Great for camping! Recreation games for kids
Many families are probably planning to take their kids camping over the summer holidays.
Camping is exciting in so many ways, and in this article we introduce activities and games that will make your trip even more fun.
From active, physical play to popular everyday games kids already love, and nature experiences that even little ones can enjoy—there’s plenty to choose from! Take this opportunity to savor the special moments you can only experience at a campsite.
If you go over this with your child before you leave, you’ll surely hear, “I want to do this!” Get fully prepared, have a blast, and make the best memories!
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Recommended for Camping! Recreation Games for Kids (1–10)
basketball
@ranarevital Bucket ball #fypシ#yardgames#viral#familyfun#diy#iowacamping
♬ Lil Bit – Nelly & Florida Georgia Line
Let me introduce a game called “Bucket Ball,” where you throw balls into water-filled buckets.
First, prepare six buckets and arrange them in a triangle.
This makes one set; prepare one set for each team.
After filling them with water, each team throws the ball three times.
Any bucket that a ball lands in is taken over to that team’s side, and the team with the most balls in their buckets at the end wins.
If a ball lands in a bucket that already has a ball, it doesn’t count, so aim for buckets without a ball.
Magical Banana
Let’s all enjoy the fun word-association game “Magical Banana.” Clap your hands to keep the rhythm while the players link words together.
For example, if the first person says, “When you say round, you think of the moon,” the next person might say, “When you say moon, you think of a rabbit,” and so on, answering with a word associated with the previous one.
Anyone who can’t come up with a word or can’t keep the rhythm loses.
Repeating the same word is not allowed.
If it’s too easy, raise the difficulty by setting a theme or category for the words.
Yamanote Line game
The Yamanote Line Game is a simple game where players take turns saying words that match a given theme, and its appeal lies in how easy it is because it only uses words.
You really have to picture the theme and pull words from memory, so it tests each person’s thinking skills.
To keep a single round going for longer, it’s best to choose themes with lots of possible answers; to enjoy a variety of rounds, pick themes with limited options.
Coming up with strategies—like saying words early that others are likely to use—can make the game even more exciting.
[Great for camping!] Recreation games for kids (11–20)
Let’s go hunting for wild animals.
If we don’t plan a few recreational activities for the camp, it’ll probably turn into a sluggish gathering.
This game is called “Let’s Go Hunting Wild Animals.” The leader says the name of an animal, and everyone forms groups based on the number of letters in that name, then sits down.
Anyone who can’t form a group and sit loses.
It also seems like good practice for young children to learn counting.
Mölkky
Have you heard of “Mölkky,” which has been slowly catching on in Japan? Mölkky is a game where you throw a wooden stick to knock down pins marked with numbers, and you win by reaching exactly 50 points.
Originating in Finland, it’s now enjoyed as a sport with even a world championship.
It may sound very simple at first, but the rules are: if you knock down exactly one pin, you score the number written on that pin; if you knock down multiple pins, you score the number of pins knocked down, regardless of the numbers written on them.
Pins that fall but end up leaning on or overlapping with other pins don’t count.
And you’re not allowed to exceed 50 points.
It seems simple, but it’s surprisingly deep—easy to get hooked on!
Let’s make giant soap bubbles
This is an activity that children of any age can enjoy.
The items you need are a flat container such as a washbasin or plastic tray, dish soap, and frames made from wire.
Choose a flat container large enough to submerge the entire bubble-blowing frame at once.
You can make the frames from unused hangers or similar materials.
Finger Smash
This game started being called “Yubi-suma” after it was featured on the TV show SMAP×SMAP.
While regular Yubi-suma can be enjoyed with as few as two people, “human Yubi-suma” is a version where you play it using your whole body.
It’s more fun with a larger group, so it’s perfect for occasions like camping.
Starting from a bent position, you raise your upper body—but getting up quickly is surprisingly difficult.