There is nothing like an adventurous camping trip to rejuvenate and recharge your batteries. Enjoying camping outdoors is a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of busy city life.
Camping is never boring when you have planned a handful of ideas to do throughout your camping trip. There are dozens of games along with other leisure activities to keep you and your family busy.
Here are 20 exciting ideas to guarantee a highly enjoyable and memorable camping experience.
Relax and Unwind
You can begin your camping trip by unwinding and relaxing your tired body inside your tent. Sometimes, it is important to relax and chill out before you start having fun outdoors. Do yoga, meditate, or perform a few stretches to calm your body and nerves.
Take it easy and let the rest of the world fade away before you embark on your camping adventure. However, don’t waste too much time since you should make the most out of each day to carve unforgettable memories. Listening to music and reading are also beneficial quiet activities to start off your camping trip.
Indulge in Games and Physical Activities
The actual purpose of camping is to take pleasure in natural beauty. But it is always a great idea to enjoy your favorite sports and indulge in some physical activities.
Since there are no distractions such as computers and televisions, maximize this opportunity to have a great game with your friends and family. Campers particularly like playing board games and card games. But you can also indulge in any active game that requires both mental and physical stimulation.
Other popular games amongst campers are Man vs. Wild and how to tie special knots. You can also teach your children to make a fire or how to set a trap.
Play Some Ball
You can also play sports that require just a ball. Volleyball is a popular game that allows you to meet your neighbors or get more close to your fellow campers. Bring your own net to play this engaging game. This is an entertaining activity to break the ice when you are camping with co-workers or different groups of people.
Explore Nature
What is the use of camping when you don’t feel any closer to nature? Use this time to explore outdoors. Look for unusual plants get to know more about your camping site by exploring unique species of plants and insects. Beware of both edible and poisonous plants that may pose danger to your health.
Follow all safety guidelines and instructions to make sure you don’t consume anything poisonous.
Water Activities
Slip-on your bathing suit to enjoy an exciting swim in a lake or river near your campsite. You can also play a few water games with your friends and family to have some fun in the water.
Play Spooky At Night
Don’t let the darkness intimidate you and prevent you from having a great time at night. Spook your friends by using scary costumes and masks. You can also play a few pranks for giving the creeps to your loved ones. Make sure you don’t play any scary tricks on small children and elderly members of your camping adventure.
Cooking Outdoors
Cooking becomes fun when you have your whole family to help you out. There are plenty of camping recipes and foods that are easy to prepare in outdoor settings. Use a Dutch oven to prepare scrumptious dishes throughout your camping trip.
Maintain A Travel Journal
Apart from cooking and playing sports, camping is a highly educational experience. Encourage your children to create a hand-made travelogue by drawing sketches or pasting pictures. Writing down memories and thoughts lets them brush up on their creative talents.
Flaunt Your Musical Talent
Sing your favorite songs while you gather firewood or impress your loved ones with your musical abilities. You can belt out a show every night. Music helps you relax and brings people close if you are camping out with large families. You will be surprised to see how music changes the entire atmosphere of your camping adventure.
Geocaching
Since it is impossible to abandon technology completely; use it to your benefit. Geocaching is a popular family camping activity, which is actually an adventure game for GPS users. It allows people from all corners of the globe to create hiding places and then place cache coordinates on the Internet.
Other GPS users then visit the caches and sign a guest book. They can also leave or take an item. Campers can check for caches near their campsite to participate in this engaging activity.
Campfire Building
What is a camping adventure without a campfire? Build a campfire with dry fuel to keep your fires in designated locations. Make sure you warn your kids about the fire so they don’t get hurt.
Storytelling
There is no camping trip without a storytelling session. Ghost stories that feature scary plots and frightening characters are immensely popular amongst campers.
If you are camping out with your friends and family you can also enjoy a chain story where one person begins the story and then passes it on to the next camper. Continue this every night as you gather around the campfire to weave a spooky camping tale.
Scavenger Hunt
Sometimes, even the prettiest of views are unable to captivate your attention forever. This is particularly the case when you are camping with children. A nature-themed scavenger hunt will make sure your young ones are not bored or want to go back to using their smartphones and tablets. You can also add a treat or offer a small price for motivating them to find the most items.
Go For A Hike
Hiking the trails lets you become one with nature. It is an exhilarating experience to explore new terrains, regardless of your age. Make sure you pack a small lunch, but plenty of water for your trekking adventure.
Get to know more about different kinds of rocks, the nearby birds, and animal tracks near your campsite. If it’s first time hiking, read a guide book or follow instructions when you stop by a hiking park.
Canoeing
Another great idea to enjoy your camping is to paddle a slow boat to nowhere on a lazy afternoon. Take a large canoe that offers a spacious ride for everyone to remain comfortably seated.
There are also some models that come with perfectly sized seats for children. Your school-age children and buddies will love to paddle through an entertaining morning or afternoon.
Go Fishing
You can also test your fishing skills and get lucky enough to catch some fish. Fishing is a great activity to spend quality time with your children. If you have been looking for an opportunity to bring up an important discussion; fishing gives you plenty of time to catch up on quality conversations.
Bike Riding
In addition to trekking, canoeing, and swimming; biking is another fun-filled activity that lets you have even more fun while you are camping. Head out for a day of cycling with your street or mountain bike. Thank to its popularity, most campgrounds support this camping activity. Make sure to inquire about recreational bike paths and follow bike-specific mountain trails to avoid any complications.
Play a Classic Game of I Spy
If you don’t know much about this game; your kids are likely to introduce you to this interesting activity. Since you can play this game anywhere you like, it also allows you to add more adjectives and information to your children while you are camping.
Begin with “I spy with my little eye something that is…” and use a word to describe how the object looks like. You can also play this game even if you don’t have children accompanying you.
Enjoy Rain
What is better than a rainy day when you are camping outdoors? As long as it does not threaten you and your tent; make the most out of a rainy day by playing games in the rain. Explore the nature or check out the unique bugs and insects that crawl their way out thanks to the rain. Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate at night and stay warm inside your tent since it can be pretty cool outdoors once it rains.
Always keep some dry firewood stored inside so you can light up a fire when it stops raining.
Spelunking
This activity involves the act of exploring caves while you are camping. Since anyone can enjoy spelunking; make sure you ask your local ranger whether a cave is safe before you explore unknown territory with young children.
Final Thoughts
You can also do plenty of other things when you plan a camping trip. Whether you are up on the mountains or into the woods; use this time to mingle with other campers. Camping is a gratifying experience that lets you explore nature. Since you get to spend quality time with your loved ones without bright city lights; you get to create long-lasting memories to cherish for decades.
Make sure you carry safety and a tool-kit to keep you protected throughout your camping venture.