These printable camping games are an easy way to keep kids entertained on camping trips, road trips, and rainy campground days.
This collection includes everything from bingo to scavenger hunts, with easy activities for the tent, the car, or quiet time at the campsite.
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How to Use Printable Camping Games With Kids
Printable camping games have honestly saved us a few times when the weather turned bad or everyone was tired after hiking all day. I usually print a handful before we leave so there’s always something easy to pull out at the campsite without relying on screens.
Road trip bingo tends to disappear first because Freddie always liked spotting things out the window before I could. Scavenger hunts and I Spy games work better once we’re actually at the campground and the kids want to wander around exploring.
I normally keep everything in a clipboard folder with pencils, crayons, and a few snacks stuffed inside so it’s easy to grab in the car or tent. For younger kids, even tiny prizes like glow sticks or mini flashlights somehow make the games feel much more exciting.
Camping Games to Print Before Your Trip
Road Trip Bingo
This road trip bingo printable usually comes out before we’ve even left the driveway. It gives kids something simple to focus on during longer drives, and somehow spotting a gas station or red truck suddenly becomes very exciting.
This camping scavenger hunt usually starts off quietly and then suddenly turns into kids racing each other to spot pinecones, birds, or someone else’s tent first. It’s a good way to keep them busy without anyone asking for a phone five minutes later.
We first played these summer Scattergories boards during a rainy beach trip when everyone was bored and getting slightly grumpy. It ended up being one of those games that older kids and adults got way too competitive about.
This campsite snakes and ladders game is one of the easier activities to pull out when kids need a break from running around outside. It doesn’t need much setup, and younger kids usually like the camping theme enough to play more than once.
Camping bingo works well when you’ve got a mix of ages because everyone can join in wihout needing loads of instructions. Younger kids tend to focus on spotting the pictures, while older ones suddenly become very determined to win.
Using marshmallows and hot dogs instead of plain Xs and Os somehow makes tic tac toe feel far more exciting than it probably should. It’s simple, quick to set up, and easy to play while sitting around the picnic table.
This camping I Spy printable is handy for quieter moments when kids need something calm to focus on for a while. We’ve used it in the tent, at picnic tables, and once during a thunderstorm when nobody wanted to go outside.
This camping activity placemat is the kind of thing that’s useful to have tucked away just in case. Between the coloring, puzzles, and little games, it usually buys enough time to cook dinner or wait out bad weather.
Memory games always seem simple until kids suddenly become incredibly competitive about remembering where everything is. This camping version works especially well for younger kids who still want an activity they can mostly do on their own.
Campfire Pictionary gets chaotic very quickly, especially once the drawings start looking absolutely nothing like tents or campfires. Half the fun usually comes from the terrible guesses rather than the actual game itself.
Camping charades is one of those games that starts off fairly sensible and then gets louder every round. Even kids who normally hate acting things out usually end up joining in once everyone else starts being ridiculous.
This camping word search is a good one for slower parts of the day when everyone needs a bit of quiet for a while. Older kids usually turn it into a race, while younger ones are just happy spotting words they recognize.
Camping Books Kids Actually Enjoy Around the Campfire
We usually throw a couple of books into the camping bag too, mostly for winding down in the tent at night or for quieter mornings before everyone’s fully awake.
Would you Rather: Summer Edition always ends up getting passed around because the questions get sillier the longer the conversation goes on. Some of the answers become family jokes long after the trip’s over.
Wilderness Survival Guide for Kids is a good choice for kids who suddenly become convinced they need to learn survival skills the second they step into the woods. It’s practical without feeling too serious.
Pete the Cat Goes Camping was one of Freddie’s favorites when he was younger because it keeps the camping theme light and funny instead of making everything feel like a big adventure lesson.
If you’re still getting organized before your trip, these camping tips for moms can help with some of the little things that are easy to forget until you’re already unpacking at the campsite.
Clare Brown is the founder of Homeschool of 1. She creates free printables and interactive learning tools for kids, helping parents and teachers generate activities instantly with no prep. Her work has been featured in Parade, HuffPost, Business Insider, Motherly, AOL, and Yahoo. Read more.
