The Ultimate Guide to Camp Games for kids & adults

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Summer camps, family outings, and outdoor adventures aren’t complete without a collection of fun-filled games. Here’s an exhaustive guide to camp games for children, grouped under various subheadings to help you find the best fit for your needs.

1. Summer Camp Games

Scavenger Hunt

What it’s About: A classic game where children have to find items listed on a piece of paper.

How to Play:

1. Prepare a list of things like leaves, pinecones, and flowers.
2. Divide the kids into teams.
3. The first team to collect all items on the list wins.

Obstacle Course

What it’s About: An active, outdoor game that involves navigating through obstacles.

How to Play:

1. Use cones, water bottles, and picnic tables to create an obstacle course.
2. The first person in each team runs the course and tags the next player.
3. The team that completes the course fastest wins.

Relay Races

What it’s About: A fun summer camp game that’s a great way to expend energy.

How to Play:

1. Divide the kids into teams.
2. Each team lines up single file at the starting line.
3. On “Go,” the first player runs to a designated area and back, tagging the next player.
4. The first team to have all players finish wins.

Simon Says

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI0MlnQq7-o&ab_channel=TripleSGames

What it’s About: A classic game that tests attention and listening skills.

How to Play:

1. One child plays Simon and gives commands like “Simon says touch your toes.”
2. The rest of the group only follows the command if it begins with “Simon says.”
3. If Simon gives a command without saying “Simon says” first, anyone who follows is out.

2. Campfire Games

Ghost Stories

What it’s About: Telling spooky tales around the campfire.

How to Play:

1. Gather around the campfire.
2. Take turns telling ghost stories, making them as eerie or funny as you like.

Campfire Pictionary

What it’s About: A drawing and guessing game adapted for campfire settings.

How to Play:

1. One person draws a clue on a piece of paper.
2. The rest of the group tries to guess what it is within a time limit.

20 Questions

What it’s About: A game of deduction.

How to Play:

1. One person thinks of an object related to camping.
2. The others ask up to 20 questions to guess what it is.

Charades by the Fire

What it’s About: Classic charades with a camping twist.

How to Play:

1. Write down camping-related actions on slips of paper.
2. Players take turns acting them out while others guess.

3. Fun Camping Games

Cornhole

What it’s About: Tossing bean bags into holes on wooden boards.

How to Play:

1. Teams take turns tossing bean bags at the cornhole sets.
2. Points are scored by getting the bags through the hole.

Frisbee Golf

What it’s About: Similar to golf but using frisbees.

How to Play:

1. Set up golf “holes” using items like picnic tables and trees.
2. Each player tries to get their frisbee to the target in as few throws as possible.

Glow Stick Ring Toss

What it’s About: A fun game to play when it’s getting dark.

How to Play:

1. Stick some glow sticks into the ground.
2. Use glow necklaces as rings and try to throw them onto the sticks.

Ladder Toss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmyZuU0Uoy0

What it’s About: Tossing ropes with golf balls attached at a ladder-like structure.

How to Play:

1. Teams take turns tossing the ropes aiming to hang them on the ladder’s steps.
2. Points are scored based on which step the rope hangs.

4. Camping Games for Large Groups

Capture the Flag

What it’s About: A classic outdoor game involving strategy and teamwork.

How to Play:

1. Define territories and place each team’s flag within their area.
2. Teams try to capture the opponent’s flag and bring it back to their territory.

Duck, Duck, Goose

What it’s About: A fun game for younger kids involving running and tagging.How to Play:

1. Children sit in a circle.
2. One child walks around tapping heads saying “duck” until they choose a “goose.”
3. The “goose” runs around trying to tag the first child before they sit down in the “goose’s” spot.

Tug of War

What it’s About: A game of strength and teamwork.

How to Play:

1. Players are divided into two teams.
2. Each team pulls on one end of a rope, trying to get the other team across a line.

Water Balloon Volleyball

What it’s About: A great game for hot days involving water balloons.

How to Play:

1. Teams take turns tossing a water balloon over a net using towels.
2. If the balloon breaks on your side, the other team scores a point.

5. Indoor Camp Games

Board Games

What it’s About: A perfect game for rainy days or downtime.

How to Play:

1. Choose from classic board games like Monopoly or newer ones like the Jackbox Party Pack for older kids.
2. Follow the specific rules for the chosen game.

Bingo

What it’s About: A simple game that’s good for large groups.How to Play:

1. Hand out pre-made bingo cards.
2. Draw numbers or items from a bag for players to mark on their cards.

Puzzles

What it’s About: An easy game that’s great for younger campers.How to Play:

1. Spread out the puzzle pieces on a table.
2. Work together or individually to complete the puzzle.

Charades

What it’s About: A classic game of miming and guessing.How to Play:

1. Write actions or objects on slips of paper.
2. Players draw a slip and act it out, while the rest of the group tries to guess what it is.

6. Camp Games for Teens

Ultimate Frisbee

What it’s About: A fast-paced game combining elements of football and frisbee.

How to Play:

1. Divide into two teams.
2. The goal is to get the frisbee into the opponent’s end zone.

Four Square

What it’s About: A ball game that takes up little space but offers lots of fun.

How to Play:

1. Mark a large square and divide it into four smaller squares.
2. Each player stands in one of the smaller squares and tries to bounce the ball into another player’s square.

Mafia

What it’s About: A group activity involving strategy, acting, and deduction.

How to Play:

1. Players are secretly assigned roles as either Mafia or Villagers.
2. The game is played in rounds of night and day, during which players discuss who they suspect is in the Mafia and vote to eliminate someone.

Werewolf

What it’s About: Similar to Mafia but with additional roles and characters.

How to Play:

1. Players are assigned roles like Werewolf, Villager, or Seer.
2. Gameplay involves identifying the Werewolves while avoiding false accusations.

Sleeping Bag Sumo

What it’s About: A hilarious and active game that’s a good idea for some outdoor fun.

How to Play:

1. Each player gets into a sleeping bag, pulling it up so that only their head is showing.
2. Players try to bump each other out of a designated area (like a large picnic table circle) using only their bodies.
3. The last person remaining in the area wins.

Keywords: sleeping bag, outdoor games, picnic table, great outdoors, larger groups, good idea

Alphabet Nature Bingo

What it’s About: A perfect game for larger groups that combines nature and learning. A great way for the whole family to spend quality time together.

How to Play:

1. Create bingo cards with different natural items that start with each letter of the alphabet.
2. Each player gets a bingo card and a pen.
3. The goal is to find and mark off items that match the letters on their card.
4. The first person to mark off a whole row or column shouts “Bingo!” and wins.

Keywords: whole family, letter of the alphabet, large group, quality time, family members, best games

7. Camp Games for Smaller Groups

Noah’s Ark

What it’s About: A memory game that’s best for smaller groups.How to Play:

1. Players sit in a circle.
2. The first player says, “In Noah’s Ark, I packed…” and then mentions an object.
3. The next player repeats the sentence, adding another object. Each player must remember all previous items in the correct order.

Hot Potato

What it’s About: A fun game where players pass an object until the music stops.

How to Play:

1. Players sit in a circle.
2. A small object is passed around while music plays.
3. When the music stops, the player holding the object is out.

Two Truths and a Lie

What it’s About: A guessing game that lets you learn more about the other players.

How to Play:

1. Each player takes turns saying two truths and one lie about themselves.
2. The rest of the group tries to guess which statement is the lie.

I Spy

What it’s About: A simple game that’s fun for younger kids.

How to Play:

1. One player chooses an object within sight but doesn’t reveal what it is.
2. The other players take turns asking yes-or-no questions to figure out what the object is.

8. No Equipment Camp Games

Red Light, Green Light

What it’s About: A fun game that can be played in an open space.How to Play:

1. One person stands at one end and is the “stoplight.”
2. The rest of the players start at the other end.
3. When the stoplight says “green light,” players move forward. When they say “red light,” players must stop.

21 Questions

What it’s About: A game of deduction and questioning.

How to Play:

1. One person thinks of an object.
2. Everyone else takes turns asking yes-or-no questions until the object is guessed or 21 questions are asked.

Shadow Tag

What it’s About: A twist on regular tag, perfect for late afternoons.

How to Play:

1. One person is “it” and tries to tag others’ shadows.
2. If your shadow is tagged, you become “it.”

Marco Polo

What it’s About: A classic game that’s often played in swimming pools but can also be done in open fields.How to Play:

1. The person who is “it” closes their eyes and shouts “Marco.”
2. The others respond with “Polo,” and the “it” person tries to tag them based on sound.

Freeze Dance

 

What it’s About: A fun, energetic game that’s perfect for burning off some energy.

How to Play:

1. One person is designated as the DJ and plays music.
2. Everyone else dances as long as the music plays.
3. When the music stops, everyone must freeze.
4. Anyone caught moving is out, and the last person standing wins.

Telephone

What it’s About: A simple yet hilarious game that tests how well messages get passed along.

How to Play:

1. Players sit in a single file or circle.
2. The first player whispers a sentence to the next person.
3. The message is whispered from person to person until it reaches the end of the line.
4. The last person says the message out loud, and everyone enjoys how much it has changed along the way.

Capture the Flag

What it’s About: A high-energy, team-based game that involves strategy and speed.

How to Play:

1. Divide the players into two teams and designate a playing area for each team.
2. Each team hides a flag on their side.
3. The aim is to capture the other team’s flag and bring it back to your side without being tagged.
4. If you’re tagged, you’re “out” and must return to your side before rejoining the game.

These no-equipment camp games are a great way to engage in physical activity and team-building without needing any special materials. They’re also an easy way to include everyone, ensuring a fun-filled camping experience for all.

9. Camp Games for Adults

Trivia

What it’s About: A knowledge-based game that’s great for evenings.How to Play:

1. Prepare a list of questions in categories like history, science, and pop culture.
2. Teams or individuals take turns answering.

Poker

What it’s About: A classic card game that’s great for older campers.How to Play:

1. Deal cards to each player.
2. Players bet, call, raise, or fold in turns.
3. The best hand wins the pot.

Cornhole

What it’s About: A casual yet competitive game involving bean bags.How to Play:

1. Teams take turns tossing bean bags at a board with a hole.
2. Points are scored for bags that go through the hole or land on the board.

Taboo

What it’s About: A word-guessing game that’s perfect for indoor evenings.How to Play:

1. Players try to get their team to guess words without using certain “taboo” clues.

10. Camp Games for Kids

Duck, Duck, Goose

What it’s About: A classic game perfect for younger kids.How to Play:

1. Kids sit in a circle.
2. One child walks around the circle, tapping heads and saying “duck” until they choose a “goose.”
3. The “goose” must chase and tag the first child.

Simon Says

What it’s About: A listening and attention game great for kids of all ages.How to Play:

1. One child gives commands.
2. The rest follow only if the command starts with “Simon says.”

Musical Chairs

What it’s About: A fun game involving music and chairs.How to Play:

1. Set up chairs in a circle, one less than the number of players.
2. Play music while the players walk around the chairs.
3. When the music stops, everyone must find a chair. The player left standing is out.

Tag

What it’s About: A classic game that never gets old.

How to Play:

1. One child is “it” and must tag another player.
2. Once tagged, that player becomes “it.”

Potato Sack Race

What it’s About: A classic outdoor game that is high-energy and lots of fun.

How to Play:

1. Give each child a potato sack or an old pillowcase.
2. Line the kids up at a starting line.
3. On ‘Go,’ each child must hop to the finish line while inside the sack.
4. The first person to cross the finish line wins.

Treasure Hunt

What it’s About: An adventurous game that involves solving clues to find a hidden treasure.How to Play:

1. Before the kids start, hide a “treasure” somewhere within the designated play area.
2. Create a series of clues leading to the treasure.
3. Hand the first clue to the kids, who must then solve it to find the next clue and so on until they find the treasure.

Water Balloon Toss

What it’s About: A perfect game for a hot day, combining aim, timing, and plenty of water.How to Play:

1. Fill water balloons and form teams of two.
2. Partners start close together and toss the water balloon back and forth.
3. After each successful toss, the partners each take a step back.
4. If the balloon breaks, that team is out. The last team remaining with an unbroken balloon wins.

These additional camp games for kids offer a variety of activities that can be tailored to kids of all ages. These games not only serve as a fun way to keep the kids entertained but also as a great way for them to socialize and make new friends.

Whether you’re at a formal summer camp, a family outing, or just a weekend in the woods, there’s a camp game for everyone. Mix and match to find your favorite activities, and most importantly, have fun!