Easy Camping Activities for Kids

By G.A. Anderson (Gus), on March 11th, 2011

CampingwithGus.com Kid's Activities playing cards

Camp Games and Activities They Can Do On Their Own

Let them play! These in-camp games and activities for kids suggestions; like playing cards, blowing bubbles, and others, are things kids can do with just a watchful eye from you.

Sometimes the “old stand-bys” are the best, and usually the last to be thought of!

Playing Cards! Kids love to play cards, and unless they are very young, card-type camp games are always a hit, and they don’t really need your supervision to do it. When you are camping with kids, your packing list should include at least:

Two decks of regular playing cards, (jumbo face if you can get them), for games as simple as “War” and “Go Fish”, and older kids may even enjoy playing “Rummy”.

**A favorite Boy Scout camp card game is called “Slap-Jack” – a very active game that can be played with any number of players
UNO – another camp favorite, is played with a deck of UNO cards, not regular cards, (most Dollar stores have UNO cards, – no need to spend a lot), and is an easy-to-understand matching game.

>>>> See more camping card games

Dominoes! – and not just for the game. Young campers love to use Dominoes to build things more than they like to play the game, kids love to set them up in lines, – just to watch them fall down. You can find these at the Dollar store too! Keep a couple boxes in your “Camping with Kids Survival Kit”.
**These are available on Amazon, but they are a lot cheaper if you have a Dollar store near you. Dominoes on Amazon

Bubbles – Yep!, Blowing Bubbles – A simple but fun activity that young campers of all ages enjoy. And the best way to do it, (for you), is with those little bubble bottles you find in party or wedding favor packs.

They usually come in packs of six for a buck or two, so every young camper gets their own bottle. And they are only an ounce or two of bubble stuff so when “bubble-time” is over for the camping trip, don’t worry about cleaning the sticky little bottles, and storing them for the next trip, just toss them in the trash. The ease of this method is well worth having to re-stock for each weekend camping trip.

Here’s what they look like on Amazon, (in case you don’t have any stores that carry them near you), – Bubble Party Favors

Magnify Nature! – An inexpensive plastic magnifying glass can provide an activity that will help them learn about nature while they think they are just having fun!

You will need a magnifying glass, a piece of string about three feet long, and a small pencil and pad for each young camper. Tie a stick to each end of the string and plant one end in the ground. Use the stick on the other end to draw a circle on the ground. This is their area of exploration.

Challenge each young camper to see how many different things they can see with the magnifying glass in their area, and make a list. The camper with the longest lists gets something special. (like sitting in the “King’s Throne” for the next meal)

You can usually find these little plastic magnifying glasses at the Dollar store, but here are some choices on Amazon, (in case you can’t find them in stores near you), – Plastic Magnifying Glasses

CampingwithGus.com Kid's Camping Leaf Rubbings Nature Rubbings! – This mostly works with different kinds of plant leaves, but it can be done with any textured items; like tree bark or rough rock surfaces

It’s an easy idea. Just lay a piece of white paper over a leaf, or what ever textured surface you want, then “rub” a crayon or piece of charcoal over the paper. The high points of the surface will produce darker lines. After a little “rubbing” you end up with an image of the item on the paper.

Kids can build a collection of pages of rubbings throughout the camping trip.

Note: This camping activity isn’t usually a long one, and will require a little more participation by you. (ps. unwrapped crayons used on their sides – instead of the tips, make the best rubbings)

Bad Weather Survival Ideas for Camping with Kids:
Bad Weather? Kids confined to the tent? Save your sanity – be prepared with these games and activities to keep them occupied.

The links are for individual products, or the all-in-one bad weather kit. (as pictured)

Available as an all-in-one kit – Just click the image on the right to see a complete all-in-one Camping activities for Kids and camp games for kids Bad Weather Survival kit” – All you have to do is select the item quantities to match your number of kids!

More Hiking and In-Camp Activities for Kids

Scavenger Hunts, Nature’s Bingo, Round-Robin Stories, and more … Hiking and camping activities for kids that do more than just “occupy” them.

• More Hiking and Camping Activities for Kids

Here are a few items and resources that may prove helpful:

And you know kids love to play with compasses when they go camping, it is one of the camping activities for kids that allows them be real explorers.
Camping and Hiking Compass

For emergencies, and your peace of mind, – every kid in camp should have a camp whistle on a lanyard around their neck! It’s a handy way for them to summon help when they need it.
Camp Safety Whistles

Save your strength, – every kid needs their own camp flashlight, instead of arguing who gets yours or who has had it the longest and who’s turn it is now.
(ps. this is a great camping flashlight for kids, but you can just pick some up at the Dollar store if you want)
Kid’s Camping Flashlights

Check out these great examples of camping gear items. Once you have these pieces of camp gear included in your list of camping equipment, you will wonder how you ever did without them. Especially when you see how inexpensive they are when you buy them online at Amazon.

Tip: With young kids in camp, a portable camp toilet will make your life a lot easier. No interruptions for a long trip to the campsite bathrooms, and no “scary” after dark trips to the latrine in the woods.

You will be surprised how convenient and inexpensive portable camp toilets are. Here are some cheap portable camp toilets on Amazon.