The Best items to bring along for fun on a winter family camping trip
Looking for great games or toys for camping this winter? First off, remember that you might not need to fill time spent afield as proactively as you need to fill the idle hours spent at home. Who needs toys or games to fill the time when you have trails and mountains to traverse, snowy fields and forests to explore, woodland critters to spot, flickering fires to sit beside, and a firmament filled with stars on which to gaze?
Then, on the other hand, when moments of campsite boredom threaten, it’s good to have some of the best games for camping and outdoor fun toys and gear along. Because face it, those moments will happen, especially if rain, snow, or bitter cold keep you tent-bound or stuck in the cabin — that term “cabin fever” wasn’t coined for nothing, savvy?
We have rounded up a handful of great camping games for your winter camping trip, and rest assured that each and every one of them meets three criteria: First, our kids genuinely enjoy them. Second, each game packs down small enough to fit in a backpack or, in most cases, in a pocket. And third, all the portable travel games covered here are fun for the adults, too. Because with apologies to, say, Candyland, some kid-friendly games are insipid for mom and dad.
We have also featured some of the fun camping bonus gear that we bring along that adds to the enjoyment and enriches the experience. Keep in mind that our ideas for the best camping fun ideas may not work for your gang, so if there’s a game or toy your kids love that makes sense to bring along, by all means bring it. Just try to minimize the screens. And maximize the books.
The Best family camping games
These portable family friendly games promise fun times in the tent, by the fire. or on the beach in summer. Or at home, too.
SKILLMATICS FOUND IT! SMART SCAVENGER HUNT GAME MAKES THE CAMPSITE OR TRAIL INTO THE PLAYSPACE
This scavenger hunt card game encourages kids (and parents) to explore the natural world around them, adding in a bit of fun competition along with the exploration.
Spot It! declares itself to be for ages 6+ on the box, but we have played dozens of rounds with a three-year-old
And yes, she even won many rounds. This is an entirely visual game that’s quick and enjoyable, especially with teams.
Pass the Pandas is another entirely visual game with no reading or math skills necessary
Well, OK maybe counting to one or two as a player decides who to jam up with the most dice, but this is another game that’s suitable even for very young players and yet fun even for mom and dad.
UNO is an outright classic for a reason: it’s fun
This game can be played with all adults, with all kids provided they have a bit of math chops (and some reading basics. And know their colors) or with a mix.
This travel Scrabble game packs down to about the size of half a loaf of bread
Yet it’s the OG game, the one that can provide hours of fun for adults (and yes, occasional strife, but that’s life) and that kids enjoy too. Just maybe go a bit easy on them.
Similar in game play to UNO but a bit more advanced, 3UP 3DOWN is a great alternative to the classic card game
Or just bring both. This game has excellent replay value, even one round right after the other.
Qwixx is a great game for kids 8+ to play with parents, but an even better game for the adults to play once the kids are abed
When you play you hardest, this is a genuinely challenging, competitive game that grownups love. When you take it a bit easy, it’s fun to play with middle grade or older kids, too.
Jump In from SmartGames is a brilliant game because it’s fun to play as a group yet can also be enjoyed single player
It’s a great pastime for kids age seven or older (or for the precocious six-year-old, that said from experience) while the parents are making dinner or breaking camp, but the advanced challenges are fun to work on together, too.
Fun Campsite toys and gear
The best games for camping are great fun and all, but when you and the family are out there in the beautiful wilderness, maybe it’s best to also get up and get moving, finding your fun beyond the fire circle, no? Here’s some fun family camping gear that will help you do it.
Midland X-Talker Walkie Talkies are fun to use as you hike, snowshoe, or generally ramble about. They can also keep kids safe
These are not toys, FYI – these are high quality walkie talkies with great range and multiple channels that can be used during emergencies, if someone gets lost in the woods, to communicate while you convoy, etc. That said, they’re also a lot of fun. We use them for enhanced hide-and-seek games at home, to coordinate as we kayak/canoe (one kid and one adult per vessel), and of course when we’re camping. They are easy to use (our four-year-old can even operate one after a quick refresher) and will survive a drop or 10. All in all, a fun bit of tech that also brings peace of mind. And weather reports.
A FUNBOY Rocket inflatable sled is lightweight and packs down small, so it’s perfect for winter camping fun
Sturdy enough to support 220 pounds of sledder but packable and lightweight, these inflatable sleds from FUNBOY are perfect for winter camping snow play. And they work great on the hills closer to home, too.
The LectroFan Micro2 speaker (and sound machine) is half the size of a can of soda, yet can fill your campsite with music
When you and the gang need to pump up the jams while you’re out in the woods, first make sure you won’t be disturbing fellow outdoorsmen or outdoorswomen (or outdoorskids) or any animals. All set? Then crank up this surprisingly potent little speaker with your favorite tunes, podcasts, or what have you. It can provide nearly 20 hours of music at a full charge, and as a sound machine, it will run for nearly 40 hours, soothing with noises ranging from ocean waves to white noise to a whirring fan and more.
This powerful Nocs Provisions Zoom Tube monocular is easy for kids to use and can bring them (and you) up close and personal with nature
Not only is this monocular smaller and lighter weight than most pairs of binoculars, but it’s also a lot easier to use. With a monocular, you can quickly get an eye lined up and the lenses focused, saving time compared to binoculars that require dual focus adjustments. That ease of use is great for adults when time is of the essence as well as for kids for whom binocular use can be tricky in the first place. This Zoom Tube is perfect for the outdoor family that wants to get an up close look at birds, deer, or whatever else is out there, and without having to get up close. And yes, it’s great for taking a closer look at fall foliage, too.
The Toniebox is one of the finest screen-free toys of our time. Seriously.
It’s a storyteller, a music player, an interactive aural adventure, a podcast, and more all in one. You pop a “Tonie” atop this box, squeeze the ears to set the volume, and tap the sides to skip forward or backward or pause the play, and that’s all there is to it. And by “you,” we mean a parent or a kid as young as three – our daughter could easily work her Toniebox when she was just hours past her third birthday, and as it happens it was the winning gift of said occasion. What is a Tonie, though, you ask? It may be a narrated version of a classic movie, like Toy Story or Frozen or Cinderella, complete with dialogue, songs, and sound effects. It may be an informative podcast-style piece on whales or penguins. It may be a story you (or grandpa or an aunt or friend) recorded yourself via a “Creative Tonie.” And it’s definitely something you’ll want to have many of (Tonies, not the Toniebox – one will do) when you’re driving to or from the campsite, setting up or breaking down, or when you all just need to enjoy some downtime, no screens needed.