Whether it’s an overnight trip with the family or a week-long adventure with friends, the camping experience offers equal parts action and relaxation. After a long day cruising the lake, fishing in the river or hiking the trails, it’s time to come together at the campground. In fact, some of your best camping memories will likely be formed during those down times around the campfire without the distractions of modern city life. As the fire warms and glows, there isn’t much to do other than talk, laugh, play music, look up at the stars and go for a game or two.
If you’re looking for a fun way to mix up the campfire routine, give these interactive games and activities a try. They are excellent ways to stir up conversation and bond in between s’mores.
Here are the top 10 campfire games to play with friends and family.
1. Game: Two Truths and a Lie
Best for: Families with children 11 and up, teens, adults
What You Need: Three or more people
How to Play: This game is a spinoff of the old school truth or dare. We like it because it forces you to get to know one another and it offers a unique opportunity to bond. To play, one person shares three unlabeled stories or facts about him or herself: two truths and one lie. The other players get one chance to guess which is the lie. To up the ante, create a penalty for guessing the wrong answer.
2. Game: Uno
Best for: Families, all ages
What You Need: Three or more people, Uno cards
How to Play: A variation of the classic Crazy Eights, Uno is a popular card game that can be enjoyed for hours around the campfire. The objective of the game is to match either your color or number to a card pile in the middle stack. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins. Players must draw cards from a pile if they don’t have a matching card to put down, and strategy cards like draw four, skip and reverse will disrupt your flow and make the game a little trickier to win.
3. Game: 20 Questions
Best for: Teenagers, adults
What You Need: Three or more people
How to Play: The primary participant thinks of an object or a famous person and keeps it to him or herself. Keeping this a secret is key. The other players take turns asking strategic questions that can be answered only by yes or no. The purpose of each question is to get closer to identifying the secret object or person. If you guess correctly before or once 20 questions have been asked, you take control in the next round. If no one cracks the secret, the primary plays again.
Also Read: Top 10 Tips for Campfire Safety
4. Game: Chubby Bunny
Best for: Families, all ages
What You Need: Bag of marshmallows
How to Play: The goal is simple: cram as many marshmallows as you can in your mouth and say, “Chubby bunny,” as clear as you can without spitting out your mallows. You can’t chew nor swallow, which makes this particular game challenging. Watch as your friends’ cheeks expand outward around the fire. Photos are encouraged.
5. Game: Telephone
Best for: Families
What You Need: At least five people; as many players as possible
How to Play: This game is silly, straightforward and a go-to for kids of all ages. The game begins by one person thinking of a short message or story, while everyone sits in a circle around the campfire. This message is whispered quietly from the original person to the next player and the next player, until it makes its way around the campfire back to the originator. The last player to receive the message says it outloud for everyone to hear and compare to the version they heard. You’ll be surprised how much the original message or story can change.
6. Game: Find a Planet
Best for: Families
What You Need: Telescope (optional)
How to Play: One great way to interact with and inspire your kids to learn something new is to simply look up at the stars. When you venture away from the bright city lights and industrial haze, you’ll uncover a whole new world of stars and planets dancing above. Teach them how to find the Milky Way, the Big Dipper or the North Star. If you have a telescope, bring it along to look at the moon, or try and find a planet or two. If you need a little help, download a planet finder app on your phone.
Also Read: Cold Weather Camping Hacks
7. Game: Who Am I?
Best for: Families, all ages
What You Need: Three or more people, pen and paper
How to Play: Everyone writes the names of famous people on cards/post-it notes and passes them around. You cannot look at the card you receive but must put it on your forehead as you ask your group questions to deduce who you are.
8. Game: Bocce Ball
Best for: Families and kids ages six and up
What You Need: Bocce Ball Set
How to Play: This physical game will get you on your feet and test your hand-eye coordination. If you want to play bocce ball at the campground after dark, consider investing in a glow-in-the-dark set. To play, you’ll split into teams and take turns tossing the smaller ball. Then you’ll attempt to throw the eight larger balls as close to the smaller ball as possible. The closest team wins.
9. Game: Name that Tune
Best for: Families, all ages
What You Need: Two or more people
How to Play: This game is pretty simple; someone plays a riff, a few notes or hums and the other members try to guess the song. This can be divided into two teams for competition and if you enough people.
10. Game: Farkle
Best for: Families or groups, ages eight and up
What You Need: Two players or more, Farkle dice game
How to Play: This dice rolling risk game forces you to keep rolling for the highest score possible. But, if you go over, you lose. This camping game is easy to play, forces you to choose between risking it all or playing it safe, and is small and light enough to carry in a backpack.
Check with your Local Government Organization
Many policies have been established to counter and control the coronavirus outbreak. State and local officials have been taking decisive action to stop the spread. The policies vary by state, sometimes to a great degree. When you book a reservation, make sure to review the park and state’s latest rules and regulations prior to your visit.
For COVID-19 updates, please visit our Impacted Park List and Reservation Guide for the latest information.