THE CAMPGROUND FUN LIST
There are a surprising number of fun things to do at a campground.
As if sleeping under the stars weren’t fun enough, campgrounds often put on special activities for kids and adults. And the great outdoors offers the perfect backdrop for all kinds of adventures that might not be possible back home.
You can Splash Around and fire up a BBQ!
A great swimming pool is a must for family vacations in the sun. Luckily, most campgrounds have a pool or a nearby lake to cool off in, whether you prefer to swim, splash around, or spend hours on the waterslides. Even where campfires are a no-no, many campgrounds provide barbecue facilities for guests to use. What better way to end a day of outdoor fun than by cooking and eating under the stars? Seriously. The terrorists win if we don’t still like that…
Scavenger Hunt
Encourage your kids to notice nature by sending them on a scavenger hunt. Give them bags to collect objects such as stones, trash, and leaves. Obviously, stop short of leaving them in forests for months on end, because they will become feral.
Jump Around
Fun vacation spots like One Mile Caravan Park in Port Stephens, Australia, which offers the choice of cabins, caravan sites as well as camping in their park, have all the amenities of a hotel. And a jumping cushion! Does the Ritz Carlton have a jumping cushion? We rest our case.
No jumping cushion? No problem (although, you know, sad). Use pillows, jump ropes, blankets, balls, and whatever else you have lying around to create an obstacle course full of challenges tailored to your kids’ abilities. And fun vacations for kids shouldn’t stop when the sun goes down. Come prepared by bringing a glow-in-the-dark frisbee or Jenga to entertain yourselves in the evenings.
If you’re out of ideas or want some downtime, take your kids to the campground swings and slides for them to burn off the last of their energy.
Capture the Flag
With plenty of hiding places and lots of space to run around in, campgrounds are fun spots to play games like capture the flag. Split your group into two teams and designate an area for both. Each team then has to hide a flag in their area for the other team to find. This is more fun that we make it sound. Trust us.
Make Music
Singing and making music together is a great way to get into the camping spirit, especially if one of you thought to bring a guitar along. Difficult if your didn’t. If not, experiment with pots, pans, and food containers to see what sounds they make! Actually, they make a God awful racket.
Flashlight Morse Code
Another way to have fun after dark is with a game of flashlight morse code. To play, simply send an adult off into the trees to flash a message in morse code for the rest of you to decipher.
There’s really no reason not to have a blast if you choose a campground for your next family vacation. Just, you know, don’t leave the kids behind…
