08 Jan Fun Camping Activities

It’s important to be prepared when camping with everything from equipment to entertainment. It might sound overwhelming to try and remember to pack everything from the basics like bedding and chairs however staying entertained on your camping trip should be a top priority. There are loads of was to enjoy fun activities while camping. Without proper planning that can lead to a lot of free time and in some cases boredom. 

Planning things to do at your camping destination is a must. Maybe you enjoy fishing or water sports like kayaking so you choose a location or campsite by the water. Or perhaps you enjoy hiking and have looked for a campsite close to some well reviewed trails. Whatever your idea of entertainment it’s important to take a moment to think about what you will need to stay entertained on your next camping trip. Here are 10 fun camping activities to keep you entertained on your next camping trip. 

1. Board Games / card games 
2. Hikes + Adventure seeking
3. Kayak/sup/surf/ Fish
4. Crosswords / sudoku / adult colouring in books 
5. Podcasts / Audio Books
6. Campfire cooking
7. Explore the local area and region. Historical landmarks, towns or national parks etc.
8. Magazines / Reading
9. Bring games such as beach cricket, friska, bocce, a frisbee etc
10.  Learn a new skill like drawing, painting, writing, knitting, wood carving… something that interests you and captures your undivided attention.

5 Fun Activities to excite and entertain you for hours:

1: Board Games/Card Games:

There are so many great card games or  board games out there that are 2 player games for a couples trip to keep things entertaining. If you are traveling with a group of mates a simple deck of cards can keep everyone entertained for hours. Take fun educational games for kids (like bananagrams). These types of games are great for bad weather if it’s raining or windy that might keep you indoors for a few hours.

2: Hikes / Adventure Seeking:

Most national parks in WA will offer camping and have some recreational activities such as hiking or Mountain Biking (MTB). If you enjoy MTB’ing you might like to choose a location to suite. Or is there a form of adventure seeking… like sky diving, treetop walks or swimming with whale sharks. There is usually something fun to do or explore at most travel destinations. You just need to spend a little time researching before you go or stop into the local visitors center for some inspiration on local adventure style activities.

3: Kayak/Sup/Surf:

If this is something you enjoy you are probably going to research destinations you can sup or kayak or surf. There are loads of beautiful riverside campsites where you can launch a SUP or kayak. Or if you prefer a beachside camp take your time to research the best locations for your craft. These are great recreational sports to get in nature and get some exercise at the same time. 

4: Explore the local area and region:

Wherever you are camping there are usually some local interests, perhaps at the location or nearby. Think historical landmarks, local country towns or epic national parks etc. Unless you are remote camping there is usually some interest to draw in tourism. This can require some research however its well worth the time. For example when visiting Kalbarri you must explore the Kalbarri National Park and the famous “Natures Window”. Or perhaps you are visiting somewhere with cultural significance and want to have a guided aboriginal experience. 

5: Bring competitive games:

Bringing physical group games are a great idea for both kids and adults. Think beach cricket, friska, bocce, beach volleyball or a frisbee etc. These games can fast become camp competitions and are always guaranteed to entertain. These games are separate from board or card games because they can be played in good weather, good to tire out the kids or adults.

Activities to Unwind and relax.

Perhaps you are looking for a more relaxing camping activity. 

Do you find it hard to relax? You want to go on holiday to relax, but you get to your destination and you can’t switch off? Busy people often find it hard to truly relax by a pool or on the beach, me included. My husband has NO problem whatsoever relaxing, its like flicking a switch for him. That’s where we clash. I’m all go-go-go and Simon is all “just relax”. Finding balance between adventure and relaxation is always a struggle… but we think we have found a good balance that works for us. A day of rest between adventurous days works a treat. 

Or maybe you find it hard to unwind or take a few days to really just let go and relax into a holiday. If you are one of these people that find it hard to unwind easily going on a camping holiday or camping trip can be daunting at the thought of boredom. You need activities or things to do to keep you occupied and help ease you into relaxation mode. Especially if you have booked a camping holiday to recharge your batteries.

Camping Activities to unwind, relax:

6: Crosswords / sudoku / adult colouring in books:

Great for some form of relaxing entertainment. Get lost in hours of meditative colouring in. Or do an afternoon crossword with the family. You can buy cheap crossword and sudoku books at the newsagent. Keep it analoge its a great way to disconnect from our phones or from digital devices on a holiday.  

7: Podcasts / Audio Books:

This is a very obvious modern day form of entertainment. However, it can be relaxing. Podcasts/audioboks are great for long car trips or long walks on the beach. They can be relaxing and entertaining depending on the genre. 

8: Campfire cooking:

If you are able to have a fire, campfire cooking is a classic relaxing activity. It can entertain you for hours because it usually requires long cooking times or some preparation. Building a fire for camp cooking can be a relaxing entertaining task, then perhaps you plan on slow cooking some meat… these all take time that we dont usually have in our everyday life. A great form of relaxing entertainment. Here are my 2 recommendations. 1) FIRE TO FORK 2) THE SLOW ROAD COOKBOOK

9: Magazines / Reading:

Lets face it… most of us don’t read enough, life gets busy and its so easy to listen to books these days. Camping is a time I like to read a physical book or grab some of my fav magazines. Its not something I make time for so when I’m camping it’s a treat to have time during the day to get lost in a book or magazine. Also a great reminder to just sit still and immerse yourself in a novel.

 10: Learn a new skill:

You might be thinking this is odd, however learning a new skill like drawing, painting, writing poems, knitting, wood carving… something that interests you and captures your undivided attention. Similar to reading we are usually too busy to make time for these relaxing and entertaining activities. Now is the time, when you are camping you have to create your own entertainment and you are away from the day to day distractions (such as tv shows and social media, reception), that distract us from deep focus and concentration. 

Planning activities or things to do on your road trip, camping trip or holiday is a must so you or the kids don’t get bored. Hopefully some of these fun activities will keep you or your family entertained on your next camping trip.

Ideally having days to explore/ adventure is important to make memories and explore amazing destinations. If you are looking for some locations around WA for a little adventure, may I suggest Kalbarri or hiking Bluff Knoll. Also having days to relax is a good idea to balance out the fun stuff. Unless you just want a jam packed adventure holiday.

Having a deck of cards handy for the times you might be boarded after a day on the beach or the evening relaxing by the campfire is a sure fire way to bring a little fun to your next camping trip.