The season of sun, beaches and barbecues is finally upon us, and it’s time to say goodbye to to your school routines and hello to the great outdoors. What beats a relaxing camping trip focused on nothing but good company, good food and beautiful surroundings? We know that preparing for a camping trip with kids can sometimes be a challenge, and keeping kids entertained during the trip can be even more trying, so we’ve put together a few camping entertainment ideas to keep your kids happy and you stress-free:
Games Galore
Bring along some of your favorite household games to play around the fire. Think of games that will pack lightly and small, and that you won’t have to worry about losing sma
ll pieces. A standard deck of cards is always useful, especially if you have multiple generations represented on your trip. Try putting an outdoor spin on classic household games, like using sticks instead of utensils in Spoons. If you want something a little different, try a card game that goes beyond a traditional 52 card deck. We love Uno and Apples to Apples.
M&M trail
Take your kids on a sugary hike that will have them begging to go the extra mile. Have someone in your family walk a bit ahead of the group, and place little bits of colorful and lightweight candy, like M&Ms, at the center of a leaf on various small plants or shrubs growing along side the trail. When your kids discover these “magical” plants they will love searching for the next sweet treat, and before they know it, they will have finished the hike! To keep it safe use a wrapped candy like Hershey’s Kisses or Starburst.
Shadows and Puppets and Ghosts Oh My!
Before you head off for your adventure in the woods, spend a few hours making finger puppets with your kids. You can make them easily by finding a printable pattern online: try sites like freekidscrafts.com. Next, decorate them however you choose (although the decorations won’t show up in their shadows!) and cut them out using a material like egg cartons, paper cups or plates, or popsicle sticks. If you don’t have time to make them, you can still enjoy this activity by using your hands as the puppets. When it gets dark out, head inside the tent for a shadow puppet show. Simply shine a large flashlight at one side of the tent and have your kids place their puppets in front of the light and let their imaginations run wild! The kids can use the puppets to make their ghost stories even spookier, and they will love putting on a show for you.
Star Gazing Away
The city lights may be gone, but the stars will be brighter out in the woods! If it is a clear night, take a moonlit walk to a clearing near your campsite and bro
wse the sky for constellations over a steaming mug of hot chocolate. It may be helpful to bring along a sky map, which you can download online. Also check to see if there are any special seasonal constellations only visible to the naked eye during the summer months!
A Modern Day Treasure Hunt
Do you have a handheld GPS? Then Geocaching is for you! You andyour kids alike will love this modern-day, adventure-filled treasure hunting game. Played by adventurers around the world, the basic object is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, in outdoor settings, to find a trinket inside that the last person has left for you. When you find the geocache, you can take the trinket inside and replace it with a treasure of your own. Before you leave on your trip, head over to geocaching.com and search for geocaches near the location of your campsite. Load the coordinants into your GPS and you’ve got all the tools you need to find your treasure. Happy hunting!
Junior Ranger Programs
If you are camping in a State or Federal park, check with the National Park Service to see if there is a Junior Ranger program in your area. Junior Rangers is an educational program taught by Park Rangers to help your children understand the historical and modern importance of the natural environment they are camping in. Your kids will have fun with the interactive lesson and enjoy meeting with other kids!
When you get home, show your friends and family your favorite memories from the trip in a Smilebox! Right now through July 2nd you can download a FREE Gone Camping scrapbook with all of its premium features! Click on the design below to download.
