We have become quite the camper family since buying our first camper in 2023. While we’re not living full time or even part-time in our camper (yet – dream life, amiright?) we do spend so much time in our camper that it low-key annoys our family back in Missouri how little we’re home. Because we camp with little ones, we’ve learned a lot about how to keep them entertained in our camper and at campsites. Of course, we try to spend as much time exploring the area we’re in as possible, but somedays it’s just too hot or too rainy, or one kid is napping or we’re exhausted and want to chill around the campsite. We’ve found some fun activities and products to make sure that every single member of our family is fulfilled on our trips from the oldest to the youngest.
First Off, We Check Out Campground Amenities Before Booking
Making sure that our kids are easily entertained starts before we ever leave home. If we’re camping in a destination that has multiple campground options, I’m always sure to check out what the amenities are at each. While location and price are our top two priorities, sometimes amenities can put one over the top of another. We have had campgrounds with sick playgrounds, splash pads, soccer fields, mini golf, and even activities like trick-or-treating and a magic pumpkin patch. If there are things that we know are going to ensure our kids have an even better experience, it’s so hard for us to pass that up. Plus, it’s nice to not have to load up and drive somewhere to let them play on a day that we just need to fill a small amount of time or the other one is napping.
Indoor Camper Activities
We are probably a little more anal than the average camper-parents when it comes to creating messes inside the camper. We just don’t like for there to be insane sticky messes, we like the floor to be picked up frequently because there’s only so much space, and we don’t allow a crap-ton of toys for adventurous toddlers on our trips – just one bucket full. Instead, we opt for really hands-on activities that bring us together and stimulate their little minds.
Books Will Forever Be An Answer
We’re avid readers in this house (well, the kids and I are, and Matt is good at reading to the kids), so we always have a drawer or cabinet full of books in the camper. We have a handful of absolute favorites that come on every camping trip:
Acorn Was a Little Wild, Let’s Go On A Hike, Teddy Roosevelt Loved the Outdoors, Georgia O’Keefe Loved the Desert, The Adventures of John Muir, Little Blue Truck, Same Same But Different, all the Grumpy Monkey Books, Daniel Tiger 5 Minute Stories, Zero Zebras, Woodland Dance, and The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.
Puzzles Galore
Puzzles are the perfect way to challenge your kiddos, help them really practice patience and, honestly, take up a lot of time that we spend indoors. We keep a wooden one around for Bub still, but we’ve mostly moved on to 3+ puzzles that are more challenging and the kids work on together. We also take them off their boards and store them in ziplocks a lot of the time to save space. These are a couple different puzzle packs that offer variety: option one and option two.
Coloring – They Even Make Mess-Free Options
Both of our kids love coloring. Charleigh is old enough now that we let her use regular crayons and colored pencils slightly supervised. But Bub is still messy enough that he needs the mess-free markers, and paper or coloring sheets a lot of the time. So, we keep a little stash of both of these things in our camper. We don’t currently allow regular markers in the camper, though.
Activity Books – Including Junior Ranger Books
Activity books are another popular choice around here. We have some preschool and kindergarten prep books that we keep around. And then also, when we go to different national parks, we always pick up Junior Ranger Books. We do some activities in the park, but we also do some back in the camper. And even after they’ve gotten their badges, the kids continue to color in the pages or make their own little projects. I love this free resource that US National Parks and NPS-ran sites have. Read more about the Junior Ranger Program here.
Magnetiles = Endless Opportunities for Creativity
We actually bought our first box of magnetic tiles on a camping trip and we’ve never looked back. The one con of these toys is that they can easily become a major mess! So, if your kiddos aren’t to a point that they’ll listen and pick up after themselves, you might hold off on these since the floor space in most campers is pretty limited.
Card Games!
Matt just came up with this great idea to teach Charleigh how to play War. Liam is still too young for this, but he also goes to bed a little earlier and naps more often as well. So it’s a great way for us to get to spend one-on-one time with her while still discreetly teaching things like number recognition and counting. I can’t wait to see how many doors this little deck of cards opens for us as a family.
Old-Fashioned Movie Nights
We also watch TV in our camper, of course! We have two amazing recliners so we can each hold a kid and we are big fans of cozy movie nights or watching fun series like Trash Truck or the Magic School Bus on Netflix.
Outdoor Camper Activities
Of course, the goal when it comes to camping, is to spend as much time outside as possible. We love getting our kiddos into nature, feet in the grass and enjoying the fresh air. So we love taking advantage of outdoor activities at campgrounds as well!
Sidewalk Chalk
Sidewalk chalk is always a huge hit at our campsites! We do everything from draw, write and even make little roads for our kids to drive their little cars on. We try to keep it fresh and make it fun! It’s a great way to get time outside of the camper and pass time if we’re stuck at the campground. Plus, sidewalk chalk is super cheap, I buy it in large quantities on amazon or grab a bunch when it’s on clearance at Walmart!
Playing I Spy
This is a totally free activity. My kids love I Spy. Even little Liam says, “I spy with my little eye something thaaaaaat’s…” and he cutely points right at the thing he describes the color of. haha! But We still have a blast all taking turns spying things in nature. It also is just a really sweet and simple way to get them to notice things in nature. This is also a great way to entertain your kids on road trips.
Kicking Around a Soccer Ball
We have a soccer ball that’s always down in our storage area and if there’s a chance or a place to play soccer, our daughter is kicking that ball! She loves it and Liam is starting to join in too! It’s a fun little activity that you don’t have to be good at soccer for. We sometimes just kick it back and forth and sometimes run alongside it. Just have fun with it.
Blowing Bubbles Together
My kids are big fans of bubbles! In our backyard, at rest stops and parks, or camping. It’s a great activity that lets them run around.
Outdoor Scavenger Hunt or Bingo
We have a couple different versions of these. We love the scavenger hunt aspect because it gets the kids really hands-on in the camp ground. They’re on their hands and knees looking for acorns and looking closely at leaves. It’s something special to watch them get close to nature. You can do it as just the scavenger hunt or as bingo! You can buy a kit for this, or you can even make your own!
At Night, We Have Campfires as Often as Possible
Campfires are a huge hit in our campsites. If there’s a fire ring, we’re having a campfire. We roast marshmallows, sit in our camp chairs and listen to music on low, or just talk about our days. It’s such a fun activity and Charleigh is getting old enough to help throw some sticks on the fire – with supervision, of course. It’s one of our very favorite wind down activities before bedtime.
We are really settling into this magical world that is being a camper family. It’s so amazing to watch our kids grow up in this space and lifestyle. It makes them so adaptable, so curious, and just so wild in the very best ways! I hope this is helpful for you to find fun, but simple ways to keep your kiddos entertained at campgrounds.
Did You Enjoy This Post? PIN IT So Others Can Too!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a reservation with Booking.com, a travel insurance policy with World Nomads or a purchase with Amazon through For the Love of Wanderlust, you will help me stay on the road + keep my site running at no additional cost for you.
Be sure to read the terms + conditions of these sites when booking or purchasing!
No Comments