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!
- Outdoor games and recreational activities recommended for children
- [Play Right Away!] Exciting Recreation Games Recommended for Elementary School Students
- Fun recreational games that liven up outdoor activities
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- Play ideas kids can enjoy from 1st to 6th grade [indoors & outdoors]
- Outdoor Recreation Popularity Rankings
- Fostering Cooperation: Recommended Games to Enjoy in the Boy Scouts
- [Elementary School] Games and Recreational Activities to Enjoy at a Forest School Camp
- [Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
- Recommended outdoor games and recreational activities for lower elementary school children
- No worries even in the rain! Fun recreational activities you can do in the gym
- Recreation Activities That Excite Kids’ Clubs! Plans and Ideas Children Will Love
- [Elementary School] Indoor Games and Recreational Activities Recommended for Upper Primary Grades
Recommended for Camping! Recreation Games for Kids (41–50)
Puzzle-solving game
When you think of campfires, songs and dancing are the classics, but a great new classic we recommend is a “puzzle-solving game.” It’s an intellectual recreation you can do even in the dark.
For example, there are wordplay-style questions like figuring out what a string of hiragana represents, or cipher-like puzzles that use arrows or kanji—ranging from simple ones to those that require a flash of insight.
It’s fun for both kids and adults to think through together, and you can adjust the difficulty to match the group size and age range.
You can tackle them individually or play in teams—there are many ways to enjoy them.
Give it a try!
snack-eating contest
How about a candy-eating race—like the classic bread-eating race—during some downtime at your camp? After the barbecue, when everyone’s relaxing, you could play it as a snack-time game! Preparation is pretty simple: stretch a rope between two trees and clip snacks onto it with clothespins.
This bread-eating-race-style game, a staple of school sports days, can captivate not only kids but also adults who’ll find themselves getting nostalgic and totally into it.
For the treats, consider choosing mostly lightweight snacks like dagashi.
Camp Bingo
When it comes to classic party and event games, bingo is a staple, and it could be a hit at a camping trip as well.
You can buy bingo cards at 100-yen shops, so using store-bought ones is fine, or you can enjoy making them by hand with your kids! Adding camping-themed illustrations will boost the mood even more.
It’s bingo when you complete a line—vertical, horizontal, or diagonal! To get everyone even more excited, consider preparing some lavish prizes, one of the highlights of any bingo game.
Escape Game
Work together with your group to clear the game! Here are some escape game ideas.
Aiming to clear it with your teammates helps foster cooperation and problem-solving skills! By teaming up to complete challenges like treasure hunts, crosswords, coin drops, and quiz competitions, children can learn the importance of teamwork.
Combining different types of games allows children to develop multifaceted thinking and grow while feeling a sense of achievement.
It’s a great idea for strengthening bonds with peers while improving problem-solving and communication skills.
Beef Tongue Game
The Gyutan Game is a simple activity that’s sure to captivate everyone from kids to adults.
It needs no equipment and really gets people fired up, so it’s perfect for camp recreation too! Players face each other with their palms together and clap in turn to the rhythm: “gyu, tan, gyu, tan, gyu-tan-tan…” As the number of “tan”s increases, anyone who falls behind the rhythm or messes up the order loses.
Once you get the hang of it, speeding up the tempo makes it even more exciting!
kick the can
The fun thing about can-kicking is that you can enjoy it in wide-open places like campgrounds.
It has elements of tag, so hiding and running away is exciting.
It’s also great to plan strategies with your friends.
The key is to time your kick of the can just right.
The rules can vary by region, so feel free to play with whichever rules you like.
Get moving and strengthen your bonds with friends!
CC family
This is a game that uses the CC Lemon beverage commercial: when the leader calls out, everyone enthusiastically responds with a loud “Yeah!” and then forms the groups the leader specifies.
There are probably several similar types of games, but this one seems especially fun because the energetic call-and-response keeps a good tempo and boosts everyone’s excitement.
It also seems like it would strengthen group unity.
