Have fun as a family with these cool camping activities at night and games that everyone will love!

You may argue that camping with kids is already such an adventure that to think about activities for kids while camping (specially at night) may not be necessary.

Well, you might want to rethink that.

Regardless if you prefer camping on a RV or motorhome or pitching your tent in campgrounds with kid activities, night time entertainment during your camping adventure can be just as fun for everybody as the days’ activities or summer camp activities.

Camping night games and activities are even more enjoyable while camping in the Spring and Summer season because of the long days and warm climate.

Enjoy your family camping trip to the max with these fun activities to do at nighttime. These are camping ideas for families that myself and my crew have enjoyed in our countless camping trips.

I am sharing with you today some cool activities and things to do while camping at night with the family. Read on for our full list of camping games to play at night!

My friend at Inspiring Life has a great checklist printable for items to take camping, check it out too.

Family Camping Activities At Night

Here is our list of good camping games for families to do at nighttime. These cool camping games are also perfect ideas for summer camp activities & games too.

1. Flashlight I Spy

A great alternative for this interactive game all kids like playing and one of our most favorite family camping games!

As you sit around the campfire at night give each child their own flashlight or headland to play a game of I Spy. Click here to get your own camping LED Headlamp Flashlight.

Have one person use their flashlight to look around the campsite and spy something. Then everyone else can use their flashlights to look around the campsite and guess what the person spied with the clues given.

2. Nighttime Scavenger Hunt

This favorite outdoor game is one of those camping activities for kids that everyone can enjoy. Even more exciting and challenging at night.

You can create a list of about 10 items that the kids must go find. If you have too young kids you can make teams mixing with older kids. If you are short on ideas for the hunt, this game here will help you out. Get it now!

Have the kids collect nature pieces that will be useful for camping crafts and toddlers’ activities during the day.

P.S. If you are camping with babies, you will want to check this post here with the best baby camping items to have!

3. Read Stories Together

This will allow the family to have a little bit of home routine during camping time.

Who doesn’t love story? Bring along thekids favorites bookand enjoy a story time with the added value of being outdoors in the fresh air. It will be even more fun if every kid has its own Headlamp to follow along the story.

4. Campfire Charades

Night time campfire activities are a family favorite, aren’t they?

They’re the perfect time to tell stories, roast s’mores, and play games. Plan a charades around the fire as a great camping games for toddlers or older kids.

Get these free charades here.

Just be sure they stay a safe distance away from the fire.

5. Cook Meals Together

It might be fun to have meals out and eat at restaurants during your trip but camping time is a great opportunity to teach kids to prepare food without the assistant of kitchen machinery.

Everything has to be cut but hand, disposed properly and you only have so many pans to use. Even though we all love roasted s’mores and melted marshmallows, make it a fun educational experience and prepare a little more challenging, but no less yummy, meal such as banana boats or camping tortillas.

Try these camping recipes for kids in this book here.

The can even play the restaurant while meals are preparing by taking orders. Bring a notebook and pen for them to take orders, and have them set up the plates and utensils on the table.

6. Lanterns and Board Games

Change things up a bit with fun camping games for families by playing you usual family board game in the glow of lantern light.

Just pack your favorite family night board games and enjoy!

My favorite card and board games for camping trips are scrabble, monopoly junior and UNO.

7. Star Gazing

Of course we cannot forget to add sky watching to our list of things to do when camping with family.

Hopefully you will have a day or more with perfectly good clear sky to search for the constellation or just admire the moon.

If you are camping in the wild or remotely away from city lights this will be the perfect time to instigate kids curiosity about the sky and universe. Talk about the fascinating stars, moon, planets, galaxies and solar system.

Bring along a telescope for kids to observe the sky. This is the one we like most.

If don’t understand astronomy in depth yourself, this book here will help your family identify many small things with a telescope.

8. Campfire Stories and Songs

Of all the must do activities while camping with kids story-telling is my favorite!

Beyond the best camping games listed above the relaxation around the bonfire is a fun and bonding activity that equals quality time as the family.

The fire is mesmerizing and its warmth makes a perfect atmosphere for bonding and relaxation. Tell stories of your childhood to your kids, things they caanot imagine anymore at this time and age. If they are older, a good ghost story will keep everyone entertained! This book has ghost stories for kids.

Bring a musical instrument along and sing songs together. You can also just sing a song vocally without any instrument and let the kids dance around the campfire.

The activities around the campfire will be memorable camping experiences that your kids will cherish forever.

9. Play Hide-and-Go-Seek In The Dark

Have you ever played night camping games such as hide-and-seek and tag games in the dark?

These traditional camping games for kids are even more fun to play at night. Being awake and playing in the dark brings that warm fuzzy vacation feelings that everyone loves (and kids get super excited about).

These fun activities to do while camping must be well explained before hand as the darkness makes it more challenging and maybe a little bit spooky – you can use these glow in the dark sticks to make people easier to see.

Just make sure kids are old enough to understand the rules, the area limitation and that they know the ground well to avoid injuries.

10. Nature Night Walk

If you are tired of all the outdoor camping games it might be time to connect with nature through a night walk.

Don;t adventure yourself in an unknown path with kids at night though. Only take a walk in safe places that you are familiar with and wear reflective gear.

Also do bring flashlights and GPS equipment, even though you may not want to use it. Safety first will ensure lots of fun for everyone.

11. Play Hand Shadows by the Fire

Making shadow puppets are fun camping activities for kids of all ages.

It will entertain all kids from young observers to older children trying to make advanced shadows. So if you are looking for camping activities for preschoolers and toddlers, this is a winner!

You can use a flashlight or a lantern to provide the light.

This book here is a great place to start if you want to learn how to make the coolest shadows. Get this book now for a super fun camping activities for toddlers.

12. Go for a Night Swim

It is so rewarding that kids find amusement in the most simple things. Swimming at night (or when it is raining) is one these things.

If your campground has an open pool at night it might as well be lit and just as enjoyable in the dark.

Be extra cautious though around water at night with kids of course! And only ever swim in a safe place where you are familiar and be accompanied by other adults should anyone need extra help.

13. Camp Skits

Camp skits or campfire skits are short plays that are perfect for performing around the campfire or as backyard campout activities. It makes the family bonding time and campfire reunion a lot more fun and relaxed.

Some traditional camping skits are suitable for both adults and children but all could be adapted to accommodate age and group sizes.

So let kids plan a short skit to perform in the light of the campfire.

They might take a little bit of preparation as everyone needs to know the scrip but they are sure worthy fun ideas for camping. They also make perfect backyard camping games & plays.

14. Watch Wildlife

With the help of a night vision binoculars you can help your kid spot animals in the wild that you would not have seen during the day.

Just make sure to have your gear ready, be quiet and in a safe area.

Do you have any camping tips and hacks for families for a fantastic camping adventure? Let me know in comments below.