While your days outdoors are likely filled with robust activities like hiking and swimming, it can be more difficult to keep busy once the sun sets at camp. Campfire games are just one great way to spend an evening outdoors, and they’re a classic camping pastime for a reason. With zero wifi and minimal electricity in these remote outdoor locations, playing games around the fire is the perfect way to unplug and make unforgettable memories with your loved ones. So what games should you play on your next camping trip? Read on to learn the many benefits of campfire games and discover the best outdoor games to play at camp. Plus, get a list of tent-friendly games for when the weather’s not on your side. Let’s get started!
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The Benefits of Playing Games at Camp
Safe activities the whole family can participate in at night are much more limited than what you can get into during the day. Aside from roasting marshmallows over the campfire and stargazing on a clear night, it can be challenging to keep busy past nightfall. As long as you have enough lighting to see what’s going on, campfire games are one of the best ways to pass the time before bed. Depending on what you pick, games can be as quick as ten minutes or as long as multiple hours. Plus, games are great for campers of all ages, offering a family-friendly form of entertainment that doubles as quality bonding time. We’ll go out on a limb to guess that you probably don’t play games nearly as much as you used to. Camping is also a great time to reconnect with your old childhood favorites or even learn new ones.
Whether you’re playing around a campfire or at your kitchen table at home, games are beneficial in more ways than one. Games are known to build confidence, sharpen social skills, teach players teamwork, and even boost creativity. Learning these skills is important in day-to-day life, but they can also help kids and adults alike succeed in the outdoors. The teamwork they learn playing a game can be used when they help pitch the family tents on the next camping trip. Similarly, the creativity they build through gameplay can help them think out-of-the-box at camp, like using the extra ground tarp lying around to build a tarp shelter. All this to say, campfire games are more than just a fun way to pass the time, they also build valuable life skills that translate to success in the outdoors.
The Best Outdoor Campsite Games
When the weather’s nice and you’re ready to get competitive around the campfire, play one of these outdoor campsite games:
Athletic Contests
Nothing screams outdoor games like a friendly sports competition! Volleyball and badminton are two good examples of sports that are easy to set up and play anywhere, requiring just a net, ball, rackets, and space. If you’re looking for an athletic contest with a little less gear, Capture the Flag is a fun game for all ages. Use two different colored shirts as the flags and split your group into teams for a night of cardio-heavy fun. Or, set up a sleeping bag race to see which camper can hop the fastest to the finish line!
Classic Lawn Games
Any classic lawn game is the perfect activity to play fireside. Cornhole, ring toss, and horseshoes are all low-impact games that still get your body moving while encouraging friendly competition. You can also buy giant-sized games, like Jenga and outdoor checkers, for a unique spin on classics.
Games with a Nature Spin
While classic games and lawn sports are always fun, sometimes you want something a little more on-theme with your outdoor setting. To encourage interacting with the wilderness, plan a nature scavenger hunt and race to see which camper can complete the list the quickest. Campsite Pictionary is another unique idea, where campers draw their masterpieces in the dirt or sand instead of on a traditional piece of paper. If you want to get really serious, bring a large rope and play tug of war over fresh mud or across a river.
Games to Play Anywhere
Many of the outdoor games mentioned thus far have been more physically demanding – but that’s not the only way to get competitive. If you prefer games that flex the mind instead of muscles, opt for games you can play sitting around the campfire, like Charades, I Spy, or Telephone.
Games You Can Play Inside Your Tent
Sometimes Mother Nature has a different plan than you, dropping weather that forces you to spend more time in your tent than you anticipated. Or maybe you’re intentionally out on a winter tent camping trip, spending more time cuddled around the tent stove than the campfire outside. Whatever might be calling you inside your shelter, there are plenty of tent-friendly games to keep you entertained.
Board Games
Whether it’s the lack of table space or the wind blowing your pieces around, board games can be a bit of a headache to play outside in the elements. Inside your tent, however, you have ample floor space to set up a board, and you’re protected from elements like wind and rain. Any board game works, from Sorry! and Clue to Catan and Battleship.
Card Games
If keeping track of tons of tiny board game pieces sounds like a headache-inducing task no matter where you are, card games might be a better choice for you. A simple deck of cards can work for hundreds of games, like Rummy, Speed, and Crazy Eights. Or, bring game-specific card decks like Uno, What Do You Meme?, and Old Maid.
Word Games
We mentioned a few word games above, like Telephone, and these work great inside the tent, too. Other games that you can play on the fly with no supplies include Truth or Dare, Never Have I Ever, Two Truths and a Lie, Would You Rather, and Twenty Questions. These types of games are also perfect for those camping with people they’re hoping to get to know a little better!
Other Tent-Friendly Options
If you’re looking to get a bit more creative, use your deck of cards to build a card tower! Bonus if you split your group into teams and make it a competition. More games that are easy to play in the confines of a camping tent include Bingo, Trivia, and social deduction games like Mafia.
Wrapping It Up
Campfire games are more than just a fun way to pass the time at camp, though, they’re perfect for that too. Playing games is a family-friendly pastime that promotes bonding, builds confidence, improves social skills, encourages teamwork, and enhances creativity among players – all of which benefit campers when spending time outdoors. Whether you’re participating in a friendly sports competition, interacting with the natural environment through games like Campsite Pictionary, or playing word games while huddled around a cozy tent stove, there’s truly a game for every camper. So grab your favorite sports equipment, a deck of cards, or a trusty board game and set out to create unforgettable memories fireside.
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