Are you tired of doing the same old things over and over while camping? Try adding some fun to your boring routine with one of these outdoor camping games.
Most of these fun camping games only require small pieces of equipment – so they’re easy to pack on your next camping trip – and they can be enjoyed for the whole family.
Most of them are physical, active games that can wear out younger kids (so they’ll sleep well), but I’ve included a card game or two in case its a rainy day or if everyone has had a long day.
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Fun Outdoor Camping Games the Whole Family can Enjoy
These games are a great way to bond, laugh, and create lasting memories.
Some of these games require more physicality and effort than others so you’ll have to think about your camping party and what they’ll be able to do or not do.
Then choose a game that your whole group can enjoy.
1. Bocce (a classic outdoor game)
The great thing about a good bocce ball set is it takes up very little room, stores nicely in your camper or vehicle, and only requires a bit of land to play on. Plus, young kids right up to seniors can play and enjoy this great game.
People know it as a backyard game – but most campsites will have a grassy open area that will work perfectly for you to play in.
You can find a bocce ball set at most retailers during the summertime. But if you can’t find some, the balls shown above are a really popular and super well-rated set made by GoSports that you can find on Amazon.
And it comes with a carrying case so it’s portable and easy to clean up afterward.
Overall, bocce is a great camping game for the whole family.
If you want to learn the rules of bocce, you can click this link.
Apparently there is more rules to it than just smashing the little ball with your big ball.
2. Ladder Toss
Ladder Toss has become a staple at backyard get-togethers and camping parties.
Basically, you toss your golf ball “bolas” and try to get it on the ladder.
If you want to see the official rules of Ladder Toss click here.
Both kids and adults enjoy this game so it makes a great outdoor camping game for families.
Most local retailers and sports stores will have a version of the ladder toss game, but if you can’t find it locally you can see this AmazonBasics set on Amazon.
3. Bean Bag Toss (aka Cornhole)
In the United States this game is called Cornhole.
In fact, there is even an American Cornhole Association.
Other countries call it Bean Bag Toss, or sack toss.
It has a simple premise where you take turns trying to throw your bean bag into a hole in a raised platform (the cornhole board).
The downside to cornhole is that the boards can be bulky to store in your RV, camper or truck.
But they do make cornhole sets (like the set shown above) that come with a carrying bag so they’re a little more portable.
Are you concerned about the length of the boards?
If you’re worried about the length of the boards, you can get sets that have shorter boards. The boards shown above are 4-feet long, but you can get shorter 3-foot cornhole boards too. That may be easier to pack into an SUV.
(And some people just buy the bean bags and use a bucket or laundry basket as the target.)
You can even buy LED cornhole board ring lights so you can play into the night!
4. Frisbee Golf
Frisbee is a trademarked name but it has become synonymous with the flying disc. (Like Kleenex is a tissue.) So most people just call it Frisbee Golf instead of “Flying Disc Golf.”
Want to know what Frisbee Golf is? Click to watch the video below.
Your campsite likely won’t have fancy disc golf targets like the ones in the video, but you could even put clothes on the ground and use that as your target.
This is one of the least expensive games on this list because you can buy Frisbees at the dollar store. You can pay more for better quality Frisbee Golf discs, but if you have young kids this may not be necessary.
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5. Horseshoes
A classic backyard and camping game for families!
Horseshoes is a fun, easy to learn game and requires minimal equipment.
You can buy metal horseshoes like this well-rated set from Champion Sports (great for adults), or you can buy plastic or rubber horseshoes if you have children playing.
Horseshoes is an awesome game for outdoor fun, and it is played in many summer festivals across the country.
And even if you aren’t good at tossing horseshoes it is still a fun game to play with friends or family. (As long as you don’t have any “poor winners” at your campsite.)
6. Lawn Darts (aka Jarts or Javelin Darts)
Lawn Darts have been around for generations.
They have changed over the years though.
“Back in my day” they had metal spikes on the end, but too many accidents occurred, so now they usually have weighted balls or soft, rounded tips. (As you can see in the picture above.)
Lawn darts is another straight forward game.
Try to land your dart inside the colored circular ring.
It is easy for children to learn, and adults to play.
Grab a set and start having some fun at your campsite.
This set by FunSparks is actually a “Glow in the Dark” set so you can play into the evening.
7. Badminton
My daughter and I play badminton all the time in the summer. We usually don’t even use a net. We just try to play “keep up.”
This is when you see how many times you can consecutively hit the birdie to each other without it hitting the ground.
The reason we don’t use a net is because it can be a pain in the butt pounding the stakes into the hard, rocky ground.
But they do make portable free-standing badminton nets that would be perfect for the backyard, the beach or camping.
You can adjust the height of the net from about 3-feet to 5-feet tall. So not super high, but it’ll still be fun for your family to hit the birdie over.
Plus, this net folds down, and comes with a case for easy carrying. When everything is packed in the bag, the bag is just less than 3-feet long.
Click here to see more details of this popular net.
8. Volleyball
What is cool about the net pictured above is that it can be used for volleyball too.
I’m not a huge volleyball fan (probably because “bumping” hurt my forearms) but I do enjoy playing it using a beach ball.
Regardless of whether you use a real volleyball or a beach ball, it should provide some excitement and exercise to your family camping experience.
And I just discovered that if you hate having your forearms hurt too, the Wilson company makes a “soft volleyball.”
It has spongey layer to make it easier for beginners or people with “sensitive” forearms like I have.
Makes me want to give it a try.
You may be able to find it at a local retailer, or you can click here to see it on Amazon.
9. KanJam
This is a relatively newer game/product that many people don’t know about yet.
It is another flying disc game where you and partner take on two others.
If you love tossing, and Frisbee-style games then you’ll love this one.
Intrigued?
Click here to see this product on Amazon.
How to Play KanJam
You get points by either hitting the can-shaped goal, or getting it inside the goal.
The photo above summarizes the rules of the game.
This game really tests your accuracy, but you’ll have a blast doing it.
10. Spikeball
This game has become really popular in the last few years and I see lots of people playing it at parks and beaches in the summer time.
To be honest, I’ve never tried it so I can’t personally attest to how fun it is, but judging by the amount of people that do play, it must be a good time.
Do you want to know more about it?
Click here to see details on this Spikeball set.
11. Giant Jenga Blocks
You’ve probably heard of Jenga before. You know where you “take a block from the bottom and put it on top.” Well did you know they make a large outdoor version.
You can buy this set of big wooden blocks and play Giant Jenga right at your campsite.
Depending on how you camp it may be too bulky to bring with you, but if you have the room, you should check this out.
They call this their JS6 version, and they even make a bigger JS7 version.
My suggestion is watch your toes when these blocks fall.
And because this JS6 version can stack to over 4-feet tall, shorter kids may struggle with this big version. (But they’ll have fun trying)
12. Treasure Hunt
Kids and adults love a good treasure hunt. Heck, how many reality shows involve trying to find a treasure!
You can bring some treasures from home, hide them around the campground and provide your kids with a treasure map or clues to find the gold.
To make it more challenging you could add some riddles and problems to solve before they find the next clue.
13. Noah’s Ark Animal Alphabet Game (a campfire game)
This is a fun game for sitting around the campfire that challenges the player’s memory and knowledge of animals. I play a similar game with my kids in the car, but I learned this version of the game from this website.
You start with the letter “A” and say “I’m going on Noah’s Ark and I’m bringing two ______”. And you fill in the blank with an animal that starts with the letter “A” such as two antelope.
The next person in the circle has to repeat what the first person said and then add two animals they’d bring that start with the letter B. So for instance, “I’m going on Noah’s Ark and I’m bringing two antelope and two baboons.”
The third person has to to recite what the first two players said then add 2 more animals that start with the letter “C”.
And it continues going around the ring of players with each player having to recall what animals the other players said then add their own animals in alphabetical order.
I’ve also heard a version of this where the numerical count of animals increases along with the letter, so you can play however you like. (Like 1 antelope, 2 baboons, 3 cats, etc…)
And what’s fun about this campfire game is that you try to get your whole group up to the letter Z. So you’re all in it together trying to succeed.
Have fun with it and help each other out when needed.
14. Nature Scavenger Hunt
One of the best things about camping is being in the great outdoors.
A nature scavenger hunt is a great activity to get everyone outside and exploring.
You can write up your own list of things to find or see on a piece of paper or you can buy a printable scavenger hunt list like the one above from Etsy.
For safety sake, younger children may need you to go with them or at least be partnered up or have an older buddy with them.
15. Photo Scavenger Hunt
For older kids who have phones or camera you can turn a regular scavenger hunt into a Photo Scavenger Hunt where they have to find and take pictures of the things on their list.
16. Set up an Obstacle Course
Young children love a good obstacle course.
You can collect stuff around the campsite like sticks or pieces of firewood and instruct the kids whether they have to go over or around things.
You could also use your camping gear like camping chairs so your kids have to crawl under them like little insects.
Just make sure you set up the obstacle course away from the firepit or sharp stuff.
If your kids love the show “American Ninja Warrior” you can get the obstacle course shown above and set it up in a nice grassy spot.
17. Game of Tag
This classic game can work well in an open space at the campground too.
And when the sun goes down you can bring out the flashlights for a game of flashlight tag.
18. Simon Says
If your little kids say they’re board, “Simon Says” is an easy game to play that doesn’t require any equipment at all.
Most kids from preschool aged and up know the game and with some convincing, you may even be able to get some adults to play too.
19. Go Fish (card game)
Go Fish is a fun card that kids and parents enjoy.
We have this colorful deck of cards from the company “Melissa and Doug” and it comes with Go Fish, Animal Rummy and Old Maid.
It is fun and my youngest daughter enjoys them.
it is a way to spend some quality time together and works well camping because you can play it on the picnic table or inside your tent or camper if its raining.
You may already have Go Fish, but if you don’t, you can click here to check out this cool set.
I hope these outdoor camping games will provide some fun and excitement for your whole family on your next camping trip.
Have I missed any fun outdoor games?
If your family loves board games, check out our article on some fun board games to bring camping.
And if you want some tips on organizing your RV or Camper (so you have room for your new games) you may be interested in these other articles listed below.
61 smart RV Storage Ideas
27 proven RV Bathroom Storage ideas
RV Kitchen Organization ideas (maximize space in your tiny RV kitchen)
Enhance your RV Outdoor Living Space with these RV Patio ideas
Make your campsite more private with one of these camping privacy ideas.
Thank you. I hope you enjoy your next camping trip.
Tim from LearnAlongWithMe.com
Tim worked in construction for a few years before going to university. Then he worked in a pharmacy for 10 years and now works as a full-time writer and online publisher. He has experience in several different, far-reaching lines of work.
“I sincerely hope you find the articles helpful and informative.”
Tim from LearnAlongWithMe.com
