Camping can be a fun and inexpensive way to enjoy time with family members and friends whether you hit a large campground or set up a tent in the backyard. Along with relaxing by the campfire and roasting marshmallows, games are also a traditional part of camping culture. Playing games can liven the camping spirit and create a successful camping experience.
Campfire Stories
You can include every camper into story time. As you're sitting by the fire, have one person begin a story. After a few lines the first narrator stops and touches the person to his right. That person picks up where the last person stopped and so on until all the campers have had a turn. Stories can be scary, funny or dramatic.
Cobbler Cobbler
According to the Ultimate Camp Resource website, Cobbler Cobbler is ideal for small children and families. First have campers sit in a circle and repeat the song: "Cobbler, Cobbler where's my shoe? Have it ready by half past two. If by half past two it can't be done, have it ready by half past one." Then have one camper takes off her shoe or another object and pass it from behind her back around the circle. Each person passes the shoe to the next person while one camper sits in the middle of the group with eyes closed. After singing the song through once, the shoe stops in the circle. The middle camper then tries to guess where the shoe has stopped. If she chose correctly, she is released from the middle and someone else is called to guess.
Bump in the Night
This game works better at nightfall with four or more people. Take a flashlight and designate one person a curator, while another is a visitor. Everyone else plays a statue. Keep all lanterns and lights off for full effect. Statues move through the darkness, but must be quiet. The curator shines his flashlight as he and the visitor walk around trying to find statues moving. If a statue is noticed moving or talking, he becomes a visitor and joins the curator in eliminating other statues.
Hiking Fun
Go on a scavenger hunt hike. According to the American Camp Association website, one of the best ways to do this is to have one camp member make a list of items for which the group should look. These objects can be anything, such as a certain tree, deer tracks or a specific plant. As campers hike, have them scratch each item they see of their list. When you return to camp, go over each person's list to see who found the most scavenger hunt items. Another fun object to search for is animal evidence. Have each camper make note of animal tracks and attempt to guess what type of animal made the footprints.
Campfire Theater
Gather everyone together for drama and laughter with a game of Campfire Theater. The KOA website recommends packing a "mystery" box full of random items before leaving on your camping trip. Include various objects such as shoes, string, wigs, costumes and hats. Then divide campers into two or more groups and ask each to come up with a skit using every item in the box. Give each group a time limit to put their skit together. Have one camper stay out of the contest to be judge of the best skit.
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