Looking for a few new campfire games for your next camping trip? Here are 23 must-try games you and your camping partners are going to love!
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Now, for anyone that has been camping, you know that in addition to your portable grill, camp chairs, and all of your other gear, you need to make sure you have a selection of campfire games for fun and entertainment.
Some campgrounds have planned events, but there are still times when you will probably want to hang out with your friends or family and have a few laughs.
And campfire games are the perfect way to do just that!
There is nothing more enjoyable than sitting around a campfire after a day exploring the surrounding area, toasting marshmallows, and playing a game or two.
Whether you are tired of the same old ghost stories, board games, traditional card games – or just looking for something suitable for all age groups, these camping games are great for the whole family and the perfect way to make memories under the night sky that will be remembered for years to come!
23 Perfect Campfire Games You’re Going To Love
Here are 23 fun family (and adult) favorites you’ll want to bring along on your next camping trip!
CHARADES
Camping charades is a fun take on a popular game!
To play charades, one person chooses a word or phrase and then has to do their best to act it out without using words or sounds while their teammates try to guess what it is.
If the other players on their team are able to guess correctly, the team scores a point.
What makes this game so much fun is that even though the words or phrases are often simple, acting them out can often be a challenge.
This is a great game for younger and older kids alike (and adult family members too!). Everyone looks pretty silly, but that’s what makes it so fun!
UNO
Uno is a firm family favorite that never seems to go out of fashion.
In this is a classic card game you need to match the colors and the numbers but to spice things up a bit they also add in a selection of wild cards where you can force your fellow players to pick up cards, and swap their cards or miss a turn.
This is an ideal game for the family while sitting around the campfire, but you can also adapt it for adults once the little ones have gone to bed, adding in some drinking options with the blank cards that are included in the pack.
SCAVENGER HUNT
There is no denying that everyone loves a good treasure hunt but the planning can often be a lot of work (and who needs more work when you’re getting ready to go on vacation?!).
Take the stress out of packing and planning with this ‘GoFindIt’ Scavenger Hunt. This is the perfect all-inclusive family game that gets everyone out and about, discovering nature through their senses.
This is perfect for your campfire games list because it can help younger children looking to improve their language development and image recognition.
SHOCKTATO
As a child, do you remember playing hot potato? A game that used to involve a bean bag and music, it was pretty simple.
Shocktato has taken the game to a new level!
It is an electrifying, shocking game for 2 or more people with 3 different game settings to choose from.
You can play a game similar to the original concept where the music plays and when it stops whoever is holding the potato gets a small shock, but there is also a silent option and an extreme option that could be suitable for a group of adults to play.
THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID
This campfire game is one for adults and needs at least four players, so it could be an ideal way to get to know any fellow campers you have just met.
Each game lasts around 60 minutes and works in a similar way to Cards Against Humanity but is perhaps a bit more light-hearted. Each round is simple, all you have to do is choose a card that matches the one drawn, making it as humorous as possible in order to win.
KIDS CREATE ABSURDITY
Kids Create Absurdity is similar to ‘That’s What She Said’ but specifically designed for families to play with younger children, meaning that regardless of age, everyone can play this fun-filled campfire game!
SPOT IT
Kids love campfire games! And this one is suitable for all generations, Spot it! Is a card game that contains 55 circular cards all with eight symbols on them.
Each one varies in size and orientation but there should have at least one image in common. The idea is simple; you need to be the first to spot it.
There are many versions of this game but Spot it! Gone Camping is the perfect portable game for this type of vacation as it captures everything people love about camping and includes pictures of camping gear, critters, and nature.
If this isn’t on your campfire games for kids list be sure to add it!
BACKGAMMON
Did you know that the game of Backgammon can be traced back nearly 5000 years?
For two people, this is a relaxing, peaceful game that the parents can play once the little ones are tucked in for the night over a nice glass of wine.
Obviously, the rules are slightly more complicated, and reading the instructions before starting is going to be key, but the main idea is to move all your checkers into your own home board and then remove them completely before your opponent does.
RING TOSS
Games aren’t just for the evenings; campsites are a haven of activity all day long and Ring Toss is one of the best campfire games because the whole family to get involved in. (And camping games can be just as much fun during the day 😉 )
It’s fast and easy to set up and is a great example of good, wholesome family entertainment.
The idea is simple- in order to win, you need to get as many rings as possible onto the board.
And if it’s raining outside… it can also be an awesome alternative to a round of cards when you have sat around inside waiting for the weather to clear.
CONNECT 4
This may be a golden oldie, but it is still a fantastically entertaining game to play.
Whether you are looking to keep the kids occupied for a while or looking for an evening game to play around the fire, Connect 4 can become an addictive game for competitive kids and couples alike.
For those that have never played the game before, the objective is straightforward, connect a line of four together either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally before your opponent can block you in order to win the round.
If you really want to take it up a notch, you could try this giant Connect 4 game! (Just be sure you have enough room to pack it in your car!)
BEAT THAT
If you enjoy challenging others, Beat That is the game for you.
With 160 challenges varying from throwing a paper ball into the trash from across the room to stacking a pyramid of cups using just your elbows with your eyes closed, this is a true battle of abilities but one that will guarantee an afternoon or evening of gut-busting laughter.
GOAT LORDS
Goat Lords offers just the right amount of addicting strategy, luck, and drama to create an evening of amusement.
The idea is to become the Goat Lord by having the largest herd by the end of the game. To start, you need to stack identical pairs of goats in front of you while remembering that different goat pairings have different point values.
Once you have created your herd you then need to duel with your opponents and each time you win your herd value increases.
Just remember though that when that happens, you are likely to become a target.
I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT
Do you enjoy quizzes? Do you consider yourself to be a bit of a knowledge nerd? Do you know how to say Japan in Japanese or how long Sleeping Beauty was actually asleep?
If you think you have what it takes to beat your fellow campers then this addictive trivia game with more than 400 questions will keep you entertained for hours while sitting around a campfire.
SPONTUNEOUS
If you are a karaoke fan or love a spontaneous outbreak of singing, Spontuneous may well be the perfect campfire game for you.
The rules are extremely simple. Each player needs to write down several words from the song on your playing card. When it is your turn, you announce the first word on the list to the other players and flip the timer.
The winner of the point is the first person to sing at least five words of the song including the trigger word.
This is one of those games that all ages will love regardless of their talent.
NEVER HAVE I EVER
If you are a group of friends traveling together, Never Have I Ever could turn your night into one of laughs and reminiscing.
You will probably question why you have done some of the things you have, but where this game is concerned, the wilder your experiences the more rounds you will win.
It is a game that will reward you for the bad decisions you have made in life and you will certainly get to know your camping buddies better!
KIDS AGAINST MATURITY
Kids Against Maturity is a card game for the whole family to keep you entertained whether sitting around the pool, hiding out in the tent during a downpour, or around the campfire after a long day in the fresh air.
Handing out 10 cards to each player the idea is to create an absurdly funny sentence when the question card is revealed.
Taking it in turns to pick a winner, the idea is to collect as many blue cards as possible.
SUSPEND
A steady hand is going to be the key to your success when you play Suspend!
Armed with different color rods, the aim of this challenge is to build up the tower, placing your rods onto the metal frame so that they suspend in mid-air. A misplaced piece or a shaky grip however could see the whole structure come tumbling down again.
GIANT TUMBLING TIMBER TOY (JENGA)
If you don’t like the idea of building things up, perhaps you would prefer to test your patience with a game that could see everything come tumbling down.
Unlike the smaller tabletop version though, this giant Jenga timber tower is the perfect game to take on a camping trip where space is in abundance.
Ideal for an afternoon outside after a picnic perhaps or before it gets dark, this will test the abilities of the whole family. The aim of the game is straightforward and uncomplicated.
Take turns to remove a piece from the tower without it falling down. The first person that causes the tower to topple unfortunately lucks out.
PICK YOUR POISON
Would you rather fight an ostrich to the death or have an incurable case of hiccups?
Pick Your Poison is a game of choices where you need to decide what you would prefer to do. Will it be option A or option B?
Playing it is sure to spark bizarre conversations with your fellow players when the answers are revealed!
SMART ASS
This is a hilarious brain game where quick thinking is required. No one likes a smart ass, but on this occasion, you need to be one in order to win.
With each of you getting to play at being the quizmaster, you will read out a question but instead of patiently waiting for your turn to respond, if you know the answer you simply need to shout it out.
To be the ultimate smartass all you need to do is answer more questions correctly than your fellow players.
TACO V. BURRITO
Supposedly created by a 7-year-old, this quick ten-minute game will fill those moments when you have had enough of waiting around or want to entertain the whole family for only a short amount of time.
The aim of the game is to build the weirdest meal ever and many of the cards contain food items that will completely gross adults out but will appeal to a kid’s sense of humor.
So you may find that your lunch contains eyeballs or blood salsa.
Your food, depending on the cards you pick up, may well induce a tummy ache or you could be the one that instigates a food fight.
UNSTABLE UNICORNS
Who doesn’t love unicorns? If you do, you’re in luck, this is a game filled with them!
This is a card game of strategy where you need to build up an army of unicorns to destroy other armies before they get too strong.
The goal is to be the first to collect seven unicorns while hindering your opponents from building their army.
You need to hope that you find the magical cards before they do, if not, they may well destroy yours first.
CAMPING TABOO
And last, but certainly not least, one of the best campfire games- Camping Taboo!
Can you get your team members to guess the camping-related word at the top of the card without saying any of the “Taboo” or forbidden words?
This hilarious camping taboo game is perfect for sitting around the campfire with friends, as a family game, or as a fun activity for kids that need something to do.
This fun word game is great for kids, teens, and adults. The entire group is sure to love this one!
A Few Last Thoughts On Fun Campfire Games…
Whichever fun game you opt for, the ones mentioned above are all designed to keep you amused for hours without the need for electricity or hours in front of a phone screen.
When we go camping the idea is to get away from it all, be at one with nature, and enjoy time as a family, therefore we want games that the whole family will enjoy – and often the simplest of ideas are the most fun!
So throw out your cute patio mat, set up your picnic table or a few chairs, bring out the campfire games, and let the fun begin!!
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