Summertime is an excellent opportunity to get together with friends and family for fun outdoor activities. Camping is one of the most popular and healthy ways to enjoy the summer weather, and there are plenty of fun camp games for large groups that can keep everyone entertained.
Whether you’re playing card games, tossing beanbags, or dodging balls, these classic games are sure to provide hours of fun for all ages.
Tug of War
This game makes the list because it’s a classic, timeless outdoor game everyone loves. Sure there’s a physical component of the game, but you don’t have to be huge to have a good time. That’s why there are teams! We’ve all played it at school during field day, so why not on a camping trip?
Tug of war is a great game for large groups of campers because it doesn’t require many supplies, and it’s an easy event to put together. If you have enough people and plenty of space, you can quickly get a tug of war tournament going.
Supplies needed for tug of war.
- 50′ rope at 1″ diameter
- Stakes or paint to mark the ground
Card game tournament
No matter how well you plan your camping trip, there will always be those rainy days. How do you have a good time with a large group of people when it’s raining out? Play some card games!
Card games are great for 2-4 players, but if you have dozens of people, try to take advantage of that and start a tournament.
The age and demographics of your group will probably determine what games you should play, but you might think about playing Spades, Hearts, Rummy, or War.
Supplies needed for a card tournament.
- 5-10 decks of playing cards
Cornhole
While only 2-4 people can play on a set of boards at any given time, just like the card games, you can start a tournament if you have more people.
Cornhole pins two teams against each other in a leisurely competition as a game of skill. You can adjust the tossing distance if you have younger children so they can get in on the action as well.
When you have cornhole boards set up at a campsite, someone is constantly tossing the bags.
Supplies needed for cornhole.
- Cornhole boards
- 8 beanbags
Dodgeball
Kids and adults love it, and it’s a great way to burn off some energy on a warm day at the campsite. Everyone loves dodgeball. It’s a classic everyone has played growing up, and it’s simple and straightforward. Setup is easy, and if you have enough people for a tournament, the games could last hours.
If you have a small group, start playing on an open field. Before long, you might have other campers joining in and getting their teams together.
Dodgeball doesn’t take much to get going, and it’ll provide hours of fun.
Supplies needed for dodgeball.
- 5-10 bouncy balls
- Marking tape or paint for the boundaries
Scavenger hunt
While this takes a bit more planning and coordinating, a scavenger hunt is a great way to entertain large groups and make lasting memories of your camping trip.
You can break your group up into teams and set a time limit. The hunt could even span several days, like an ongoing activity throughout the trip.
Keep it basic with some general tasks like “find a green rock” or “snap a photo of a bluejay.” Or you can make a theme that involves tasks such as “catch three catfish from the lake.” The options are endless!
Supplies needed for a scavenger hunt.
- Pencil and paper
- Robust creativity!
Capture-the-Flag
Capture-the-flag is a unique twist on the game of tag. Instead of a game of one-vs-all, it’s a team dynamic with an objective – the other team’s flag. Each team tries to capture the other team’s flag and avoid getting tagged while doing so. If they’re tagged, they can either be put in jail until someone on their team tags them, or they can return to their home base, where they re-enter the game.
With enough open space and two groups, you can have an excellent game of capture the flag. If you have enough people, hold a capture the flag tournament.
Supplies needed for capture-the-flag
- Flag (can be anything)
Summer camp games can be just as fun for large groups of people as for small groups. Many people can play various games, and many don’t require any special equipment or preparation. This is what makes these games so great. You can put together fun camp games for large groups with little effort.
So gather your friends and family together with these classic camping games for some summer fun!
