve got some fun camping ideas for kids that you can try on your next trip!
With summer only around the corner, now is the perfect time to start planning all of your fun camping activities so you’re not just playing board games the whole time. As lovely and cozy as it is to spend all day with the kids, it’s very important to make time for going outside. Being in the sun and fresh air is good for everybody, especially children. You don’t want your kids to be obsessed with their screens. You want them to be willing to spend more time outside, but maybe you’re struggling to come up with ideas of what to do. Keep reading because I’ve got your back.
All my ideas vary from scavenger hunts, fort building, or telling stories. All are achievable on a tight budget and will be better than a simple card game. Getting your kids away from their screens can be difficult so you need to give them a reason to happily leave their screens inside the car or tent. With that in mind, and the summer months coming up, here are a few ideas to entertain and educate your kids using the great outdoors for your next camping trip!
1- Making a Campfire
What else can make you feel more cosy than a campfire? And they’re so easy to build! Just make sure if you’re camping in national parks to check with your local park ranger that campfires are allowed.
Firstly, make a fire-safe ring out of rocks and pebbles in a safe location (away from flammable surfaces like dry grass). Next, gather tinder, kindling, and firewood, avoiding damp materials if possible. Arrange the material you’ve collected from the biggest pieces on the bottom to the smallest pieces on top. Use some smaller pieces to set alight and place them underneath the pile you’ve created making sure to fan the fire to encourage it to grow.
Teaching your kids how to build and start a fire is one of the great survival skills they can learn, and it is also a great bonding experience for your entire family! Be sure to have some marshmallows to toast on sticks as no-one can resist their yummy stickiness. Campfires, with adult supervision, are one of the best camping ideas for kids.
2 – Telling Campfire Stories
This activity goes perfectly with making a campfire. Sitting around a campfire and telling some creepy stories is a classic childhood experience that everyone should do at least once in their lives. Whether you’re out camping or in your own back garden, your little ones are sure to enjoy toasting marshmallows and exchanging stories together as a family. And if you’re unsure of what stories are appropriate to tell, I’ve written an entire book full of short spooky stories to tell around a campfire, right in time for these summer months. The book is perfect for children 9-12, and they’ll want to take this book to every summer camp! You can find my book here. Reading stories together is a great way to spend quality time with your kids. This way you can all focus on toasting those marshmallows to perfection rather than have to create your own stories off the top of your head!
3- Bug Hunt
A bug hunt is when you make a list of local insects and you and your kids take a walk either around the back garden or in a local park and try to find all the insects on your list. You can also look for animal tracks.
You can find what kind of insects to expect through a quick Google search of your area, or you could make the list up as you go and see how many different insects you can find. Just make sure to pack some water bottles and wear comfy clothes if you’re planning a long walk.
This is a great activity to educate the kids about all the different insects that live in your area or the area where you’re visiting, and how to respect Mother Nature in all its beauty! If there are a few of you, you could even make a fun competition out of it with a bug-themed prize like a bug viewer. Encouraging an interest in nature will mean they will want to spend more time outside in the future! What a fun way to explore your surroundings!
4- Camping Scavenger Hunt
A camping scavenger hunt is a great chance for your kids to explore their surroundings. Suitable for older kids aged 8-12, it’s a simple game to let them experience the natural world and the beautiful scenery around them. This scavenger hunt comes with clear instructions and manageable clues so you can focus on having fun as a family instead of all the stress of trying to create a scavenger hunt on your own. The clues come from puzzles the kids have to solve, so playing the game should take about 45 minutes. This game can be played either as individuals, as a pair, or as a group, making it suitable for any family size. You will receive a PDF very shortly after purchase, and you need to print off the clues before you go camping.
A nature scavenger hunt, similar to a treasure hunt, is the best thing to keep your younger children occupied for an afternoon. I’ve got a free set of nature bingo cards that you can print off here >>>
5 – Park Picnic
If you’ve got a little foodie in your family, this is the perfect way to introduce them to some new and tasty food. You only need a large blanket, some plates, knives, forks, and whatever delicious snacks you want as a family. You can either use a local picnic table or use a thick blanket to dine on the ground. By getting the kids out of the house and into a new environment, they may be more open to the idea of trying new foods. You could also get them involved and get your kids to pack their own lunch. They could make sandwiches, pick what snacks they want to take, and so on. Whatever way you decide to eat outside, the fresh air and sun will be a great way to make some good memories for the whole family.
6 – Fairy Houses
This activity is perfect for your younger kids who love a bit of arts and crafts! You can use whatever supplies you have around the house and the activity consists of making your little fairy village.
You can create doors, windows, and even little houses to place around your garden. Don’t forget some little accessories too, fairies love toadstools, flowers, and anything woodsy! You can use trees, tree stumps, or any woodsy areas in your garden or the local park as the perfect backdrop to your fairy village.
You could also get some blank fairy doors and get the kids to paint them. I like this inexpensive set on Amazon.
Your kids will have a great time creating stories about their new fairy neighbors. This activity encourages storytelling and widens their imagination.
7 – Chalk Outdoor Games
If you don’t have a grassy area or a garden, why don’t you try some chalk games? You can buy sidewalk chalk (I prefer the colorful chunky chalk) online or in many craft stores, and tailor the games to what interests your little ones.
Have you got an active kid? Why not use the chalk to draw out an obstacle course or a bike track?
You could also do the classic fun game of hopscotch by drawing 1 square, followed by two, and repeat however many times you please, and get your kids to hop in the 1 square and use both legs for the two squares and so on. Or, if you have a creative child, give them the chalk and some freedom and see what they draw!
Once you’re done, you can simply wash the chalk away with warm water and start again, so there are limitless possibilities for having so much fun.
8 – Nature Confetti
If your family has an event coming up, nature confetti is great to make for any celebration. It’s so easy to make and perfect for old or young kids. To get started you and the kids can go on a confetti collecting trail, with the main objective of collecting as many different colored plants as possible.
Please be responsible for what flowers you’re picking; only ever collect from your garden or public parks, not anyone else’s property. Once you have collected as many different color petals or plants as you can find, you have a few options. My preferred method is a hole puncher; you can get these in several sizes or shapes. Using this punch to make as many different holes in the petals of the plants, collecting the cutouts in a box. Or you can simply use scissors that you already have at home to cut up all your plants into whatever shapes you like. Either way, collect as many as you can and save them for a celebration of any kind!
9 – Build an outdoor fort
This is a fun activity, but you do need decent weather. You can build a fort suitable for your garden out of whatever you have at home or whilst out camping with simple supplies. Better yet, this activity is ideal for kids of all ages. Bed sheets, cardboard, tarp, sleeping bags, or anything like that are the perfect materials. It’s also most effective if you use the trees and features of your garden. However, if you decide to construct your fort, make sure it’s a team-building exercise. Get everyone involved! Ensure you have a soft floor, so use blankets, pillows, and comforters so that you can enjoy your fort once it is built. Host tea parties, or have an afternoon nap in your newly constructed play den, and make the most of being outside in the fresh air. This activity is also doable indoors on a rainy day.
I hope I’ve given you some camping ideas for kids so that you can enjoy family time outdoors. It’s never been more important to limit screen time and fill your kid’s childhood with as many memories and experiences as possible. I aim to make this a little bit easier to achieve. Have a fun-filled summer!
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