33 Camping Activities for a Summer to Remember

Summer means camping, and camping means waking to birdsong, sausages cooked on an open fire, laying back in the sunshine, and trying to occupy your kids for 16 hours a day.

Rest easy and scroll through our list of fun games and interesting activities for kids of all ages. Learn how to identify types of trees, play glow in the dark baseball, and end the day with campfire songs.

Ring toss

Sometimes the simplest games are the best. Old school games like ring toss are even more fun when you're away from home under canvas. You can buy a ring toss game here, or they're pretty easy to make on your own.

Tree identification

the front cover of a yellow book titled "trees: Find adventure, Go outside, have fun, be a tree hugger!" IMages of a squirrel, trees, and various leaves are scattered around — Source: Amazon

Camping trips are great ways to get your kids' brains working. Help them explore nature with a tree guide like this one. You'll have a tree hugger on your hands in no time.

Make a toy teepee

A patch of grass with 3 paper teepees on it. In front of them are 3 sylvanian family figures — Source: Crafts on Sea

It doesn't have to be only full-size people who get to go camping. With these toy teepees from Craft on Sea, your kids can bring their Sylvanian Family figures along with them.

Sun printing

a blue sheet of scrapbook paper with darker circles on it. To the left is a pile of pennies — Source: Mombrite

Leave it to Mombrite to come up with the perfect STEM activity for a holiday camping trip. With a sheet of paper and a few pennies, you can learn about the power of the sun.

String walk

a boy stands in teh forest wearing a blindfold and holding a taut string — Source: Get Out With The Kids

We all know that getting the kids to go for a walk can be tricky at times. So, Get Out With The Kids has a trick of their own to solve the problem. Using a blindfold and a long length of string you can get them moving for as long as you need to!

Campfire popcorn satchels

on a table is a parcel of tin foil containing popcorn — Source: Real Simple

Once you've walked them all over the forest you'll have to feed them something! Try these popcorn satchels from Real Simple for a fun way to serve snacks by the fire.

Campfire songs

a woman, child, and man holding a guitar sit in a forest clearing at sunset

The best way to end a day? Singing songs around the campfire, of course! Fatherly.com has 8 great campfire songs to teach your kids.

Bubble station

On a log top is a kilner jar full of bubble mixture, bubble wands and paper cups — Source: La-La's Home Daycare

With a simple and effective bubble recipe, your bubble station will be the talk of the campsite. La-La's Home Daycare will take you through the process to perfect fields full of bubbles.

Wildflower goop

wild flowers swim in a sea of white cornflour and water mix — Source: Crafts on Sea

This is a good at-home camping activity as well as great holiday fun. All you need are 3 ingredients and Craft on Sea's instructions.

DIY beanbag toss

3 red paper plates with "10" "20" and "30" on them. 2 bean bags made out of denim — Source: Chica and Jo

Having a box full of ready-to-go camping activities is a pro-mom tip. This bean bag toss game from Chica and Jo is easy to make with recycled denim.

Pinecone painting

a close up of a pinecone dipped in paint — Source: Crafts on Sea

Create your own art to bring home from your camping trip with this pinecone painting idea from Crafts on Sea. Art straight from nature!

Glow in the dark baseball

Sure, Little League is fun, but the best baseball games happen on vacation! Continue the fun into the night with this DIY glow in the dark baseball game from How Does She.

Camping treasure hunt

A collection of printable sheets, a thermos, a tent and a torch. The main text reads "Blimey Box: Camping trasure hunt" — Source: Blimey Box

These printable camping treasure hunts from Blimey Box are a great way of keeping your kids busy on long afternoons. Send them off to find the clues and watch them learn about their environment.

Acorn necklaces

The text reads "acorn marble necklaces" The image is of 7 coloured acorns atached to cords — Source: Rhythms of Play

For the crafty kids among you, these DIY acorn necklaces from Rhythms of Play will make your family feel like flower children running through the forest!

Tin can lanterns

You could make these tin can lanterns from Kids Craft Room at home before you leave on your trip and decorate your campsite with them, or you could make them with the simple resources right in your tent. Just be careful with the candles!

Stone balancing

a hand places a small pebble on the top of a towering pile of stones. — Source: Rhythms of Play

Getting hands-on with nature is the best part of family camping trips. Drawing on ancient cultures these stone piles or cairns are a beautiful way of making art from your surroundings. Head to Rhythms of Play for more.

Tree stump tic tac toe

A log slice sits on some dirt, with a tic tac toe board painted on it. 9 painted stones sit in the squares — Source: The Pragmatic Parent

You can whip up a quick tic tac toe board with things lying around your campsite, or you can come prepared and make your own with The Pragmatic Parent's instructions.

Camping printables

The text reads "free printable camping activity sheets" the images are of printable activity sheets — Source: Crafts on Sea

Not every day under canvas is sunshine and flowers. For the wetter mornings, a sheaf of printables is your savior. Crafts on Sea have some great ones on their site.

Painting with smores

on a hessian mat is a tray with paper, marshmallows on skewers and gram crackers. To the side are 3 saucers with brown, pink and orange paint on them — Source: Views from a Step Stool

You know, not everyone loves 'smores. I know, it seems unlikely, but it's true. Even if you have a kid or two who would rather not munch on the sweet treats, they can still have fun with them. This 'smore painting activity from Views From a Step Stool is a lot of messy fun!

We're going on a bear hunt

A piece of brown sugar paper has a rudimentary collage map on it. Paper grass, a sliver of blue paper, a brown circle of paint trees made of popsicle sticks and green card, cotton wool and a drawing of a bear in a cave — Source: Buggy and Buddy

We all love the gorgeous book We're Going on a Bear Hunt. Now you can make your own binoculars and treasure map with Buggy and Buddy for lots of growly fun!

Shadow drawing

a white sheet of paper has 3 animal toys on it. Shadows of the figures can be seen on the paper — Source; Rookie Parenting

Another opportunity to dust off those brain cells with this STEM activity from Rookie Parenting. Learn about light and how it works with this shadow drawing experiment.

Nature name art

two hands hold leaves of various sizes over a sheet of paper with large writing on it — Source: Mrs Jones' Creation Station

Mrs Jones' Creation Station has a fun activity to encourage creativity and letter recognition. Gather some natural materials from the campsite, grab your glue, and you're set.

DIY paintbrushing

two hands hold pine needles and a twig, forming them into a paintbrush — Source: Apple Green Cottage

This simple craft from Apple Green Cottage will get your kids running around to collect materials and finessing their fine motor skills. A perfect early evening activity.

Flower crowns

Turn your kids into the kings and queens of the forest with these beautiful flower crowns from The Craft Train. Just remember to practise your curtsey.

Capture the Flag

a boy holds an american flag in a field, while jumping in the air

It's hard to beat the classics and Capture the Flag is a must to play if you're in a wide-open space. If you've been hiding under a rock for a few years you can find the instructions here.

Hide and Seek

a boy in an orange shirt hides behind a tree and holds his hands over his face. 4 children run away from the boy

Another classic outdoors game, best played in areas with a bit of cover. For fun variations on the theme, check out Fatherly.

Mapmaking and navigation

sitting on some stones in a forest are a boy and girl in straw hats, and camping equipment. They are holding a map

Learning to find your way around the great outdoors is an important life skill. So grab your compass and a map and find out which way is North!

Butterfly drawing game

A child draws a butterfly on a piece of paper. A paper dice sits beside her — Source: Playtivities

We love this fun family drawing game for the cooler nights hiding inside your tent or motorhome. Find the printables and instructions here.

Simon says...

A boy stands in a field bent over with his hands in the air. — Source: Playtivities

Simon Says can be fun, but children quickly run out of ideas. Never fear; we've got 89 silly game phrases to make the fun last even longer!

Pinecone crown

Another one for the craft lovers, this crown and wand will have everyone bending a knee. Learn how to make them here.

Campfire wishing stones

The text reads "Melted Crayon Rocks a camping craft for kids" The image is of 9 rocks painted with melted crayon — Source: Carla Schauer Studio

This ingenious craft from Carla Schauer Studios is a really clever way of encouraging creativity over the campfire. You only need some stones and some wax crayons to make beautiful and unexpected designs.

Rainbow leaf prints

a large leaf is laid on a piece of paper. marker pens are sitting next to it — Source: The Kitchen Table Classroom

One for at home as well as out in the field, this leaf printing activity from The Kitchen Table Classroom is suitable for kids of all ages. All you need are some leaves and some washable markers.

Nature weaving

We'll end with this slightly more complicated craft activity from Craftiments. You can make these frames with some twigs and string and then collect interesting natural materials to weave into them.