Before we get to it, a few rules of the campsite:
1. No one says, I am bored, ever.
2. No smartphones or tablets allowed.
3. Be a kid. That means you, too, Mom and Dad.
Now: Pack up the toy tub, and think fun, because your family is going camping. These are the precious years that can make or break a lifetime camper. Keep your kids engaged with activities they love while you enjoy some family time with this list of campsite outdoor game ideas.
Play the Classics
These games are easy to set up and fun for everyone. A little family-friendly competition never hurt.
- Bag-toss game
- Bocce ball
- Horseshoes
- Frisbee
- Board games
- Charades
- Whiffle ball
- Disc golf
- Football
- Soccer
- Baseball
- Kickball
Start a New Tradition:The campsite is a great place to begin family game traditions. These options will have the kids excited about the next camping trip before they are even done with this one.
Scavenger Hunt: Peak their interest in nature by having them collect items on a list, such as a feather, multicolored leaf, something a bear would eat, a heart-shaped rock, something orange, etc.
Obstacle Course: Use the campsite setup as your course for this game, which might include: crawl under the picnic table, do three jumping jacks, hop to the tent and back, hug a tree, sing a song and so on.
Mountain Golf: Take a few old golf clubs (check your local Salvation Army store) and several balls (you will lose a few), and create your own nine-hole golf course. The tree 10 feet away is a par 3. The rock 30 feet away is a par 4. Let the person with the lowest score on each hole hit the ball and wherever it lands is your next tee. Keep score as you would in a real golf game.
Target Practice: There are several toy weapons for target practice like Z-Curve Bows with foam arrows, Hunting Arcade Shooting Game guns with a harmless infrared beam, Marksman and Daisy slingshots with Daisy Glass Ammo and Outdoor Hunter Foam Dart Shotguns. You can even set up NXT Generation Bear or Deer Target for precision and extra laughs. It is a good time to teach kids about weapon safety, as well. See each individual toy for age recommendations.
Natural Art Contest: Take along a bottle of craft glue. Give each kid the same amount of natural resources such as five sticks, three flowers, two pine cones and three rocks. Give them 10 minutes to create something imaginative and when finished, have them describe their masterpieces. You can make your own variations of the game to personalize it to your family.
Campfire Stories: Sitting around the fire, one person starts making up a story and each person around the campfire adds to it. By the end, you have a zany story the kids will tell Grandpa about when they get back. Have the writer in the family jot down the story as a keepsake.
Nighttime Games: When the sun sets, get out the headlamps, flashlights and glow sticks, because this party just started.
- Flashlight tag
- LED Ladder Toss Outdoor Game
- Glow stick ring toss
- Stargazing/constellation naming
- Shadow puppets
More Games
- Capture the flag
- Washer toss
- Cabela's Tent Pole Ladderball
- Geocaching
- Outside Inside Roll-Up Trophy Hunter Magnetic Dart Game
- Works of Ahhh Birdhouse Activity Sets
Camp games teach kids valuable skills such as cooperation. They encourage them to use their imagination and offer some friendly competition. Make any twists to the rules to make the games your own.
Games for kids to fuel their love for the outdoors and help them become lifetime campers.
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