The joy of camping is to keep things simple and enjoy the outdoors, having said that as a parent you need to have a few tricks up your sleeve to keeps the kids occupied on rainy days or just to get a few jobs done in peace!
We’ve put together some tried-and-tested favourites from seasoned campers to help keep toddlers and young kids busy, including the most popular recommendations, outdoor games and rainy day toys – plus ideas for keeping the tent tidy! You certainly don’t need to take a car full of toys, but the list below can help as a reminder for a few basics and as inspiration for a couple of new things to try.
There are a few ideas I’d never even heard of before so it’s definitely been useful for us! My favourite suggestion for an easy game to play has to be ‘Find the Potato’ – take a potato, throw it out of the tent (carefully!) while the child shuts their eyes. Commence Potato Hunt to retrieve it. Repeat. Genius!🤣
You can also find Tips for Camping with Kids, popular recommendations for the Best Family-Friendly Campsites in the North East, North Yorkshire & Scotland, and a bumper Summer Holiday Events Guide in the North East for family days out, Kids Eat Free deals, and lots more.
Top Picks – recommended by countless campers
⭐ Stomp rocket / light-up rocket
⭐ Swing ball
⭐ Foam glider planes
⭐ Water guns
⭐ Dobble
Storage
🪣 Empty ice cream tub or plastic zip lock bag/wallet – good for small toys
🪣 Kids mini backpack – child can pack but only take anything that fits in!
🪣 Empty egg box – for collecting all the ‘treasures’ they find
🪣 Picnic blanket – sit on & play and fold up the mess when done
🪣 Mini play tent / play pen – throw in any toys at the end of the day
🪣 Pop up 1/2 person tent – acts as storage, play room/den, chill out zone
🪣 Toddler paddling pool, or oversized bucket – keep toys tidy and sit in for water play on hot days
Rainy Day Activities
🏕️ Lego – mini sets from Wilko often recommended
🏕️ Little cars/vehicles
🏕️ Dolls
🏕️ Dominos
🏕️ Playing cards / snap
🏕️ Aqua mat / aqua books
🏕️ Colour-in picnic blanket
🏕️ Colouring books
🏕️ Books – story books / lift the flap / look & find / sticker books
🏕️ Nature books – identify things spotted on walks
🏕️ Notebook, activity magazine
🏕️ Colouring roll – come in 5/10 m lengths, with little pictures
🏕️ Crayons / pens
🏕️ Plain card, glue stick/masking tape & string – for making nature art
Outdoors Games
🌳 Balance bike / scooter
🌳 Frisby
🌳 Football
🌳 Sticky ball & Velcro pads
🌳 Tennis balls & rackets
🌳 Balloon tennis
🌳 Ring toss game
🌳 Beanbags
🌳 Ribbon on a stick
🌳 Bubbles – don’t use near tents as may cause damage, but could be taken to separate playing field
🌳 Scavenger hunt – make up a list… something blue, tall, soft, etc
🌳 Make a ‘potion’ with leaves etc in an old margarine tub
🌳 Bug finding kit
🌳 Draw a ‘treasure map’
🌳 Sand toys/fishing net, if near a beach/river
🌳 Glow sticks & masking tape – stick to clothes to look like a skeleton (or LED finger lights for a reusable alternative)
You can also find printable scavenger hunts and more ideas for easy games and activities here, and tips from parents on surviving car journeys with kids here.
Happy camping!🙂
There’s plenty on Gateshead Mumbler to help keep little ones (and big ones!) busy, check here for more ideas and info for playgroups, classes and fun days out from tots to teens!
If you’d like to keep up to date when new resources are added, please click here and like the Gateshead Mumbler Facebook page.
