12 Camping Games to Play Around the Campfire

These camping games will help your next campfire to be roaring with laughter and fun for all ages! We’re sharing our favorite campfire activities and why you should consider them for your next trip. 

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Camping Games for Kids and Adults

Spending a few of the long summer nights by a campfire should be a part of everyone’s lives. It’s calming, exciting, and educational to get outside and enjoy nature.

But let’s face it – long summer nights can be, well, just long. After a day of hiking, boating, or swimming, going back to camp with tired kiddos can be challenging.

These games to play by the campfire will fill those nights with fun and bonding.

Camping Games (No Game Required)

Rock Painting or Stick Painting

We bring along a small painting kit and a few brushes as a calm afternoon activity. During a recent trip to the Cascades, we were gifted with a rock from the previous campers who had been gifted a rock from others.

We were able to keep the chain going by coming up with a group design.

Stick Structures

Depending on where you are, you can build stick structures or even rock sculptures by the fire for a fun STEM activity.

On our last camping trip to Paradise Creek, we build a house of cards out of sticks and even played the classic, ‘pick up sticks’ with found twigs and fallen pine boughs.

Telephone – The Classic Laugh-Out-Loud Game

Who can deny the good ol’ classic game of telephone? The more people you have to play, the wackier it will be.

Have any person start the telephone conversation by whispering a sentence into the ear of the person sitting next to them. And then that person passes it on, and on, and on. When the last person stands up and says what they’ve heard, it’s absolutely hilarious!

Charades

The best part about charades is that you don’t need anything to be able to play. It’s one of the classic camping games for kids and adults – it’s timeless.

Pair up and have fun acting out wacky and fun themes, ideas or camping related items and enjoy hours together full of guessing fun.

Marshmallow Madness

Marshmallows are always a MUST when camping, right? Why not play a fun marshmallow madness game to see who can stack marshmallows higher than the others and not let it fall?

Is it possible to stack 10 marshmallows on top of each other without them toppling over? This is perfect for little ones!

Shadow Puppets

You’ll have a flashlight or three on hand in your camping gear, so why not make use of them? When the sun starts to go down, pull out some easily-made shadow puppets (tutorial) to entertain kids of all ages.

Campfire Games (Games to Buy for Camping)

No matter what game you choose, you’re sure to have a blast. Need a few fun and engaging games to play together around the campfire? Here are a few fun ones to get you started!

Spot It! Gone Camping Card Game

This is one of our favorite games to play while camping because kids of ALL ages get into it! My husband and I even really like this one. ;)

Think of the game “Eye Spy” but with a camping twist. Spot It! games are some of our favorites, but Gone Camping is fun because you can play as a team or as individuals.

Camp Talk

Kids came up with the questions in Camp Talk and it’s a big hit with older kids, especially if they’re at camp away from their parents. There are cards (laminated and on a clip, so perfect for camping) which are geared to older kids.

Uno Wilderness

If you love Uno, Uno Wilderness is a game that is a must for your camping adventure. Same game, just new fun graphics. Play by the light of the campfire for hours on end!

Yahtzee: National Parks Travel Edition Game

Everyone loves playing Yahtzee. And one of the best parts? Actually getting to yell Yahtzee when you roll those dice all matched with the same number. When camping in a state or national park, this campfire game (or the classic) is a must to play.

Go Fish! Untamed America

This fun spin on Go Fish is a campfire game must! A great game that anyone can play and everyone can enjoy. Go Fish! Untamed America is a new one to us, so I don’t know how well it will go over with the kids. Being that they LOVE regular Go Fish, I’m pretty excited.

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Which is your favorite of these camping games to play around the campfire?