Camping Activities and Crafts for Kids

Camping is full of adventure for children: sleeping under canvas, cooking outdoors and exploring somewhere new. A few planned activities help on long evenings, rainy afternoons or when the novelty wears off. These ideas work for a campsite, a backyard tent or even a living-room "camp-in."

Before you go

• Practise at home. Pitch the tent in the garden or sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor for a night.
• Let children pack a small bag with a torch, a book, a favorite toy and a few activities.
• Make a camping checklist together. Children can tick items off.
• Color a camping scene from our nature pages to get excited.

Exploring activities

1. Nature scavenger hunt. A pine cone, a feather, a smooth stone, something yellow, a Y-shaped stick.
2. Animal tracks. Look for footprints in mud and sand. Take photos or draw them.
3. Bug hunt. Use a magnifying glass to look closely at insects. Color them later on bug pages.
4. Leaf and bark rubbings. Bring paper and crayons and make rubbings of different trees.
5. Nature journal. Draw one thing you saw each day.
6. Map making. Draw a map of the campsite with the tent, toilets, paths and trees.

Campfire activities

(Always with close grown-up supervision and following campsite rules.)

1. Toasting marshmallows. Teach a safe distance and how to hold the stick.
2. Campfire stories. Take turns telling stories. Keep them funny rather than scary for younger children.
3. Campfire songs. Call-and-response songs are perfect.
4. Story chain. Each person adds one sentence to a story.
5. Stargazing. Lie back and look up. Try to find the Big Dipper (Plough) or the moon. See space activities.

Games at the campsite

1. Flashlight tag. "Tag" people with the beam of your torch.
2. Shadow puppets on the tent wall with a torch.
3. Camping I Spy. A classic for walks and campfires.
4. Rock painting. Bring paint pens and decorate smooth stones (and leave natural ones where you found them).
5. Card games. A pack of cards fits in any bag.
6. Glow-stick ring toss after dark.
7. Nature bingo. Make bingo cards with things you're likely to see.

Rainy-day camping

Rain happens. Pack a "rainy-day bag" with:

• Coloring pages and pencils (crayons melt in hot cars and tents)
• A few mazes and I Spy pages
• A card game or travel board game
• Books and an audiobook
• Rain gear for puddle jumping when the worst has passed

Backyard and living-room camping

No campsite? Set up a tent in the garden or build a blanket fort in the living room. Cook sausages on a barbecue or toast marshmallows over a candle with care (or just pretend). Read stories by torchlight and listen to night sounds with the window open.

Ideas by age

Toddlers: short trips close to home, plenty of familiar comforts, puddles, sticks and simple nature walks.

Preschoolers: scavenger hunts with pictures, torch play, marshmallows with help, and early bedtimes.

School age: maps, nature journals, building a den, helping cook and learning to set up the tent.

Tweens: planning the trip, cooking a meal, leading a walk with a map and learning basic knots.

Safety tips

• Teach children the campsite boundaries and what to do if they get lost: stay put and shout.
• Give each child a whistle and a torch.
• Keep a close eye near water and campfires.
• Check for ticks after walks in long grass.
• Don't eat berries or mushrooms you find.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Too ambitious a first trip. Start with one night close to home.
• Forgetting comfort. Bring warm layers and a favorite pillow or toy. Cold children are unhappy campers.
• Overplanning. Leave time for children to explore and invent their own games.

Frequently asked questions

What age can kids go camping?

Children of any age can camp with the right preparation. Many families start with toddlers on short, close-to-home trips.

How do I help my child sleep in a tent?

Bring familiar bedtime items, keep the routine (story, cuddle, torch off), and make sure they're warm. A small night-light helps nervous sleepers.

What should be in a camping activity kit?

Coloring pages, pencils, a notebook, a torch, a magnifying glass, a pack of cards and a few small toys.

A camping packing checklist for kids

Let children tick these off as they pack their own bag:

• Torch and spare batteries
• Warm jumper and a hat
• Waterproof jacket
• Spare socks (two pairs!)
• Pyjamas
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Favorite cuddly toy
• A book
• Activity kit: pencils, notebook, coloring pages, cards
• Water bottle
• Sun hat and sun cream

How do I keep kids warm at night?

Put on dry clothes before bed, use a sleeping mat under the sleeping bag, add a hat and give them a warm drink before bed.

What food is easy for kids on a camping trip?

Sausages, wraps, pasta, fruit, cereal bars and marshmallows are all simple and popular.