We all need something to do when we are camping. Here are 28 of my favorite camping games that can be fun for anyone to play! I have included a few categories such as outdoor games, board games, card games, and games that require nothing at all. Please enjoy!
1.Corn Hole
2.Darts
3.Horshoes
4.Ring Toss
5.Badmitton
6.Ladderball
7.Frisbee
8.Ball Toss
9.Dominoes
10.Connect 4
11.Jenga
12.Chess
13.Checkers
14.Yahtzee
15.Scrabble
16.Trouble
17.Sorry!
18.Tic Tac Toe
19.Uno
20.Old Maid
21.Cards Against Humanity
22.Deck Of Cards
23.20 Questions
24.The Alphabet Game
25.Would You Rather?
26.Two Truths, One Lie
27.Who Am I?
28.Charades
Keep reading to get a ton of more information on each camping game!
By the way, If you are in the market for a new tent, then you should click here to see the one I recommend on Amazon.
Outdoor Camping Games
1.Corn Hole
Cornhole goes by many different names, but I have always known it as cornhole and so has many others. Cornhole is probably the most popular name, but also goes by names such as bean toss, bean bag toss, corn toss, etc. The idea of the game is to toss bean bags at wooden platforms with a hole near the top of them. The game is usually played with 2 or 4 players and is scored up until one side reaches 21 points. Landing through the hole is typically 3 points, where landing on the wooden platform is typically 1 point.
There are many variations but one thing is for sure, this is a really fun outdoor game and it is perfect to take camping. You can check the current price of cornhole here
on Amazon.com.
2.Darts
Darts is a game that also has many different variations. Everyone knows that darts is a classic bar game, but what you might not have known is that it makes the perfect camping game as well. Mounting a dartboard to a tree makes for a very fun camping activity. Be sure to know the rules in the campground you will be in, and try to figure out a way to mount your dartboard without causing any serious damage to the tree. Classic darts are made from metal, but there are plastic options available too. Click here to see the current price of dartboards on Amazon.com.
3.Horseshoes
Horseshoes are one of those backyard games that everyone used to play back in the day. You might think that it is a game that is more permanent, but there are some great portable sets on the market today. All you need to play horseshoes is an open space that is at least 50 feet long. The poles are supposed to be 40 feet apart. The game of horseshoe does have specific rules, but you can easily make up your own if you wanted to. Click here to see the current price of portable horseshoes on Amazon.com.
4.Ring Toss
Ring toss is like horseshoes, but a lot less serious. The rules for ring toss are a lot looser. I’m sure that you know of the game based purely on the name. You have some rings and you toss them. Not very complicated, but very fun and competitive. This game doesn’t take much room so most of us can afford to fit it in with our gear and take it camping. Check out the price of Ring Toss here on Amazon.com
5.Badminton
Badminton is usually associated with the beach, but it is an excellent game for camping as well. It’s a great way to get in some light exercise and can be a team game. You can even play a hybrid version without a net if you need to. The full equipment isn’t very heavy and can provide hours of fun. Check out this full badminton set on Amazon.com
6.Ladderball
Ladder Ball is popular backyard party game. Everyone that sees this game being played wants to join in, don’t let them fool you. This game can get very competitive and actually requires some skill to get good at. The ladders should be about 15 feet apart. The bolas are the balls and you will throw three on each turn. The top ladder is worth 3 points, the middle is worth 2 points, and the bottom is worth 1 point. The aim of the game is to get to exactly 21 points. Bring this game with you camping next time and you won’t regret it. You can checkout a nice quality ladderball game set here on Amazon.com
7.Frisbee
Tossing a frisbee is a nice activity for camping. Not much to explain here, just toss the frisbee back and forth. You might have some competition if there are dogs nearby. Be careful with this one since frisbees can easily find their way into places they aren’t supposed to go. Respect fellow campers and try your best not to throw a frisbee that ends up in their space.
8.Ball Toss
Another nice pastime game is to simply toss a ball back and forth. It’s surprising how fulfilling this activity is even though it is so simple. You can toss a baseball, softball, football, or whatever. Get out and toss something and get some exercise in the great outdoors while you are camping.
Awesome Board Games For Camping
9.Dominoes
Dominoes, or “bones” as it is known is a great game for 2-4 players. What’s nice about dominoes is that it they can’t be blown away by the wind if you are playing outside while camping. They come in a small package and therefore are easy to bring along with you. There are many variants of dominoes, but the most common way is to count scores when the dominoes add up to something ending in a 5 or a 0 such as 5,10,15,20…etc.
If you have some bones laying around then bring them along on your next camping trip. If you want to take dominoes to the next level while in the great outdoors you can get giant outdoor dominoes like this (link to check the current price on Amazon).
10.Connect 4
Connect 4 is a simple strategy game usually played by just two players but can be played by 4 with two people in each team. The idea is to simply get 4 of your colors in a row, whether that be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, it all counts if you can manage 4 in a row. The other player should seek to get 4 in a row of their own and block you from getting 4 in a row, and vice versa. Fun game where the rounds are relatively quick. To kick things up a notch consider getting a large outdoor connect 4 set (link to check the current price on Amazon).
11.Jenga
Jenga came out in the 1970s so it is a relatively newer game. The idea is to remove a block of wood without making the tower collapse. Everyone takes their turn until finally, the loser causes the tower to fall. Rounds are quick and it can get really competitive, especially if you are pretty good at it. You don’t want to make the tower fall, but you also want to make it difficult for the next person. Kick it up a notch while camping and consider getting a giant Jenga set (link to browse giant Jenga on Amazon).
12.Chess
Chess is a highly competitive and intellectually challenging board game. One round can take many hours. Speed Chess is also fun and yet you can make many mistakes if you aren’t used to playing Chess regularly like me. There are many great portable Chess sets on the market today. I would opt for a magnetic set since it makes things way easier. You can browse some neat Chess sets on Amazon.
13.Checkers
Checkers is a very easy game to learn and play. Checkers boards are very easy to bring along with you camping. It’s like the easier version of Chess. Often there are sets for Chess and Checkers sold together. Consider getting a magnetic version and it will make your life a whole lot easier since the pieces are easy to lose and easy to get accidentally messed up, especially if you are playing outdoors while camping. You can browse some portable checker’s boards here on Amazon.
14.Yahtzee
Yahtzee is one of my favorite games. I like how unique the game is. If you have a table then take Yahtzee camping with you. This is a fun game that can be played with any amount of players as long as you have enough scoring sheets. They also make giant Yahtzee games that are fun to play outdoors (Links to Amazon)
15.Scrabble
If you want hours of an intellectually challenging game then scrabble is for you. What kind of makes this game more difficult to play while camping is the lack of access to the internet that you might have. You usually need the internet to play scrabble nowadays since you will be challenging a lot of words. In this case, if you are going to play scrabble with no internet access then you are going to need an old fashioned scrabble dictionary. (links to a search on Amazon)
16.Trouble
The trouble board game was launched in the United States in 1965. The idea is to get your 4 pieces around the board game with the roll of a dice. It usually takes around 30 minutes for a game. It is similar to Sorry! (the next game on this list) except that trouble uses dice and sorry! Uses cards. Check out the Trouble board game here on Amazon.
17.Sorry!
Sorry! Is an old school board game that made its debut in the 1930s. The idea is to get your pawn around the board and back home. However, there are other players that can and will mess up your plans. It’s a fun board game that can last a few hours. It is set up to be played with 2-4 players. Click here to check out the Sorry! Boardgame on Amazon.
18.Tic Tac Toe
Tic Tac Toe is another game where the rounds can be played in record time. This game can get old quickly so make sure you have other games available. Everyone knows the basic premise of tic tac toe, if you don’t then I can guarantee that someone with you does. This can be played in many ways from a formal board game, on a piece of paper, or even with rocks and sticks.
Awesome Card Games For Camping
19.Uno
Uno is said to be the most popular card game on the market today. It’s also easy to learn if someone in your group hasn’t played before. Uno can be played with keeping track of points, or it can be played simply round to round where the winner is just the person that ends up with no cards in their hand. I don’t think Uno needs an explanation here, bring a pack and have hours of fun while camping.
20.Old Maid
Old maid is an old school card game where players take turns reaching for a card from another person’s hand in hopes of getting a match. To start out, everyone is dealt the entire deck and then you lay down face up any card matches that you have. Then the game starts with the person to the left of the dealer selecting a card from any other player’s hand in hopes of getting another match. Play continues this way and you can pick from any player’s hand.
You want to get matches and therefore fewer cards in your hand, what you don’t want to do is grab the old maid since she doesn’t have a match. Once you have no cards in your hand you are safe. The person left with the old maid is the loser. This game takes a lot of self-control in order to bluff. The game can also be adapted to a regular deck of cards with a joker added in to make 53 cards. The joker would act as the old maid.
21.Cards Against Humanity
Cards against humanity is a party game for an adult audience. If you have never tried this game before then you are in for a pleasant surprise. The game gets better the more you drink…All you do is simply complete fill in the blank statements using words or phrases that are considered rude, offensive, risque, and flat out politically incorrect. Everyone in the group matches a card to the main card and then everyone votes on which is the funniest. This game provides endless hours of entertainment.
There are also many expansion packs to take advantage of. There is no doubt that this card game will be a hit while camping. Their motto is “A party game for horrible people”. Check out the current price of this funny card game here on Amazon.com You won’t have a dull time if you bust this card game out.
22.Deck Of Cards
A simple deck of cards can provide hours of fun while camping. A 52 deck of cards offers hundreds of possibilities. I myself know nowhere close to that number of games, but I know a few. If I am camping with other people then you can bet that they know a few as well. Having a deck of cards could lead you to learn a new game, or teaching a new card game to someone else.
Some of the most popular card games include Blackjack, Solitaire, Go Fish, Poker, Rummy, War, Speed, Egyptian Ratscrew, etc. Some of them require 2 decks of cards so always bring extra! You probably know some more yourself so give it a try and bust out a deck of cards next time you are camping. If you need a new deck then check out these options on Amazon.com.
No Supplies Needed Games For Camping
23.20 Questions
20 questions is a game that uses deductive reasoning in order to finish it. One player is chosen as the answerer and they need to pick an object. The answerer does not reveal this answer to any other player. The other players then get to ask up to 20 questions in order to find the answer. You can ask any “yes” or “no” questions such as “does it weigh less than 5 pounds?”. If another player says the correct answer then they get to become the next answerer for the next round.
If 20 questions have already been asked and no one has found the answer then that means everyone has been stumped and the answerer gets to go again. The wide variety of objects to choose from are endless so it makes this game fun and everlasting. It is more fun with a larger group, but can simply be played with just two players as well.
24.The Alphabet Game
The alphabet game is probably one of those games that you played as a kid. Just as a reminder, all you need to do is pick a subject such as “animals” and then you go through the entire alphabet and name an animal that’s name starts with the letters of the alphabet such as Alligator, Bear, Cat, Donkey…etc. Each player will get their own letter and have to name an animal, if someone gets stumped then they lose. The beauty of this game is that all you need is some friends to play and the possibilities are endless.
25.Would You Rather?
Everyone knows the “would you rather?” game. This game is not just for children. It can be adapted for anyone because the question possibilities are endless. Each player takes a turn and asks a question starting with “Would you rather…” and gives two options. Then each of the other players votes on which option they would rather take. The fun part comes in getting everyone to explain their reasoning for picking the option that they did.
26.Two Truths, One Lie
The two truths, one lie game is a great way to get to know everyone you are camping with better. The game is played exactly as the title says. The player that is it says 3 things about themselves. Two of those things will be true, but one of them will be a flat out lie. Everyone else needs to say what they think is the lie. Once everyone has made their guess, the player reveals the two truths first and then finally which one is the lie.
The beauty of this game is that it really helps you get to know people. Even if it is someone you think you know well you could learn something new. You can get very creative with this game. Try not to make it obvious when you are telling a lie.
27.Who Am I?
The “Who Am I?” game is game perfect for a big group, but can also be played with as little as 2 people. The more players the more fun in general. The basic premise is that a category is selected such as “famous people” or “historical figures” and then the other players must try to guess who it is by asking “yes” or “no” questions. Whoever goes first must answer the questions truthfully. It is important that only “yes” or “no” questions are asked. Keep playing until it gets narrowed down enough for someone to guess the correct answer.
28.Charades
Charades is a fantastic camping game if you are camping in a group. It is usually associated with parties, but is also a fantastic group camping activity. The game can be played in many different ways, but the basic premise is that one player acts out a word or phrase while all the other players try to guess what it is. The player that is acting cannot speak. Another popular version is to draw out on a sketch pad or something similar. The best thing is that you can play this game on a whim with no preparation.
My Favorite Camping Gear
- Air Mattress: click here to check out my favorite on Amazon.
- Tent: click here to see my favorite tent available on Amazon.
- Sleeping Pad: click here to check out the one I love on Amazon.
- Sleeping Bag: click here to see the one I recommend on Amazon.
- Camping Stove: click here to see the best camping stove on Amazon.