Games To Play While Camping

CAMP Board Game

The name of this game says it all on why it is perfect to bring to play on a camping trip. The object of this game is to get to camp first by answering questions correctly. For two to eight players ages 4 years and up, four sets of questions mean that everyone can be challenged, from the know-it-all uncle to the littlest campers. Topics range from state birds to general outdoor knowledge, from identifying animals from photos for younger players to facts about the national parks. Look for additional sets of question cards and a smaller travel version, too. You can also find a similar version called FISHING CAMP that is all fishing related.

Jr. Ranger Poop Tracks Card Game

Be able to identify the scat and tracks you see while exploring around the campground with this two- to four-player game. The game covers common animals found while camping and hiking in the mountains, including beavers, moose, foxes and even snowy owls. You will be a poop and footprint expert by the time you finish a few rounds of this game. Best for kids ages 6-plus and for two to four players, this game is sure to be a campsite hit. 

Just with a regular deck of cards, you can play a large selection of games around the campfire. All games can be played with two or more players, and you have hours of entertainment with a 52-card deck. Card games can be simple for little kids, like Go Fish, Slapjack or my family favorite, Crazy Eights. Adults (and older kids) can enjoy games like Hearts, Cribbage or Kings in the Corner. War is one of the best two-player games with a deck of cards, and Spoons can bring out some outrageous competitiveness. 

Farkle

A break from card games, Farkle is a dice-rolling game where risk-taking can be rewarding or it can set you back while trying to get to 10,000 points. It’s a perfect game for when you are camping with a small or large group, as you can have anywhere from two to six players, but factor in the time a group of six may need to get a player to 10,000. Younger kids can play this game with some help scoring. 

Spot it!

This simple-to-play game is easy to pack and quick to learn. Best for players age 6 and up, and up to eight players at a time, this game tests visual skills and reflexes as players try to find a matching object on their card to the card in play. Spot it! comes in all kinds of versions, from Jurassic World to holiday versions. Each version comes with a classic way to play and four different ways to play. Our personal recommendation is to play two players at a time for the easiest and quickest rounds of fun.

Another game played with dice, players roll the dice one to three times to try to make 13 different rolls, from three or four of a kind to a full house and more. Make sure you have 30 minutes or so to play this game, or that have a place where you can leave it set up to continue if you need to leave the campground. This game is best for ages 8 and up and for two to 10 players. There are lots of fun versions of this game, from Classic to a National Parks version for even more fun. A junior edition is also available for younger players (ages 4 and up) in many fun versions, from Star Wars to Disney Princesses. So, go ahead and yell Yahtzee as loud as you want, as long as it’s not quiet hours at the campground! 

Basecamp Card Game

This is a favorite “get to know more about each other” type of game that is perfect for around the campfire. Even if the person is in your immediate family, you would be amazed how much more you can learn about someone playing this question-and-answer game. This particular game comes with 52-plus questions. There are several similar versions of a “tell about yourself” type of game, including Fire-Side Chats, Camp Talk and Would You Rather? Campfire Edition.