Fun Camping Games For Kids

Come join us around the fire and enjoy learning some of our favorite songs and camping games for kids!

Living in Wisconsin, we have enjoyed many an evening around the campfire playing outdoor kids camp games with family and homeschool friends. During that time we have learned a number of songs and games that will make you think, making it all the more fun!

Camping Songs For Kids

Songs can certainly be included in camping games for kids!

We have two favorites that we seem to sing most:
The Green Grass Grew All Around and The Bear Song.

In fact, we don’t just sing them around a fire, we sing them in the car, too!

Below is our version of The Bear song. The grammar is horrendous, but that adds to the fun!

The leader begins by "singing" one line of each verse and the group repeats it in the same sing-song fashion. Then everybody sings each whole verse once together.

The other day (group repeats)
I met a bear (group repeats)
Out in the woods (group repeats)
Away out there (group repeats)

The other day I met a bear, out in the woods away out there. (all together)

He looked at me
I looked at him
He sized up me
I sized up him

He looked at me I looked at him, he sized up me I sized up him.

He said to me
Why don't you run
I see that you
Ain't got no gun

He said to me why don't you run, I see that you ain't got no gun.

And so I ran
Away from there
But right behind
Me was that bear

And so I ran away from there, but right behind me was that bear.

But up ahead
There was a tree
A great big tree
Oh, glory be!

But up ahead there was a tree, a great big tree oh, glory be!

The lowest branch
Was ten feet up
I'd have to jump
And trust my luck!

The lowest branch was ten feet up, I'd have to jump and trust my luck!

And so I jumped
Into the air
But I missed that branch
Away up there

And so I jumped into the air, but I missed that branch away up there.

Now don't you fret
And don't you frown
'Cause I caught that branch
On the way back down

Now don't you fret and don't you frown, 'cause I caught that branch on the way back down.

That's all there is
There ain't no more
Until I meet
That bear once more

That's all there is there ain't no more, until I meet that bear once more.

Camping Games For Kids

Without a doubt, there is an enormous amount of camping games for kids out there. But these three are especially intriguing to those who have never played them before. The fun part is seeing how long it takes for everyone to figure it out. They really go beyond being outdoor kids camp games...try them around the kitchen table, too!

Miss Moody

Miss Moody only likes certain things. That’s why she’s moody ;o). Anyway, everyone has to figure out what she likes by asking, “Does Miss Moody like BLANK?” Only you know what she likes and you answer yes or no…yes if they happen to choose something with a double vowel or consonant and no if there is no double vowel or consonant.

For example, if they asked, “Does Miss Moody like games?” You would answer, “no”. But if they asked, “Does Miss Moody like chess?” You would have to answer, “yes!” It makes for a hoot, which she also likes!

Scissors or Tongs

This camping game uses a prop, either a pair of scissors or tongs. (Tongs may be easier to come by around a campfire, turning those brats – remember I’m from Wisconsin!) One person starts by passing the scissors and saying if they’re “open” or “closed”. They will be right if when they pass the scissors, their legs are the same.

For example, if someone passed them with his legs or ankles crossed, and said the scissors were “closed” he would be right. But if he did not have his legs crossed, he would be wrong because his legs were “open”. The person is only right if they pass the scissors the way their legs are at the time of the pass. In other words, it has nothing to do with the scissors and everything to do with the passer's legs. To add to their frustration, pass the scissors open (cross your legs) and tell them it's closed! (Oh, by the way, Miss Moody likes scissors.)

Snaps

Of all the camping games for kids, this one can really drive you crazy until you figure it out. Two of you must know how to do this to make it work. So let’s say that Josh and Bob are going to do this. Bob leaves the area until everyone agrees on a name that he is supposed to “guess”. After Bob comes back Josh starts by saying, “Snaps is the name of the game, alright? The name of the game is Snaps.” This is where the clues begin.

So, for example, let’s pretend that the group chose Brett Favre. (I’m from Wisconsin, remember?!) So, Josh says a sentence that begins with the letter “B”, then another that begins with the letter “r”. “Boy, this is going to be difficult. (pause) Really difficult.” At this point because the next letter is a vowel, he will snap his fingers twice as “e” would be second in the vowel list (a,e,i,o,u) and then say two more sentences that start with a “t”. “Think hard. (pause) This name is a tough one!”

Before starting the last name, Josh thinks of a color and says, “The color blue,” and continues. Bob has to really be paying attention because he will have to say the name when Josh is done. Here is how Josh would continue with the last name, “For heaven's sake, listen now.” (snap once for the a) “Very soon you’re going to get this!” “Really you are!” (snap twice for the e). If Josh gave the correct clues and Bob was listening well, it works like a Snap! Enjoy! (And guess who likes Brett?)

These are our favorite songs and camping games for kids. If you have one, tell us about it. We’d love to try it around our next campfire and maybe add it to our list!

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