How to Create Fun Family Camping Activities

Bring your family camping and the trip will provide memories for a lifetime. The trip should be enjoyed by all so some planned activities should be packed with you to take on your outdoor adventure. Leave some 'down-time' so each person can enjoy nature in their own way.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Each member of your family should come up with some activities they would like to do while camping. These ideas need to have some preparation when you pack so bikes, radios, backpacks, books, games, swimsuits. etc. are included. These structured activities should only consume part of your trip.
   
   Staying busy does not have to mean filling up every hour with structured activities. Camping needs to include downtime for everyone and that, in and of itself, creates spontaneity. Have some thought put into this type of time so when the time is right your family can enjoy activities they have not thought of or done before. This is what creates memories.
2. Structured activities may include:
   
   Swimming - No matter where you are camping you are bound to have a lake, a brook, or pool close to you. Swimming is great exercise and lot of fun for all ages. Send your kids off to swim their lungs out in these and explore the bounties of nature for themselves. If you are camping in a commercial campsite you might even be lucky enough to find a pool for your kids to go swimming in. But whether it is a natural or a man-made lake, as long as it is all right for your children to swim in them you know that they'll stay occupied.
   
   Biking - Camping is all about discovering nature and engaging in physical activities, and what better way of combining both than going out biking? When cycling around with your children make sure you have a map and a first aid box close at hand, so that you don't continue to worry about getting lost or ending up hurt and can instead concentrate fully on the breathtaking view alone.
   
   Hiking - You do not need to be a serious hiker to enjoy walking through nature's beautiful display, wherever you are camping. Bring a map of the area and take your family on a hiking trip they will remember.
   
   Build a campfire - Camping is not camping without a campfire. Although fire can be a danger, with attention to the fire and supervision of the kids the entire family can sit around the campfire and be memorized by the flames. Allow your kids to find twigs (on the ground, never cut them off a tree) and throw them into the fire. Once you build the campfire enjoy its warmth, roast marshmallows and hotdogs, and enjoy how the dancing flames bring your family together.
3. Creative Spontaneous Activities
   
   Sing songs - If your family is so inclined, singing traditional campfire songs can be a lot of fun. You can also photocopy the insides of everyone's favorite CD and sing the lyrics to some of their favorite songs.
   
   Watch clouds - As you are sitting around in your campsite watch the sky and find the characters in the clouds. Better yet put a blanket on the ground and lay on your back to find your shapes and see if you can see what others in your family see.
   
   Scavenger hunt - Provide a list of items such as plants, leaves, or animal tracks that you might see to each family member. Go on a nature hike and have everyone check off everything they see. A planned scavenger can be done, also. Bring items from home and place them around the campsite. Provide a few riddles and clues and see how many they can find. Be cautious of plants such as poison ivy, oak, sumac etc.

Tips & Warnings

• Parents and kids who go camping together agree: there is almost always something fun, cool and interesting to do, whether it's taking part in organized campground activities, like nature walks or star gazing, going for bike rides, or just hanging out at the lake, campfire or playground. The beauty of camping is that simple is best.