Its Camping time! Camping is one of the best activities a family can do together and is always fun with kids. The camping activities for kids, help them to explore and learn about nature.
With Camping, you get the benefit of being away, from the daily chores of life; it can be refreshing, and there is plenty of time for leisure and games.
Camping can also be a great time to try out new arts activities, which includes arts and crafts activities, scavenger hunt, building a campfire, and hiking a trail.
Camping Activities For Kids
Below are some of the best camping activities for kids
Arts and Crafts Activity
1. String God’s Eye
This is one of the best arts and crafts, camping activity for kids.
Things you will need to do this activity are, some yarn, glue, and a couple of sticks.
Take two small sticks, and stick them up together, to form a cross shape. Allow it to dry. To the center of the cross, tie a piece of yarn, close to the center of the cross, by leaving a tail, hanging from the center. Start rolling the yarn, under and over around the sticks, to form a diamond-shape weaving. To create this art, you can even use different colors of yarn, variegated yarn, or anything you want.
Now, cut the yarn, with the help of a camping jack knife and tie off the tails.
2. Window Nature Art
Another fun idea of arts and crafts activity, which your kids will enjoy.
Let your child, collect some wild flowers, pretty leaves, and even a few tiny sticks, during their camping trip. Now, allow him/her, to paste them on the sticky side of some contact paper, in an artistic way. Then, place the second piece on top, with the sticky side placing downwards. Cut out the edges, punch a hole in the top, and hang it with a ribbon. This could be an excellent window nature art piece at home.
3. Stick Vases
One of the fun camping activities, under camps and teen programs.
Your kids would love to make this fun and craft activity. Have your kids collect some twigs and sticks. To do this art and craft activity, you will need a bunch of sticks, some rubber bands, and a mason jar. An excellent art idea is to make a rustic vase, out of these things.
Collect sticks, which are a bit big in size, then your jar. Put two rubber bands around the jar, and slide sticks under the rubber bands. Make sure, you do this until the jar is covered. Side the rubber bands together, and tie a pretty ribbon over them.
You can use this rustic vase, filled up with wildflowers, on your camp dining area.
Have a Scavenger Hunt
A fun way for kids, and provides the opportunity for them to explore the campsite and surrounding area. Children will even get a chance to learn a few nature facts along the way.
Make sure, you set few ground rules, before you send them off for the scavenger hunt, with their lists in hand. You need to be specific about the boundaries of the hunt. Let your children, go for the hunt in dual, so that nobody goes off alone or gets lost. Give each team a whistle or a cell phone for emergencies, for that extra safety.
Some fun ideas, for things to look for during a camping scavenger hunt, includes:
Pinecone, Maple leaf, Cup of water from a stream, Bird feather, and smooth rock.
Make sure, you do not put anything on the list, that should not be moved, such as a bird’s nest. If you want to try out this activity, do a photo scavenger hunt (R) with cell phone cameras. A team member can click out pictures of the other team member, next to their items, such as animal footprints, baby animals, honeycombs and many as such.
Build a Campfire
A campfire, is probably, the most important part of camping, in Campers corner.
The advantage of having a campfire is it provides warmth, protection, light, and also the best way to cook food. It is important, to teach your children, about fire safety, when camping.
Allow your kids, to help you with building and putting out the campfire. With this, they will learn about the fire safety basics and have a sense of responsibility. Make sure, you strongly enforce the rules, that, the kids are never, ever allowed to build a fire, without the presence of an adult.
To build a campfire safely, firstly, you need to gather firewood. Pick up, what you find on the ground, as the wood of live tree or branches, do not burn well anyway. Ensure you get a good collection of kindling twigs, which are the small pieces of wood you use to start a fire and bigger pieces.
Most of the campsites, even offer existing fire pits. If you do not have a fire pit, you can make it on your own, by clearing an area and dig a shallow pit. Circle the pit, with rocks, if you can find them, and put aside a bucket of water for later. In the pit, put a pile of dry tinder, such as dried moss, pocket lint, dry grass or even pine needles in the pit. Around the tinder, build a small box, using kindling. Now, with a campfire match, light the tinder. To build up the flame, gently blow on the tinder, when it catches fire.
Then, slowly add more wood to fuel the fire, once the fire starts burning.
Remember, to never leave a fire unattended, or never go to sleep, or leave the site, without putting off the fire completely.
Go Take a Hike
The best camping activity for toddlers and adults.
Regardless of a child’s age, walking the trails is a great way to have a closer look at nature. Toddlers, get the advantage of, exploring new habitats, especially on short trails, that loop back to their starting points.
Make sure, you pack a picnic lunch and plenty of water for your trek. Encourage young kids, to identify animal tracks, rocks or nearby birds. You can even spend your family time, by perusing guide books or stop by the park’s visitor center, before hiking.
Older children, on a longer hike, can practice map-reading skills. Additionally, the added allure of compass-driven navigation can make them pass quickly through the miles. They even get through slightly rugged terrains, as a part of their challenge.
