Fun Outdoor Games to Play at the Campground

Outdoor games for families are essential for camping trips! Here are a few that adults & kids can enjoy playing together. Have fun!

Sardines – This is a ‘backward’ version of the classic hide-and-seek. In Sardines, only one player hides and the rest must seek.

The seekers all hide their eyes while someone counts to 100; meanwhile, the hider runs off to find a good hiding spot. At the end of the count, all of the seekers go in different directions to look for the hidden player. As each one finds him, they squeeze into the hiding spot until all but one seeker is hidden (like sardines in a can).

“You can’t find me…”
(© Jilllang | Stock Free Images)

Swing the Statue – In this outdoor game, players have to freeze in funny poses . . . which means lots of laughs! One child takes another by the hand and spins or swings her around. When the first player lets go, the other has to freeze as quickly as she can, resulting in some pretty hilarious poses. The frozen player has to try to hold the pose with the first player continues spinning everyone else. The one who can hold her pose longest wins.

That’s My Space – In this variation of Duck Duck Goose, players sit in a circle and one is chosen to go first. That player leaves his space and walks around the circle. He then tags someone, and the race begins! Both of the players run in opposite directions to try to reach the original empty space first. Whoever is left standing now walks around the circle to tag someone else.

Riverbank – Mark a line on the ground with chalk, a stick, or a piece of rope. Choose one person to be the leader; everyone stands on the line facing the leader. The left side of the line is the “river,” and the right side is the “bank.” The leader calls out, “River!” or “Bank!” and everyone must hop to the correct side. Anyone who hops to the wrong side is out. Keep playing until only one person remains.

All Tired Out
(© Micropix | Stock Free Images)

Lillypad Leap – Take a few hula hoops (at least one for each person) on your next camping trip to play this fun outdoor game. Lay the hoops randomly on the ground around your campsite. The hoops are the lilypads, and the players are the frogs.

One player needs to play the part of the big, hungry fish. When he says, “Here comes a hungry, hungry fish,” all the frogs run to stand inside a hula hoop. Anyone who gets caught before reaching a lilypad has to help catch the other frogs. Once everyone has been caught or safely reached a lilypad, they can run free again.

The leader then takes one hula hoop away and calls again, “Here comes a hungry, hungry fish!” Play continues until only one hula hoop remains . . . and it’s so funny to see every one trying to cram into that one hula hoop!

What outdoor games does your family play at the campground?