Camp Games For Teens [30 Fun Activities]

Whether your kids are going on summer camp or the whole family is camping over the summer, you’ll want to have some fun activities prepared to keep everyone entertained.

Summer camp games offer physical exercise and help develop self-confidence, independence, and leadership skills.

Some events require preparation and equipment, while others can be played anytime or anywhere without any preparation.

Read on to discover the perfect summer camp games for your teens.

Cooperative Games

1. Blindfold Obstacle Course

Divide the group into teams.

Each team will have one blindfolded person while their teammate gives them instructions on how to get around an obstacle course.

You can utilize other players to be the obstacles that blindfolded teens need to get around.

Only the navigator may give the blindfolded person instructions. If they touch one of the obstacles, they are out of the game.

The team with the most players getting through the obstacle course wins.

2. Balloon Up

Divide the teens into small groups (depending on how big the group is).

Each team gets a balloon and has to try and keep the balloon up in the air without using their hands.

To make the game harder, players must hold hands in a circle, making moving around more difficult.

The team with their balloon up in the air the longest wins.

3. Barnyard Animals

This sounds like a silly game, but it’s hugely funny as long as everyone plays the game.

Players all get a name of an animal, but they’re not allowed to tell anyone what animal they are.

Players then spread out across the field or playing area.

When the game starts, everyone must start making the noise of the animal that they’ve been given.

The game aims for groups of ‘animals’ to find each other.

Once you’ve found your group of animals, you all sit down.

The last group to find their team members loses.

❤️ You might also like to have a look at these Cooperative Board Games For Teens & Families

Water Games

1. Hot Potato/Balloon

Fill water balloons and get everyone to stand in two lines facing each other.

Everyone gets a balloon, and when you shout ‘Start,’ players must throw their water balloon to the person opposite them.

Players keep throwing the balloon to each other and take a step further back after each throw.

Eventually, their water balloons will pop with water squirting all over them.

🎉 For more water balloon games read our Fun Summer Water Balloon Game Ideas.

2. Run the Gauntlet

Divide the group into two teams.

Players on one team will each get two water balloons and stand in two lines with the ‘gauntlet’ between them.

The other team members must run through the gauntlet while the opposing team gets to throw them with their water balloons.

Then teams switch places, and the other team gets to pelt them with water balloons.

Some players might get through dry while others will be sopping wet.

Be prepared to fill lots of water balloons as teens will want revenge.

Group Games

Get them acquainted by making them play some fun and exciting teen camp games. Camp fun is enhanced by a bit of competitiveness between teams.

1. Capture The Flag

Capture the Flag is a classic game that small or large groups of teens can play.

Divide the area where you will be playing in half and split the group into two teams.

Give each team a flag that they need to hide in their playing area, and remember that a small piece of the material must be visible for the other team to see.

Each team must try to steal the other team’s flag and bring it back to their own side of the field to win the game.

If you’re tagged while on the other teams playing field, you must go to their ‘jail’ and wait for a team member to free you.

There are several different ways to play the Capture the Flag game, like playing at night or using Nerf Guns to ‘tag’ players; mix it up and have fun.

2. Relay Races

Relay races are fun to add to any camp activity. There are many classic relay races like egg and spoon races, three-legged races, and water relay races.

You can add your own versions of rules to these games.

A fun twist on a water relay race is to have each player pour water from a cup backward over the head, and the person standing behind them must catch the water into their cup.

At the end of the race, the team with the most water in the final cup wins.

3. Catch It Or Don’t Catch It

Catch or Don’t Catch is a simple game as there’s no planning necessary, and you only need something to throw to the other players (ball, sponge, pillow, anything soft would work well).

Everyone stands in a circle with one player in the middle.

The person in the middle throws the ball to a person in the circle and shouts either ‘Catch’ or “Don’t Catch.’

If you don’t follow the instructions, you’re out of the game.

The last person remaining in the circle is the winner.

4. Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are always fun to play, but they do need some planning and organizing.

Have a look around you and make a list of items they can find in nature.

You can form teams and have them go on a scavenger hunt.

It is a fun activity because the teens are grouped in smaller groups and get to know each other while looking for items.

5. Blob Tag

Blob tag can be played with any number of players. Nominate one player to start the game who has to be ‘it.’

When this person tags someone, they hold onto them and have to continue playing the game together as a unit holding hands.

The game continues as each person that is tagged joins the ‘blob’ of players until only one person is left unattached.

🎉 You might also like to discover some fun Minute It To Win It Games For Teens.

Physical Games

These games will require them to explore and get a bit dirty. Get them moving with these camping games and make their camping trip a memorable one.

1. Camp Olympics

To get the most out of your camp experience, you should plan on including a wide range of skills and allowing all teens to choose the activities they want based on their abilities.

Olympic games can include any of the following camp games for teens:

• Tug Of War
• Noodle Jousting
• Potato Pooper – this one’s funny
• Dodge Ball
• Wheel Barrow Race

Watch this video to see how these games are played:

Camp Olympics games and difficulty can be adjusted for age, and adults may even enjoy some of these games as well.

2. Hide & Seek

Hide & Seek remains a fun game for all ages.

Finding the perfect hiding place in Mother Nature is also an opportunity for both hiders and seekers to explore.

You can even add some Nerf guns to the game for extra excitement.

Or play at night with flashlights.

3. Obstacle Course

You can provide your teens with a real challenge by setting up an obstacle course.

You can set up the obstacle course for a few days or for the duration of your camping trip so that everyone has access to it and can improve their scores.

Obstacles can include camping tables, crawling through hoops, or dribbling a ball around a tent.

4. Spud

Spud is a super fun game to play with a group of teens.

Everyone stands in a circle and gets allocated a number from one onwards.

One person is nominated to start the game and stands in the middle of the circle.

They throw the ball high up in the air and call out a random number.

As soon as they throw the ball, everyone runs away, except for the person whose number they called.

This person must quickly grab the ball and shout ‘Spud,’ and everyone must freeze where they are.

The camper with the ball may take three giant steps towards the nearest player and throw the ball at them. If they hit them with the ball, then they’re out of the game.

Play continues until the last player standing wins the game.

5. Catch Down, Down, Down

All you’ll need is a tennis ball to play this game.

Two players throw the ball to each other. If someone misses, then they must go down on one knee. The second time they miss, they must go down on both knees. Then they must go down on an elbow, and eventually, they will be down on both knees and elbows.

The first person to miss when down on all fours loses the game, and the next person takes their place.

To keep the game fair, teens not playing can call out a throw that wasn’t thrown properly or easy to catch.

Arts & Crafts

Fun crafts may be more suitable for more hands-on and creative teens.

Art and craft activities during summer camps provide campers with the opportunity to enhance their artistic skills and make lasting memories.

1. Tie-Dye

Making tie-dye shirts can give teens a lasting memory to take home after camp.

The opportunity to pick out colors and complete the design will bring back memories of a wonderful summer.

2. Beach In A Bottle

Beach fun is a teen favorite. The goal is to let the teens create a beach scene using sand, shells, and accessories in a bottle. This craft will be a keepsake and give them a memory of their time at camp.

3. Face Painting

Teenagers enjoy face painting because it gives them a chance to express themselves creatively. There is no limit to the artistic and goofy characters participants can create.

4. Friendship Bracelets

5. Group Craft Project

A collaborative arts and crafts project is a great way to integrate your campers and create a lasting memory at camp. Provide campers with time and supplies to create their pieces. You can give them a specific theme, such as why they love to camp or allow them to express themselves freely. Once the activity is done, assemble all the pieces together.

Night Time Games

1. Glow In The Dark Ring Toss

You’ll need some glow-in-the-dark rings or glow sticks and some cans or bottles.

Give players several glow-in-the-dark rings of the same color.

Players can all throw rings onto one bottle, or they can each get their own bottle to try and toss their ring over.

2. Murder In The Dark

A nighttime camping game like this can be fun for teenagers and adults alike.

Tear pieces of paper for each player. One will have a letter ‘D’ on it for the detective, and one a letter ‘M’ for the murderer. The rest of the papers are left blank, and these players will be the victims.

After everyone has drawn a piece of paper, everyone sits in a circle, and the game starts.

The murdered must wink at other players without the detective seeing them. If he winks at someone, they must die. You can be as subtle or extreme in how you ‘die’ as you like.

Place enough scraps of paper for the number of people in a bowl or cup, making sure that one has a star or the letter D on it, one other has a black dot or the letter M, while the rest are blank.

The game ends as soon as the murderer kills everyone or as soon as the detective determines who the killer is.

Campfire Games

The camping experience would be incomplete without a campfire. S’mores, ghost stories, and camp songs abound during this time. There are also great campfire games that don’t require much preparation and are a great addition to the evening.

1. Charades

The idea of the game is for one person to act out the title of a play, book, song, TV show, or movie without making any sound or speaking.

Whoever guesses what is being performed becomes the next player.

2. Talent Show

A talent show is a perfect opportunity for campers to demonstrate their talents.

Teenagers can perform their favorite song, dance, or skit at camp.

3. Truth or Dare

Players take turns asking each other, “Truth or Dare?”

Each person can choose whether to answer a question truthfully or perform a dare.

It’s best to set ground rules about what’s allowed when playing this game because sometimes things can get out of hand.

4. Broken Telephone

‘Broken Telephone‘ is a game where one person whispers a short message to another.

The message is passed along to every person until the last person reveals what they heard.

In the end, the message will undoubtedly have changed several times, leading to hysterical results.

Rainy Day / Indoor Camp Games

A rainy day at camp certainly dampens things.

When the weather doesn’t cooperate with your planned activities, you’ll need to have a few indoor games to make the most of the teen’s camp experience.

1. Board Games

When it’s raining or cold outside, board games are a fun way to keep everyone entertained.

Play a few different games with your large group and let campers choose their favorites.

2. Camping Bingo

All the campers are given bingo cards, and they mark off each number as they are called.

The winner is the first person to mark off all the numbers on their card.

3. Two Truths and a Lie

To play, each player must write two true things about themselves and a false one.

Then, others must discern what is true and what is false.

4. Beachball Questions

Blow up a beachball and write a different question in each color section.

The idea of this game is for campers to get to know each other a little better.

Throw the ball to someone, and whatever question faces them, they need to answer.

They can be simple questions like “What’s your favorite food?”, to “What do you want to be when you’re grown up?”.

5. YouTube Karaoke

Powered by YouTube videos, you don’t need an expensive machine or microphones to host a karaoke party as a camp rainy day activity. There are endless karaoke-style videos available on YouTube.

Hopefully, you’ve found some great activities and fun camp games for teens to play this summer.