A little bit of planning will ensure you enjoy camping fun with your younger guests. Here are some fun activities to try.
Scavenger Hunt -
Kids love to participate in scavenger hunt games during camping sessions. The game should be held in a great outdoors, which is the perfect setup to hold such game. The players should be instructed to collect items such as maple leaves, snail shells, oak leaves, colored rocks, pine needles and pine cones. You can also give every kid a camera and conduct a photo scavenger hunt. Each kid should be made to stick with an assigned buddy or a small group. Watches and compasses, would be quite useful for these kids. Give them cloth bags rather than plastic boxes to store their findings. Small clipboards with a pen or pencil attached to it with a string will help the kid to keep track of the checklists. You can get the losers of the game to roast and serve marshmallows at the fire-place during that night.
Camping Olympics -
Camping Olympics would be able to give you one of the most fun-filled days you have ever enjoyed together as a family. Relay races can be arranged in an open area while long jumps can be performed on a sandy beach. Even swimming competitions could be arranged in the water. A team tug-of-war can be arranged by grabbing a rope. Make sure to keep the tone light and organize games that the not-so-athletic kids too can participate. Some of these games include skipping stones and balancing in tree pose the longest.
Campfire Story Contest -
Since kids are considered natural story-tellers, they will get a real kick out of hearing you or your spouse making up tales. If you are unable to sum up anything in the moment, the best thing is to dig up family folklore or share some anecdotes about your kids when they were tiny toddlers. Story-games will also provide good entertainment to the kids where one person says a sentence and the other would continue it.
Cloud Watching -
The best thing during mid-day napping would be to spread out a blanket in a shady spot and stare up at the sky with your kids. Use the alphabet in trying to find an apple, a bear or a cat with the passing clouds. It will eventually help your kids to nap well after some time.
Get Crafty -
Give each kid a kit of glue, marker, scissors and a pad of paper. Ask them to sketch pictures of nature. Ask them to make unique art work with objects found in nature such as pine cones, shells, sand and leaves. This will help to keep an art journal of your camping trip.
Exploring a Rainy Day -
Even though you may have wished for a sunny camping trip with endless clouds on the sky, conditions can become severe during certain times. If so, stay put and embrace the rain. Take extra socks and a change of footwear for every kid. Splash suits and rubber boots are also essential during such harsh weather conditions. Enjoy splashing in puddles and walking through the woods as long as it is not storming. Change into the dry clothes once you come back to the camping site. The right gear will help you to have a great day of fun out in the heavy rain.
Obtain a Nature Guidebook -
Your kid will love to learn about the names and properties of the animals and plants in nature. The Nature Guidebook will help them to get an idea about the important animals and plants in your vicinity.
For more camping activity inspirations
You can visit our Pinterest Page for more. Anyone camping at a State Park should make sure to check out the Junior Ranger Program. Junior Rangers are kids between the ages of 6-12 years, who help Florida State Parks by learning special environmental secrets. Fun activities are organized for them by the Florida Junior Ranger Newspaper.