100 Screen-Free Camping Activities for Kids
It's almost Memorial Day, which for those of us in the northwest is the kickoff to camping season! When we're out as a family, we try to keep the phone and tablet usage to a minimum (plus we go far enough into the woods that that we don't have cell reception usually) with the exception of the odd e-reader. Instead, the emphasis is on spending time together as a family and enjoying the outdoors. Because the question often comes up in parenting groups, I thought it would be a good idea to make a big list of things kids (and adults) can do outside- away from the cabin, RV, tent, and devices.
To make the list more interesting, I asked my blogging friends to contribute their own blog posts to show how their family does these activities. After I only got about half my links filled, I filled in the rest with other articles I found. The colored text is clickable.
1- Geocaching (Explore More, Clean Less)
2- Painted Rocks (Sixth Bloom)
3- Kayaking (E.C. Edventures)
4- Mountain Biking (Tales of a Mountain Mama)
5- Flashlight Tag (Kids Activities Blog)
6- Hiking (Mama Smiles)
7- Water Skiing (Boating Essentials // Juggling Act Mama)
8- Firefly Catching (Bug Necklace // Whimsy Love)
9- Scavenger Hunts (Sixth Bloom)
10- Baseball (Friendship Bracelets // Butterscotch and Berrys)
11- Crabbing/Crawdad Catching (Make a Trap // Christian Parent)
12- Exploring (Don't forget the trail mix)
13- Play Board Games (Kids Love Board Games)
14- Chase snakes (Paracord Snakes // Frugal Fun for Boys)
15- Recreational Biking (Get a Bike Rack)
16- Dig in the Dirt (30 Activities // Hands On as We Grow)
17- Glow Stick Tag (Stock up on Gowsticks)
18- Play Cornhole (Create and Babble)
19- Bird Watching (Printable // Fantastic Fun and Learning)
20- Make Mud Pies (The Gingerbread House)
21- Play a Card Game (Dice // Mama Smiles)
22- Glow Stick Fetch (Stock up on Glow Sticks)
23- Lizard Catching (Don't Forget the Critter Keeper)
24- Hide and Seek (Auditory // Mosswood Connections)
25- Animal Tracking (Track Measuring // Rebecca Reid)
26- Build a Sandcastle (Sandcastle Play Dough /. Mama, Papa, Bubba)
27- Soccer (Pack a Ball)
28- Swimming (Water Games // Rebecca Reid)
29- Play a Musical Instrument (Games around the Fire // Ruffles and Rainboots)
30- Hunting (Here's a Bigfoot you could hunt together)
31- Frisbee (DIY Frisbee Golf // Little Gene Green Bean)
32- Play with Toy Trucks (our favorite truck for camping)
33- Obstacle Course (Train to be an American Ninja)
34- Fishing (Create Play Travel)
35- Build a Fairy House (Fairy Garden / Mama Smiles)
36- Make Pictures with Glow Sticks at Night (Stock up on Glow Sticks)
37- Squirt Guns (First Home Love Life)
38- Bowling (DIY Star Wars Set // The Gingerbread House)
39- Coloring/Drawing/Painting (Start a Nature Journal)
40- Glow Stick Light Saber Fight (Stock up on Glow Sticks)
41- Add to Your Shell or Rock Collection (E.C. Edventures)
42- Air Soft Guns (Get Biodegradable Pellets)
43- Play Lego (Travel Containers // Party Through the USA)
44- Chase the Baby/Toddler (Take Them Outside)
45- Play Kickball (Get one Here)
46- Frog Catching (Stir the Wonder)
47- Perfect Hula Hooping (More Games // A Girl and a Glue Gun)
48- Blow Bubbles (Mama Smiles)
49- Glow Stick Night Bowling (The Princess and the Tot)
50- Skip Rocks (Get Some Perfect Skipping Rocks)
51- Write/Draw in the Dirt (Coffee Cups and Crayons)
52- Play Tic Tac Toe (Tater Tots and Jello)
53- Hunt for Local Plants (Julie Naturally)
54- Follow a Deer Trail (Grab a Tracking Book)
55- Butterfly Catching (Or Hatch Your Own)
56- Slingshot and Rocks (DIY Angry Birds Slingshot)
57- Cook Over a Fire (These Pie Pans are the Bomb)
58- Make a Rock/Nature Picture (Emma Owl)
59- Go to a Drive In Movie (Or Make Your Own)
60- Fly a Kite (DIY Kite // Mama Smiles)
61- Take Pictures (KC Edventures)
62- Boating (Don't Forget Life Jackets!)
63- Fly Fishing (A Man and His Rod)
64- Lounge in a Hammock (Yep)
65- Look at the Stars (Star Scavenger Hunt // Real Life at Home)
66- Tell Stories (Campfire Stories for Kids // Mom Junction)
67- Carving (Kids' Knife)
68- Tubing Down a River (Outdoors Mom)
69- Easter Egg Hunt (KC Edventures)
70- Make Slime (Homeschooling My Kinetic Kids)
71- Learn to Chop Wood (Start with a Hatchet)
72- Do Tie Dye (S. Woodson Says)
73- Canoeing (Families Go Outdoors)
74- Football (Easy to Pack)
75- Learn to Use a Compass (DIY // The Awefilled Homemaker)
76- Sleep Under the Stars (Make Sure It's Not Going to Rain)
77- Bark Rubbing (Momgineer)
78- Leather Working (Starter Kit)
79- Climb Trees (Rhythm of Play)
80- Learn to Gather and Filter Water (Life Straws all the Way)
81- Attend a Forest Service Presentation (Jr Ranger Badges // Car Full of Kids)
82- Play Bocce Ball (Learn the Rules Here)
83- Make a Notebook of Your Discoveries (Sixth Bloom)
84- Read a Book (Julie Naturally)
85- Practice Map Reading/Navigation (Get Out with the Kids)
86- Do Homework/Homeschooling (How We Learn)
87- Play Chess/Checkers (Little Bins for Little Hands)
88- Spit Watermelon Seeds (Kid Friendly Things to Do)
89- Sit Still and Listen (Camping Chairs)
90- Make Play Dough Creations (Keeper of the Memories)
91- Dance Party (Happy Songs // Happy You, Happy Family)
92- Balloon Animals (Learn Something New)
93- Make Pine Needle Tea (Julie Naturally)
94- Hunt for Bugs (KC Edventures)
95- Paint Your Body (Kid Safe Paint // Crafty Morning)
96- Walk the Campground (Take Them Outside)
97- Practice Handstands (Livestrong)
98- Hunt for Birds' Nests (Still Playing School)
99- Roll Down a Hill (Rhythms of Play)
100- Let Them Be Bored! (Seriously, They Won't Die)
Pin It!
So many great ideas here, the only problem is finding the time to do them all! Thanks for the tips
ReplyDelete