This is a sponsored guest post.
Some people are perfectly content to lie in a hammock with a hot cup of campfire coffee and simply listen to the sounds of nature.
Others, are not the type to be able to totally tune out like that. They need more stimulation.
If you are going camping with family and friends that don’t normally camp and need constant stimulation, then you may have a bad time. Unless you’re prepared.
In this article, I will go over several ways to make sure everybody is having a good time when camping.
1 – Get creative with food
Yeah burgers and hot dogs are delicious and are pretty much required fare for a camping trip. But, they are pretty basic.
At least a couple of times during your trip, try to spice it up a bit and make some food that you’ll need everybody taking part in the preparation.
Smores are the ideal way to do this as a treat for after dinner so definitely put that on the list.
Other possibilities are to put together foil packs. These are essentially the campfire equivalent of one pot meals. Everybody puts what they want into a piece of foil and then closes it up and throws it on the fire to cook.
Some ideas are fish, asparagus, corn, potatoes and some spices like taco mix or Italian dressing. Everybody gets their own personalized meal making it fun.
2 – Have the right tools
This isn’t so much an activity as it is a way to make sure that your trip goes off without a hitch. When you aren’t prepared and things go wrong, it can make the non campers really regret coming.
Give everybody a hiking and camping multi tool so they can feel part of any work that requires a bit of elbow grease.
Including everybody in the setting up of camp is a good way to let everybody have a stake in how it goes. If you decide to do all the work yourself because you know what you’re doing, you risk everybody starting out on a bored foot.
3 – Bring the games
There is no substitute for having games to while away some of the time. Camping is a great way for a family to bond and games helps that even more.
A few games that should definitely make it on the trip are ones that can be played in teams. Bocce is a very good one to bring along despite the weight of the balls. If you aren’t hiking and staying instead at a campground then they should come along.
Frisbee is fun too and ultimate frisbee is a great way to get the adrenaline going as long as there is some open space around.
A fun and unusual game to play around the campfire is called the Winking Assassin. It is easy to play too. One person is dubbed the Godfather or Godmother and is allowed to keep their eyes open the whole time. The rest of the group has to close their eyes. Then the Godfather taps one of the group to become the assassin. Everybody opens their eyes at this point. Then the assassin has to kill the others by winking at them without anybody else seeing the wink until nobody is left or the assassin is caught in the act.
4 – Use the water
If there is any water around your campsite you have a ready made spot to play lots of games. You have the old favorite Marco Polo, of course. And if the river is more like a little creek then tug of war can be played over it with the losing team tumbling into the water.
You can bring along some inflatable kayaks or canoes to keep the packing light and still get out on the water for a paddle.
5 – Get into the nature
For those members that think nature is boring you have your work cut out for you. Yes, you can keep them entertained by following the guide above, but they should really come away from the trip with an appreciation for nature.
If you know all about the flora and fauna, teach them so they understand what is around them. Kids, and even adults, will love to learn about edible plants and what the bugs around are.
And seeing a live animal like a deer or rabbit is always exciting, so go for a walk in the woods to spot some of the locals.
