Updated: April 2022
If you’re a camping family you’re not going to want to miss out on these great camping toys for kids!
Below you’ll find a bunch of gift ideas for kids which are not only fun but are a great way to keep the kids excited about their love of camping at home as well.
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Camping, Kids, and Fun
Camping is fun and exciting as it stands but there are always ways that the fun can be increased. Adding in a few camping games or camping toys to your general camping essentials list is an easy and simple solution.
If you’re looking for some simple ways that the kids can get outside and enjoy nature, don’t forget that Mother Nature holds an abundance of free activities, too. From hiking to swimming, to building stick forts and digging in the dirt, the fun seriously never stops when camping.
Looking for non-toy camping activities? Check out this article on keeping kids entertained at the campground.
And, you might want to grab this camping scavenger hunt too!
Camping Toys for Toddlers:
Our Favourite Top 3 Toddler Camping Toys:
If you’d like to skip the reading and just get to the top 3 suggestions, here they are!
Kid’s Camping Toy Play Set: Let your little one do all of the things that mom and dad are doing on your camping trip, without the dangers that come with it! With this camping toy set they can roast hot dogs, and make s’mores over their campfire, while you make them the real thing.
And, here’s another toddler camping play set. I’ll admit, this bigger toddler camping set looks like a lot of pieces to keep track of, but it also looks like hours of play!
Mini Kid Lanterns: Everyone needs their own lantern or flashlight while camping, don’t you agree? I love this Coleman Kids LED Adventure Mini Lantern because it has great reviews and it is a well known, trusted brand in the camping world.
Really, toddlers and young kids will love playing with any sort of flashlights, headlamps, or lanterns… just make sure to give them durable ones!
Camping Stuffies: Maybe your littles would prefer some softer play toys? These sets are super cute and toddlers usually love play toys like this where the animals have homes included. My littlest one had the forest friend set and loved toting around her friends in their little carry house.
Kids Pop-up Play Tents: One struggle we had when camping with our toddlers was encouraging them to stay close to us at the campsite. Until I stumbled upon a very well-loved pop-up play-house at a garage sale while we happened to be staying at a campground for the week. On returning to our site, we set up the house and the little one was entertained for the whole afternoon! Finally, I could sit for a bit instead of chasing, chasing, chasing!
Make sure you check to see the particular size of these tents… some are much smaller than others. Also, you may want to check if it’s a simple pop up system or an actual mini tent with poles… and then decide which would be best for your family.
Even an older small camping tent (that you might have collecting dust in the back of the garage) would be lots of fun for a toddler to play around in at the campsite!
Camping Toys for Kids
Our kids spend the majority of their time at the campground riding bikes, climbing trees, building forts, tending the campfire, and just having old fashioned kid fun! But, it can be handy to have some toys on hand for the older kids too.
Here are our go-to camping toys for kids:
- Binoculars and Field Guides
- Bikes and scooters
- Frisbees and soccer balls
- Their own camping gear
- Sidewalk chalk & bubbles
- Anything that glows in the dark!
Our top favourite Camping toy for kids!
- Super durable
- Fits kid’s small faces
- Good magnification
- Ours are still in great shape after years of use!
We have this above set of kids binoculars and they are super affordable and have lasted through years of outdoor adventuring! If your kids are young and you’re looking for a pair that can get thrown into the toy bin at the end of the day, I’d suggest these!
Kid’s Walkie Talkies: Do you remember being a kid? Walkie talkies were such an exciting toy back then! The difference is, kids’ walkie talkies work so much better now than they did back then!
The reviews on this walkie talkie set seems overly positive and these are are great way to let kids get a bit more freedom while exploring at the campground and still being able to get a hold of you (or you, them) when needed.
Gloves with lights! I don’t know a single kid who wouldn’t love to play with these super fun Noodley LED Gloves. Watch the kids light up while you are camping in the dark! Even your standard glow sticks will be a hit, especially if it gets dark earlier where you’ll be camping.
Kids Camping Gear Sets: Some kids love having their own camping gear. From pretend play to real life, check out these fun camping sets for older kids.
Glow in the Dark Sleeping Bag: How fun would it be to have a glow in the dark sleeping bag? This set has just that and I have a feeling that kids are going to love it! There are multiple colors too so your kiddos can choose their favorites.
General Camping Gear: Remember that kids will love having their very own camping gear. Maybe you could gift them a pocket knife, their own fire starting kit with matches, flint and steel, a compass, or tarp for shelter-making.
Camping Games for kids and families
Our Favourite Camping Games:
These are some of our favourite games to play when camping. While Exploding Kittens isn’t camping themed in any way, it really is a favourite… and lives in our camper so we can play it on every trip!
Horseshoes: Everyone loves a classic, right? That’s why horseshoes make such a perfect camping game for the family to play! This set is made with lightweight rubber playing mats and rubber horseshoes which means that it is better for kids to play with and you don’t have to hammer it into the ground, making it perfect to take along on your camping trip.
Giant Dice: Want to have some real fun with the family next time you go camping? Grab this Giant Wooden Playing Dice Set with Bonus Rollzee and Farkle Scoreboard!
Corn hole: while this game may have a funny name, it is a super fun game! This cornhole set comes with Portable Corn Hole Boards and 8 Cornhole Bean Bags and is a great camping game for families.
What is your favorite part of camping? Is it being outside in nature? If so, your family will love Gofindit Too – Outdoor Nature Treasure Hunt Card Game for Families! This game is easy to take along, plus it gives your entire family an opportunity to explore and learn more about the outdoors.
Camping Themed Card and Board Games
Why not cozy up at the picnic table and play these camping board games? Or, have on hand for a rainy day at the campsite.
Spot it!: If you have ever played Spot It!, you know how fun this game is and this version is made just for camping. Plus, it even comes in a sturdy case so you can take it along on your adventures without worry!
National Parks Monopoly: Everyone loves the game of Monopoly so why not pick up this version that takes you through all the National Parks? Educational and fun? Yes, please!
Camping with Sasquatch Game: Get ready to laugh! Camping with Sasquatch is certain to bring out the family-friendly competition, piled high with a ton of laughs!
What a classic board game! But it’s been given new life now with a National Parks theme. This is the perfect travel game for all your camping trips.
Explore the National Parks with your family and friends and join in on the journey. This award winning game will be a hit at home as much as it will be on the camping trip!
Travel Crib Set: Tired of packing up clunky boards and games that take up a ton of space? This cribbage board is not only perfect for camping fun but it’s compact, too! It rolls up around a waterproof deck of cards so you can throw it in your pocket or bag, so easy to bring along.
See how many fun camping toys for kids and unique camping games there are? You can easily pick out several things to gift or to make your next camping trip a ton of fun.
Looking for other camping gift ideas?
This is an interesting list of camping games for kids. I am sure kids will have a great time creating memories while playing these games. Thanks for sharing!