Outdoor Games for Camping: Best Ideas for Families & Adults

You have packed your tent, sorted your sleeping bags, and loaded the car with enough camping gear to survive a week in the wilderness. But once you arrive at your pitch and everything is set up, reality hits. The kids are restless, the adults are looking for something to do, and nobody wants to spend the entire trip staring at their phones. You need games that actually work at a campsite. Something that keeps everyone engaged without requiring a garage full of equipment or complicated rules nobody will remember.

This guide covers the best outdoor games for camping that suit different group sizes, energy levels, and weather conditions. You will find classic lawn games perfect for open spaces, high energy activities to tire out excitable children, quiet campfire games for evening wind down, and clever no equipment options for when you forgot to pack anything. Whether you are camping with toddlers who need constant entertainment, teenagers who claim they are too cool for games, or adults looking for competitive fun with a drink in hand, this list has you covered. Some games require portable sets you can buy and pack, while others need nothing more than your imagination and the natural surroundings around your tent.

1. Take a Hike UK camping game gear

You need games that survive the journey to your campsite without adding excessive bulk or weight to your already packed car. Take a Hike UK stocks a carefully curated range of portable camping entertainment designed specifically for outdoor adventures. These compact game sets fit easily into boot corners, backpack pockets, or alongside your camping furniture without demanding their own dedicated storage box.

Why start with your gear

Having dedicated camping games in your kit eliminates the last minute scramble through cupboards at home. You want equipment that withstands grass, dirt, and the occasional spilled drink without falling apart after one trip. Purpose built outdoor games for camping come in weather resistant cases and use materials that handle rough ground better than your household board games ever could. When you invest in proper camping entertainment, you stop improvising with random sticks and stones that nobody really wants to play with.

Best portable games to pack

Take a Hike UK offers lightweight throwing games like ring toss sets, compact card games in waterproof packaging, and collapsible game boards that pack flat. Look for items with carrying bags or cases that protect the pieces during transport and prevent small components from disappearing into the depths of your tent. Games with minimal setup time work best because nobody wants to spend thirty minutes assembling complicated equipment when you could already be playing.

The best camping games balance fun gameplay with practical portability.

Tips for choosing compact sets

Choose games that multiple age groups can enjoy together to maximise value from one purchase. Check the packed dimensions before buying because "compact" means different things to different manufacturers. Magnetic or tethered pieces prevent losses in long grass, and games that work on uneven ground save you from constantly searching for flat surfaces at campsites.

2. Classic throwing and lawn games

These traditional outdoor games for camping require minimal setup and work brilliantly on grass, packed dirt, or sandy pitches. You need open space and willing participants rather than perfect conditions, making them ideal for campsites where level ground is a bonus rather than a guarantee. Most sets pack down into carry bags small enough to fit beside your camping chairs and provide hours of entertainment for mixed age groups.

Cornhole, ladder toss and horseshoes

Cornhole involves tossing bean bags at angled boards with holes, scoring points for landing on the board or getting bags through the opening. You play singles or doubles, and games move quickly enough to keep everyone engaged without dragging on for hours. Ladder toss uses bolas (two balls connected by string) that you throw at a three rung ladder structure, with different rungs awarding different points. Horseshoes remains the classic throwing game where you pitch metal horseshoes at stakes driven into the ground, aiming for ringers or close proximity. All three games let you adjust throwing distances to accommodate younger children or increase difficulty for competitive adults.

Kubb, Molkky and skittles

Kubb combines throwing and strategy as you knock down wooden blocks on your opponent's side before attempting to topple the king in the centre. This Scandinavian game works brilliantly at campsites because the wooden pieces handle rough ground better than plastic alternatives. Molkky simplifies the concept with numbered pins you knock down using a throwing stick, adding your scores as you play. Garden skittles gives you a traditional pub game experience outdoors, where you throw a wooden ball at nine pins arranged in a square formation.

Traditional lawn games create natural gathering points around your camping pitch.

Bocce, boule and petanque

Bocce ball requires you to roll heavy balls as close as possible to a smaller target ball called the pallino, with underhand throwing making it accessible for all fitness levels. Petanque uses metal balls and follows similar rules but players typically throw from a standing position rather than rolling. French boule variations add regional twists to the same basic concept of getting closest to the target. These games suit older campers or anyone seeking competition without excessive running around.

3. High energy tag and chasing games

These running based games burn excess energy and work perfectly when you have a safe open area near your camping pitch. You need minimal equipment beyond willing participants and clearly defined boundaries to prevent children from disappearing into the woods or bothering neighbouring campers. Tag games adapt easily to different group sizes and age ranges, making them reliable entertainment options when restlessness strikes your camping party.

Stuck in the mud and freeze tag

Stuck in the mud designates one or two people as catchers who chase and tag other players, freezing them in place until a free player crawls under their legs to rescue them. The game continues until everyone is stuck or time runs out, then you swap catchers and start again. Freeze tag follows similar rules but frozen players stand still with arms and legs spread wide instead of standing normally. You can add themed variations like zombie tag where tagged players become additional zombies, or blob tag where caught players join hands with the catcher to form a growing chain. These games suit campsites with grassy areas where falls cause minimal injury and visibility stays good throughout the playing zone.

Running games transform any flat camping space into an entertainment zone.

Capture the flag variations

Capture the flag splits players into two teams, each protecting their flag at a home base while attempting to steal the opponent's flag. When you cross into enemy territory and get tagged, you go to their jail until a teammate tags you free. The first team to capture the opposing flag and return it to their base wins. Variations include glow in the dark versions using LED markers for evening play, or adding multiple flags and safe zones to increase complexity. Natural features like trees, rocks, and camping equipment make excellent hiding spots and strategic barriers.

Duck duck goose and circle games

Duck duck goose works brilliantly for younger campers who need structured activity without excessive rules. Players sit in a circle while one person walks around tapping heads and saying "duck" until choosing someone as the "goose" who must chase them around the circle. Other circle running games include cat and mouse, where two players weave in and out of a standing circle trying to catch each other, or the farmer's in his den with singing and progressive player selection.

4. Campfire party and icebreaker games

Evening entertainment around the campfire requires games that work in dim light and keep everyone seated or in close proximity. These outdoor games for camping suit mixed groups where not everyone knows each other well, breaking down social barriers through laughter and shared competition. You need minimal props and can adapt most games to suit different group sizes and age ranges without complicated setup or rule explanations that lose attention in the dark.

Storytelling and word games

Collaborative storytelling has each person adding one sentence to a developing tale that grows increasingly ridiculous as it passes around the circle. You can set themes like camping disasters, monster encounters, or historical adventures to guide the narrative. Word association games challenge players to respond quickly with related words, while sentence building games require the next person to start their sentence with the last word of the previous speaker. These games suit quieter groups or serve as gentle warm ups before more energetic activities.

Charades, heads up and pictionary

Charades adapts perfectly to camping when you write prompts on scraps of paper torn from notebooks and act out movies, animals, or camping related activities. Players who struggle with reading can focus on guessing rather than performing. Heads Up works brilliantly with camping themed word lists you prepare beforehand, with one player holding a torch near their forehead displaying the word to other players. Drawing games like Pictionary require torchlight and a notebook but generate competitive fun as artistic abilities vary wildly around most campfires.

Campfire games transform strangers into friends through shared laughter and competition.

Mafia, werewolf and wink murder

Mafia style games have villagers trying to identify secret killers among them through discussion and voting. One person narrates while others close their eyes during night phases, then debate during day phases about who to eliminate. Wink murder simplifies the concept with one killer who winks at victims to eliminate them while a detective tries to identify the murderer. These games suit groups of six or more players and work particularly well with teenagers and adults who enjoy strategic deception.

Two truths and a lie style games

Two truths and a lie has each player share three statements about themselves with one being false, while others guess which statement is the lie. You can theme rounds around camping experiences, childhood memories, or travel adventures to spark conversation. Similar icebreaker formats include "never have I ever" where players admit experiences or "would you rather" presenting impossible choices between two equally ridiculous scenarios.

5. No equipment word and guessing games

Zero preparation games save camping trips when you forgot to pack entertainment or need something that works anywhere without setup. These verbal challenges suit car journeys to the campsite, waiting for dinner to cook, or quiet time inside the tent during rain. You need nothing beyond alert minds and imagination, making them perfect outdoor games for camping when luggage space is limited or younger children have lost crucial pieces from your packed game sets.

I spy and 20 questions

I spy has one player choose a visible object and announce its first letter with "I spy with my little eye something beginning with..." while others guess items around the campsite. You can add variations like colour descriptions instead of letters, or limit guesses to natural objects versus camping equipment for themed rounds. Twenty questions challenges players to identify what someone is thinking through yes or no questions only, with the question limit creating urgency and strategic thinking. Animal, vegetable, or mineral categories help younger players narrow possibilities, while camping themed versions restrict answers to things you might find at campsites or use during outdoor adventures.

Word games transform boring waiting time into engaging entertainment without requiring any physical equipment.

The memory alphabet game

The alphabet memory game starts with one player saying "I went camping and I brought an apple" using something beginning with A. The next player repeats that phrase and adds an item starting with B, continuing through the alphabet as the list grows longer. Players drop out when they cannot remember the sequence, with the last person standing winning the round. You can adjust difficulty levels by allowing thirty seconds thinking time for younger children or removing time limits entirely for relaxed family play.

Forehead detective and who am I

Forehead games have players guess identities written on paper stuck to their foreheads through yes or no questions asked to other players. Use camping related characters, animals found in British countryside, or famous people everyone recognizes. Who am I variations include giving clues about the mystery person one at a time until someone guesses correctly, or assigning point values to different clue types to encourage strategic questioning rather than random guesses.

6. Nature themed scavenger hunts

Nature scavenger hunts turn the campsite and surrounding area into an interactive game board that encourages children to observe their environment rather than complain about boredom. You create lists of natural items to find, photograph, or identify, adapting the difficulty level to match your group's age range and camping location. These outdoor games for camping teach observation skills while keeping everyone entertained without requiring purchased equipment or complicated rules that nobody remembers after the first explanation.

Simple lists for younger kids

Basic scavenger hunts for young children use picture cards or simple word lists of common items like pinecones, leaves with different shapes, smooth stones, feathers, or specific wildflowers. You can create colour based challenges where children find natural objects in red, yellow, green, and brown, or texture hunts seeking something rough, smooth, soft, and prickly. Keep the list short with five to ten items maximum so younger participants experience success rather than frustration. Provide small bags or containers for collecting treasures, then spend time examining finds together after the hunt finishes.

Photo and clue based hunts

Older children and teenagers respond better to photography based scavenger hunts where they capture images of items rather than collecting physical objects. Create clue cards describing items without naming them directly, like "something a bird might use for building" or "evidence of water erosion" to encourage critical thinking. You can add competitive elements by assigning point values to different items based on difficulty, or set time limits that increase urgency and excitement throughout the hunt.

Photography based hunts encourage observation without disturbing the natural environment around your campsite.

Wildlife and leave no trace tips

Responsible scavenger hunts emphasize observation over collection, teaching participants to appreciate nature without causing damage. Instruct children never to pick living flowers, disturb animal homes, or remove items from protected areas around the campsite. Use photography requirements for delicate items like spider webs, mushrooms, or anything attached to living trees. Teach participants to replace stones and logs exactly as they found them because countless small creatures depend on undisturbed microhabitats for survival.

7. Water and heat busting games

Hot summer camping demands activities that cool everyone down while providing entertainment during the warmest parts of the day. These water based games transform your campsite into a refreshing play area that keeps children occupied and adults comfortable without requiring elaborate pool setups or expensive equipment. You need access to water, either from campsite taps or containers you brought specifically for outdoor games for camping, plus a few basic supplies like sponges, buckets, or balloons that pack easily alongside your regular camping kit.

Sponge relays and pass the water

Sponge relay races split players into teams who soak large sponges in buckets of water, then run to squeeze them into empty containers at the opposite end of your playing area. The team that fills their container highest within the time limit wins, creating competitive urgency while everyone gets splashed. Pass the water lines players up single file where they pour cups of water over their shoulders into the container held by the person behind them, with accuracy mattering more than speed. You can increase difficulty by using smaller cups, requiring players to close their eyes, or adding obstacles between team members.

Water balloon baseball and dodgeball

Water balloon baseball replaces the traditional ball with water balloons that explode on contact, creating spectacular hits and hilarious fielding attempts. You pitch gently to ensure balloons survive long enough to be hit, while fielders try catching them without bursting. Water balloon dodgeball follows standard dodgeball rules but uses balloons instead of foam balls, with the explosive splash confirming hits beyond dispute. Prepare dozens of balloons before starting because games consume them rapidly.

Water games turn uncomfortable heat into an advantage that makes camping more enjoyable rather than something to endure.

Safe water play at camp

Designated play zones keep water games away from tents, electrical hookups, and areas where wet grass creates slipping hazards for unsuspecting campers. Clean up all balloon fragments immediately after games finish because wildlife can mistake latex pieces for food. Check campsite rules before starting because some locations restrict water games during drought conditions or near sensitive natural areas.

8. Night time and glow games

Darkness transforms your campsite into an entirely different play environment where standard daytime activities become impossible but new entertainment opportunities emerge. These night time outdoor games for camping use torches, glow sticks, or natural starlight to create memorable experiences that children talk about long after returning home. You need safe boundaries clearly marked before darkness falls, plus extra supervision to prevent trips over tent pegs or collisions with camping furniture that becomes invisible in dim light.

Torch tag and spotlight games

Torch tag designates one player as the seeker who uses a torch to spot and identify other players hiding in darkness around the campsite. When the beam lands on someone and the seeker calls their name correctly, that person becomes the new seeker. Spotlight variations require tagged players to freeze in position like statues until another player crawls past the torch beam to touch and release them. You can add safe zones near tents or camping chairs where players rest for ten seconds before returning to the game, preventing exhaustion and ensuring everyone stays within designated boundaries rather than wandering into neighbouring pitches.

Glow stick ring toss and trails

Glow stick ring toss uses luminous bracelets as throwing rings aimed at tent pegs or walking sticks marked with glow necklaces for visibility. Players stand at agreed distances and take turns tossing their glowing rings, with scoring based on successful hooks or closest proximity. Glow trails involve one team laying a path of glow sticks through the campsite for the opposing team to follow, adding time limits or wrong turn penalties to increase challenge levels.

Glow sticks convert standard camping games into magical night time adventures without requiring batteries or electrical hookups.

Stargazing bingo and sky quests

Stargazing bingo provides cards listing constellations, planets, or celestial features visible from your camping location during different seasons. Players mark squares as they identify objects, with simple versions using bright stars for younger children while advanced cards include specific constellations requiring knowledge or reference guides. Sky quest challenges set missions like spotting satellites, counting shooting stars during meteor showers, or identifying planets visible to the naked eye.

9. Tabletop and card games

Rainy days and quiet evenings demand entertainment that works inside your tent or under a shelter without requiring running space or good weather. These indoor outdoor games for camping provide backup options when conditions prevent active play, plus they suit mixed age groups who need downtime between energetic activities. You pack compact game sets that survive damp conditions and fit into bags alongside your camping essentials without consuming excessive luggage space.

Compact board games to pack

Travel sized board games come in metal tins or small boxes that protect contents from moisture while taking up minimal space in your camping storage. Games like magnetic chess, checkers, or travel Scrabble prevent piece losses through attached boards or built in storage compartments. Strategy games including compact versions of Connect Four, Battleship, or Othello provide competitive entertainment for two players during quiet afternoon hours. Look for games with pieces that stack or nest together rather than rattling loose inside boxes, and avoid anything requiring extensive table space or perfect flat surfaces that campsites rarely provide.

Card games for two to ten players

Standard playing card decks enable dozens of different games from simple snap for young children through to complex poker variations for adults. You can teach classics like rummy, whist, or cribbage, or pack dedicated card games like Uno, Exploding Kittens, or Cards Against Humanity depending on your group's preferences. Waterproof playing cards survive spills better than standard paper versions, making them worth the small extra investment for camping trips. Games that accommodate variable player counts adapt better to camping situations where people join or leave activities based on meal preparation or other campsite duties.

Card games transform any sheltered space into an entertainment zone regardless of weather conditions outside.

Rainy day and quiet time picks

Word games like Bananagrams or Scrabble suit players who enjoy linguistic challenges without needing athletic ability or outdoor space. Dice games including Yahtzee or Farkle pack into tiny containers while providing competitive scoring that keeps score sheets interesting across multiple rounds. Cooperative games where everyone works together rather than competing suit families seeking shared experiences rather than winners and losers, particularly during extended rain periods when tensions can rise in confined tent spaces.

Ready to play at camp

Your camping trip improves dramatically when you pack the right entertainment alongside your sleeping bags and cooking equipment. These outdoor games for camping range from high energy chasing activities that exhaust energetic children to quiet card games that fill rainy afternoon hours inside your tent. You now have options for every weather condition, group size, and energy level rather than hoping everyone stays entertained through pure wilderness observation alone.

Portable game sets from Take a Hike UK solve the equipment question by providing compact, weather resistant options designed specifically for outdoor adventures. Mix classic lawn games like cornhole with no equipment options such as I spy to create varied entertainment that prevents boredom without requiring a separate vehicle just for games. The best camping trips balance planned activities with spontaneous fun, giving you structure when needed while leaving space for unexpected adventures that emerge naturally around the campfire or during evening walks.