Five offline camping games and activities for kids

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offline camping games and activities for young children

After such a long time being subject to coronavirus restrictions, we’ve all become very used to using online games, video games and TV to keep ourselves and our kids busy. But, as people begin to plan holidays again, a family camping trip could be the change you’ve been looking for. Of course, you should check your local coronavirus restrictions and follow the government guidelines, but you can still have fun at your next campsite.

Getting out into the great outdoors can be great for your mental wellbeing, and it’s nice to disconnect and really concentrate on being active and in nature – even if your campsite has a good data connection, or a wi-fi area available.

To help keep your family off their screens and interacting with nature, Little Adventure Shop has put together a list of five great offline games for camping with young kids, so you can have a fun internet-free holiday with your little ones.

1. Try a sleeping bag sack race

You might remember sack races from your own school sports days, and they can be a fun activity to get your kids and yourself active while camping. Draw up a finish line by choosing a landmark or a tree, get in your sleeping bags, and see who’s fastest! Why not build an obstacle course with things you find around your campsite? You’ll want to choose an area that’s clean, and avoid muddy ground, so you don’t get your sleeping bags dirty.

2. Make your own nature scavenger hunt

Scavenger hunts are a great way to get your kids exploring their surroundings and spending time in nature. Before you leave for your trip, draw up a list of things for your kids to find – this might be certain leaves (such as oak, beech or chestnut), pine cones, rocks, and acorns. You should pick things for your scavenger hunt that don’t require taking live insects or plants away from their habitat. This is also a great way to teach your kids about the local landscape and ecosystems!

3. Make some DIY bubbles

You’ll be taking washing up liquid with you to keep your camping dishes and cups clean, so why not turn the soap into bubbles? Just follow the steps below:

• Pour 125ml of dish soap into a large cup. • Add 375ml of water. • Measure 2 teaspoons of sugar and add it to the water/soap mixture. • Shake it up and use a bubble wand (or your fingers) to blow the best bubbles you can. Because you only need to bring a few things with you, this is an easy activity. Plus, your kids will surely enjoy making their very own bubble mixture too!

4. Build an obstacle course

Building an obstacle course outside is one of the most exciting games to play while you’re camping. You can design the course to suit your children’s likes and dislikes, but some classic ideas are: • jump over or in between a set of objects (such as toys or jumpers) • do 20 star jumps before carrying on • hop from one activity station to the next instead of running • run and find a certain object from the tent.

5. Make your own waterslide

Making your own outdoor waterslide is much easier than you might think. Just take an extra tarpaulin with you, which can be used to create shade if it’s too hot for your little ones. Then, turn it into a water slide with a few buckets of water and a little bit of washing up liquid to make it slippery.

You will need to lay the tarpaulin on a slope to give the kids something to slide down. This can be a great outdoor activity for when it’s hot and sunny!