Camping Activities for Kids - Camping and Hiking Activities and Games

Unless you are new to camping with kids, you know that camping activities for Kids take a little more planning and effort than when camping with adults. Sometimes a lot more!

For most kids, outdoor camping is a great adventure. They want to be involved, and they want to be active. So unless you want to hear, "I'm bored!", or have to be constantly dealing with unnecessary mischief all weekend, you better give some thought to camping and hiking activities and camp games for kids that the kids will enjoy!

These camping with kids tips and resources will help make any camp outing with kids more fun, (and educational), for everyone.

Your Utopian vision of camping with kids; exposing them to the wonders of nature, quality bonding time, and a week-end of fun-filled camping activities for kids, will be quickly dashed if you don't do a little planning based on these time-proven "Kid's Facts:"

1. Kids under five years-old WILL NOT enjoy a camping trip longer than a one-day outing - without special effort by you. Their attention spans are too short, their understanding of "roughing-it" does not include the concept of no air-conditioning, (or heat), and nighttime in the woods will not be adventurous - it will be scary! The novelty of an outdoor adventure will soon wear off.
2. Kids want to be involved. They want to help with everything, (unless it fits their idea of a "chore"), so while swinging an axe might not be appropriate, you should let them "help" as much as possible. Make an effort to teach the right way to do whatever task is at hand, but don't insist on perfection, even if it means going behind them and re-doing whatever it was they did.
3. Kids want to be active. Almost all the time. Sure there will be some down-time for resting, or maybe even a nap for younger campers, but otherwise kids want to be doing something all the time. So unless you have a tin-ear, or a snappy response to the repeated refrain; "I'm Bored!," your camping trip planning should include plenty of activities to keep the kids occupied until bedtime.

Outdoor camping activities for kids and camp games for kids don't have to be complicated, or need expensive gear. Just make sure you pick activities that are age-appropriate for your young campers, and scaled to the amount of adult involvement and supervision you want to contribute.

Fishing - No need for a loaded tackle box and expensive rods, just go with the basics; plastic bobbers, weighted hooks, and inexpensive rod & reel combinations. And some worms, of course.

If your young campers are 8 or 9 years-old, or younger, make it a real fishing experience they will remember by having them make their own fishing poles.

If it is appropriate to your camping location, cut your own fishing poles from young growth, or if not, find some bamboo poles before you leave home. (garden centers are a good source) Then just tie a length of fishing line onto the homemade poles, add a bobber, weighted hook and bait, and let them "flick" their lines into the water. They will remember that fishing trip a lot longer than one using "store-bought" gear you just handed to them.

Biking - This one is really dependent on your camping location, but if ride-able trails are available, kids can have a lot of fun biking on them.

Canoes/Kayaks - Most State Parks and commercial campsites that have water access also have boating rentals available.

On the trail, or in camp, there are lots of other camping activities for kids that can both be entertaining and educational in a camping environment,

From simple card games for camp downtime, to educational scavenger hunts while hiking, outdoor camping activities can be as simple or complicated, and as long or short as you want them to be. And with just a little forethought and planning you can be ready with a bag-full activities and games that kids of all ages will enjoy.

Camping down-time:

• Playing cards, Checkers, and Dominoes - you can't go wrong with these old-time favorites for occupying a little campsite down-time, or evening entertainment. Kids love these basic games and can occupy themselves for hours with them. Best of all - no adult supervision or participation is required.
• Nature's Outdoor Bingo - a simple adaptation of standard Bingo that uses images of nature instead of numbers. You can find free versions of this game at campingwithgus.com
• Find it! memory game - this one does require a little adult effort. You secretly find ten or so natural items from around your campsite, ie. pine cones, nuts, rocks, bird feathers, leaves, etc..., (don't let your camping kids see what you are gathering). Then layout your finds and cover them with a towel or jacket. Gather your young campers around your stash, and then reveal the items to them for about five seconds. Then recover the items and give your campers five or ten minutes to go out and find all the items they can remember seeing. (ps. works best with teams)

You can find more detailed descriptions and instructions for these camping with kids activities, plus many more, (including free down-loadable Nature's Bingo Game), at Camping Games and Activities for Kids.

• Scavenger Hunts - these can also be tailored to the age and camping experience of your young campers, from Cub Scout age up to advanced Boy Scout age. A scavenger hunt is simply a list of items to find. Whoever finds the most items from the list wins. Game duration can be a set time-limit or the duration of a hike. An easy list might only be ten items and a 30 minute time limit, while a more advanced hunt could have as many as 50 items andlast the duration of the camp outing.

• I spy, with My Little Eye - This is usually a game for younger campers, but a smart camp leader can make it intriguing enough for older campers too. The idea is that someone starts by describing an object they see, then other campers take turns trying to guess what the item is. If no one guesses the item on their firstr turn, then they are given up to three clues, one at a time.

For example: One camper spots a Blue Bird on a tree limb. He might say: I spy with my little eye something blue hanging over you. If no one guesses correctly, the camper might give a clue, such as: It's as light as a feather... and so on until someone guesses correctly, then they get to start a new game.

• Nature's Connections - similar to a scavenger hunt, but deals with inter-related items. For instance the beginning item might be a pine cone. Then campers try to find at least five things in nature that are related to a pine cone. A Pine tree, Pine shat, piece of Pine bark, even a squirrel, (a pine cone is one of a squirrel's favorite foods).

You can get more hiking and trail activities, plus complete detailed instructions and free downloadable scavenger and nature hunt item lists at:

• Camping with Kids - Hiking and Trail Activities,

• Camping with Kids- Hiking and Camping Activities (you are here)
  
• Kid's Favorite Camping Card Games - Slapjack
• How to Make an Indian Weather Rock Forecaster
• Camping with Kids - Bad Weather Survival Kit
• Camping with Kids - Kid-Safe Campsite Layouts
• Camping with Kids - Camp Safety Rules
• How to Pack for Camping with Kids (coming soon)
• Best Tents for Camping with Kids (coming soon)

The author behind Camping Activities for Kids and camp games for kids is Gus, from Campingwithgus.com. An avid life-long tent camper that has camped in the mountains and on the plains, and in all four seasons - from 100+ to -10 degree weather. As a kid, with adults on week-long bear-hunting camps, and as an adult Boy Scout leader. Check the Camping with Kids profile to see more from Gus.