Camping Activities for Kids

Camping trips are a good time for parents to encourage kids to unplug and live in the moment. New sights and sounds fill an outdoor world with possibilities and new experiences. Here are some ways to help kids tune into them.

Check Out the Visitor Center for Activity Guides
If you’re staying at a national or state park, check the visitor center for any nature or activity guides. Many offer free tree and wildflower identification leaflets or activity booklets with treasure hunts and nature games to engage kids in the outdoor experience. Pocket-sized nature guides can help kids identify trees, wildflowers, insects, sea shells and even constellations in the night sky.

Make a Craft Using Nature
If your kids enjoy art or crafts, the outdoors is a great source of inspiration and free materials. On longer trips it might help to bring a few small supplies and tools — jute string or raffia for twig crafts, crayons for leaf rubbings, tacky glue for rock sculptures, a drawing pad and colored markers. Let nature provide the rest.

Create a Map of Campsite
Make a map of the campsite, identifying trees, flowers and other landmarks. The map could be the basis for a treasure hunt, or be illustrated as a work of art.

Collect Items Around Campsite …
… only what is permitted, of course, such as fallen leaves, shells, colored or waterworn rocks, feathers or cones. Nature guides can help curious kids identify their finds. (Be sure kids know not to take living tree bark or twigs and to take only one or two leaves from a tree.)

Build a Fairy House
You’ll be amazed at kids’ creativity in constructing houses for imaginary woodland sprites using only materials found on the forest floor. Slabs of fallen tree bark, flat stones, twigs and large leaves are all construction materials. Building them is so much fun, you may find your campsite turning into a fairy village.