15 Camping Activities for children – What to do when camping -

There is no denying we are a family who loves camping. We prefer camping using no electric (non Ehu) so when we go we leave all electrical items at home. Well, everything except my camera and mobile as I need those to work. However I am often asked how we entertain the boys whilst we camp, What do they do? So I thought I would share what we bring with us whilst camping. I also asked the camping community for some ideas too on what they bring with them and compiled this post. So here are 15 camping activities that you can when camping. All but 1 are completely electric free, however, I think you can forgive me for that one.

15 Camping Activities for children – What to do when camping

Paper!! – The most versatile of items you can bring. My boys love drawing pictures, writing stories and Jack recently has become interested in the art of paper folding. Even when they have had enough of those we then create tick lists for things to find for the next day or outing. I bought the boys clipboards to keep their paper in, it also helps to keep them all neat and together and gives the boys a flat surface to work on. We also bring with us a pencil case with a selection of pencils, pens and felt tips.
UNO – It wouldn’t be a camping trip for us without bringing along UNO. All 3 boys, Arthur (5) included love to play the game. It is a really simple game which uses cards. So no playing board, no game pieces just cards.
Other playing card games – So we bring along a selection of different card games with us. From playing cards to Happy Families. We also bring with us Quirk! which was sent to us for a review early last year.
Ball – We bring along a football to play with. None of our boys is particularly sporty but once we are camping we all enjoy a kickabout. We even stopped off at the Angel of The North last year and had a kickabout on the playing fields.
Board Games – We have a couple of travel version board games we take with us. They are rather small and compact so easy to transport. We don’t necessarily play with these on every trip but it’s handy to have the option too. We have Chess, Connect 4 and Battleships. The only concern we have when taking board games are the pieces, we managed to lose 1 of the chess pieces one year and had no idea where it went, so we pack a couple of spares.
Garden Games – Games such as Swing Ball, Rounders etc can all be taken camping.
Rock Painting – Rock painting has really taken off over the past couple of years, even we really enjoy doing. It wasn’t until I posted in a FB group that someone suggested doing whilst camping that I thought about it. You can get paint pens to make transportation easier, and spray varnish. It is illegal to take rocks and pebbles away from the beach though, so be wary where you’re taking them from.
Lego – Another item I didn’t think about taking until it was mentioned to me. All 3 of my boys are lego obsessed and would love to bring some of it with them. It is a great idea to keep them entertained, I just wouldn’t want to stand on them in the tent!!
Bikes and Scooters – If your transport allows it, then bikes and scooters are a great way to keep children entertained. It also depends on where you are camping, some sites can be pretty strict on children riding around, so best double check before you bring them.
Stomp Rocket – The boys love their stomp rocket and it is something that can be played in a group or on their own. Arthur, in particular, loves to get it out and play. It is really simple to set up and uses the force of your foot to power the rocket into the air.
Pull back aeroplanes – Another favourite of the boys are the aeroplanes you use an elastic band with. You pull back the aeroplane and then let go, letting it fly. You can pick these up cheap too.
Frisbee – On our last camping trip to Diglea Holiday Home in Norfolk, we discovered the boys are shocking when it comes to throwing a frisbee. They need more practice with them. We take 2 with us, a plastic one and a foam one, we prefer the foam one. It seems to be easier for the boys to grip onto and fly.
Sling Stix – This is another toy we were given to review last year which we love and have kept. It comes in a pack of 2, which so far hasn’t caused too many issues with the 3 boys. It is pretty simple to use too, simply put the sling stix on the ball, the super sticky cup will stick the ball to it and then throw. The idea is the other person catches it, however, the boys tend to take it in turns seeing how far they can go.
Sending postcards – Something else the boys love to do and that is writing and sending postcards to their friends. It is a lovely way for them to keep in touch and share what they have been up too.
Geocaching – I have kept this till last as it isn’t something we have personally done, and it does involve the use of a mobile phone. However, geocaching is really popular and it is just like doing a real-life treasure hunt! There is a whole community you can join up too full of handy tips and tricks. Perfect for an outdoor adventure