If you spend any amount of time camping at all, then you know that no matter what the weather reports say you are going to experience some rainy days while camping.
Spending several hours confined to a tent with your children may not seem like much fun. But with a little foresight and thought you and your family can actually enjoy some fun rainy day camping activities together.
This can actually serve as a fun bonding experience for the entire family.
If you are at a loss trying to come up with a few rainy day camping activities yourself, maybe these suggestions that my family enjoyed will be useful to you or at least get your own creative juices flowing.
Turn a Simple Deck of Cards Into A Variety of Fun Rainy Day Camping Activities
From the time our kids were toddlers a deck of cards was always part of our camping gear.
They learned how to play slap-jack, war, and old maid when they were little. We gradually ended up playing hearts, spades, and spoons and even when they were teens a bit of poker using m&ms or marshamallows as chips.
Our deck of cards was also used for counting games and even to practice addition and subtraction. They even served to end squabbles over who would complete what camp chores. (High card got 1st choice and so on and so on)
Slap Jack Card Game
eeBoo Old Maid Playing CardseeBoo Hearts Playing Cards
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Pick Up Sticks or Jenga
Pick Up Sticks or a game of Jenga are small and easy to pack up in a backpack and can be played by the entire family regardless of ages.
When playing pick up sticks you can give your younger children two or three tries and to older children. Adults get one try.
Board Games Make Fun Rainy Day Camping Activities for Kids and Adults Alike
Depending on the age of your children bringing along a board game of two can be fun. Our family played both pictionary and our own version of charades while camping, whether or not it rained.
When the kids became older they could spend several hours playing monopoly or Risk.
Pictionary GameMonopoly Board GameRisk Game
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Rainy Day Sing-a-Long
Another of our favorite activities was to have rainy days sing-a-long. We would just turn on some music and sing-a- long to whatever song came along.
We would also on occasion just sing some of our old favorites such as “I’ve been Working on the Railroad”, “This Land is Your Land” and many more.
This also proved to be a fun campfire activity especially when friends would drop by to visit the camp.
Coloring Books Make a Great Rainy Day Indoor Camping Activity
With so many different adult and children’s coloring books to choose from, coloring can make a great rainy day activity.
Using bright colors on a gray rainy day is sure to lift everyone’s spirits. Throw in a big bowl of chips, some drinks and some fun conversation and your entire family will enjoy that rainy day as much as the sunny camping days!
Melissa & Doug Jumbo Coloring Pad – AnimalsGood Vibes Coloring Book (Coloring Is Fun)Coloring Book for Adults: Amazing Swirls
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A Rainy Day Camping Activity with No Baggage – “Who Am I?”
This is a great game that requires absolutely no extra baggage. To play this game, one person thinks of a person past or present that others in the family know.
They give the person’s initials and then the rest of the family takes turns asking questions trying to figure out who the person is by the answers to the questions.
The person to guess the name is the next person to come up with a new person and new initials.
We’ve played this with children as young as three. An adult would give them the initials for whoever they choose and help them answer the question.
Of course with young children expect the “person” to become Big Bird, Donald or Daffy Duck, or some other character they are familiar with.
Visit Somewhere Interesting on a Rainy Day
Taking that rainy day and using it to visit a museum, aquarium, or some other indoor attraction in the nearest town can not only be fun and educational, but a great way to spend a rainy afternoon.
Of course your indoor attraction doesn’t have to be educational. Our family has also played indoor putt-putt golf, and taken in a movie we have been wanting to see.
Looking for Rainy Day Camping Activities Kids Love? Try Playing in the Rain
As long as it is not thundering and lightening or the rain is not cold why not get out and play in the rain.
If you have brought rain gear along with you go for a rain hike, try and collect nightcrawlers for fishing. Or just simply play in the rain.
A couple of times when we have been rough camping, the kids changed into swimming suits on a rainy day and used the rain to take an impromptu shower.
While showering in the rain may not get your kids 100% percent clean, it will leave them refreshed.
Enjoying those rainy days camping activities with your kids can add to your family’s enjoyment of the entire camping experience.
Oh my goodness! So many memories of camping in the rain! These are great suggestions for keeping the kids entertained so they don’t tear down the tent from the inside. lol