Activities to Do While Camping with Kids

June 8, 2024 by Sarah White Leave a Comment

I am not much of a camper, and the only camping I’ve done with my daughter is going to the lodge at the Girl Scout camp (which is indoors and climate controlled).

But I know a lot of people like camping with their kids, and while I like to idea of it, I don’t think it’s for us.

If your family likes to get outdoors and you need some ideas for things to do while you’re hanging out at camp, read on.

This camping lapbook from Homeschool Share would be a great one to set up before your trip and use while you are camping. It has some informational sections like different kinds of poisonous plants and things to keep in a first aid kit, but a lot of it is set up for kids to record their observations of trees, birds and other things they want to remember from the trip.

Adventure in a Box has a printable nature journal with tasks and questions for kids to think about that includes things like finding different flowers and leaves, which they can collect on their pages or draw in (some like rocks and insects would need to be drawn, so make sure you pack your tools!). If you like bird watching, make sure to grab the printable bird book for kids to track their observations form Buggy and Buddy.

Park Ranger John has some great ideas for games you can play while camping, and Thrifty Jinxy has more ideas for games you can bring along when you go camping. I love the National Parks edition of Yahtzee, which includes facts about the national parks you can discuss while you play.

If your campsite has a lot of space (and a lot of sticks) kids can build a maze or a labyrinth that everyone can walk through. Mother Natured has all the details.

And in case you need some camping crafts, check out how to make a camping lantern from head lamps and plastic bottles (get the DIY from Home Cleaning Family) and the classic camp craft — a sit upon! This brings back memories of my own Girl Scout camp adventures, and you can make your own with instructions from There’s Just One Mommy.

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Celebrating Mexican Independence Day

Lots of Americans seem to think that May 5 is Mexican Independence Day, but that holiday actually falls on Sept. 16.

May 5 is the celebration of the Battle of Puebla, in which the Mexicans defeated the French in 1862. Independence Day marks the beginning of their fight for independence from Spain in 1810. That was the day of what’s known as El Grito de Dolores, or the cry of Dolores, for when the Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang the church bells at his church in Dolores and declared that Mexico should be free from Spanish rule.

They would fight for their freedom until 1821 when they finally gained independence.

Fabulous Classroom has a little of the history and ideas for celebrating the holiday for all age groups. There’s also a link to a good video in that post about the real story of Mexican Independence Day.

Twinkl also has a good tops about the history and different activities, discussion ideas, crafts and foods that can be incorporated into lessons at school or used at home.

I also found a few pins that no longer link to a website but include good information on Mexican Independence Day, including some questions for students to answer based on the reading. You can find more printables and questions for kids from TX Homeschool Mama on Etsy (also available in Spanish).

You can find a lot more paid resources about Mexican Independence Day at Teachers Pay Teachers.

Mexican flag crafts are a fun option for celebrating Mexican Independence Day (though the current iteration of their flag has only been in use since 1968). Kids Activities Blog has a free Mexican flag printable and a few different ideas for decorating it including dot markers and torn tissue paper.

You can also find some great Mexican crafts at Red Ted Art. The post includes all sorts of Mexican inspired projects including Day of the Dead crafts, Frida Kahlo pinatas and upcycled musical instruments. I love the giant paper flowers they shared from Honestly WTF.

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