10 Fun Kids Camping Crafts To Make On Your Next Camping Trip

Camping is a popular family vacation option because it is an age-friendly, budget-friendly, getaway everyone enjoys. When planning your next family camping trip be sure to bring along some craft supplies to make these simple and fun crafts to make your trip extra special.

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page. Thanks!

Being prepared for a rainy day while on a camping trip is key. Fill a small plastic tote with crafting supplies you can pull out on a rainy day to keep everyone occupied and happy. Here are a few things you will want to include in your tote:

Craft Tote Supplies

• scissors
• markers & crayons
• tape & contact paper (clear)
• craft glue & hot glue
• twine / string / yarn
• acrylic paint & paint brush
• paper
• googly eyes

The rest of the supplies you need can be found in nature! Sticks, stones, leaves, and wildflowers all make wonderful craft supplies. 

Once you have your supply tote ready and packed you are going to want to try out these 10 DIY camping crafts!

Camping Journal Logbook - a must have for all campers!

Before you head out on your next camping adventure make sure to take along a Camping Journal so you can jot down all the memories from your trip! If you have never used a Camping Journal Logbook this will soon become your favorite vacation tool. This journal has room for you to record your location, camp site #, weather, local attractions, site hook up amenities and much more!

10 DIY Fun & Easy Camping Crafts For Kids

Remember to Pin this post for later & be sure to follow me on Pinterest for more inspiring ideas!

#1    Leaf Rubbing Collage

This is a timeless craft kids have been doing for ages! Gather several different leaves and pine needles on your next outdoor hiking adventure. Let your child arrange the leaves on a flat surface then place a piece of paper on top of the leaves. Use the side of a crayon and firmly rub the crayon over the paper to capture the leaf shapes. 

Find the full tutorial at Mama Papa Bubba.

via: MamaPapaBubba

#2 Painted Rocks

Rocks of various sizes and shapes you find around the campground or on the beach become the perfect canvas for painted rock art. Find a rock that looks like the shape of a turtle shell? Paint it to look like a turtle! Turn your rocks into animals or paint patterns on them. 

#3 Pressed Flower Book Marks

Reading is a popular activity to do while camping so making a nature bookmark is the perfect craft project to do on your trip. Gather small leaves, flower petals, pine needles, and other small flat treasures to use for your bookmark. Cut a long rectangular piece of packing tape or contact paper then press the leaves, petals, and other flat objects onto half of the sticky side of one piece of the tape. Fold the other side of the tape over enclosing the objects inside. Press flat with your fingers then hole punch or cut a small slit at the top, insert a piece of yarn for a tassel and you are ready to mark the next chapter in your book.

Find the full tutorial at: Little Pine Learners

via: Little Pine Learners

#4    Luminary

Kids can create their own aluminum foil luminaries and make their very own night lights or a lantern for the picnic table! Follow this step-by-step tutorial: How To Make Aluminum Foil Lumnary to make your own today.

#5 Windchimes

Use supplies found on your camping trip with a few extra added supplies from your craft tote to make your very own windchimes. Metal chimes are replaced with sticks and beads to make these windchimes. To learn how to make these, download this Kindle book from Amazon 

#6 Wildflower Vase 

A fist full of picked dandelions looks amazing arranged in a cardboard flower vase! Your child will be so proud of their bouquet and you will enjoy the time spent crafting with them. Here is the tutorial to make a Wildflower Cardboard Vase!

#7 Painted Sticks Boquet

This is a really easy craft that is perfect for a rainy day camping or when your kids need an unsupervised activity to do while you prepare dinner. Encourage your child to gather a handful of sticks that vary in size and shape. Pour several different colors of paint on a paper plate and let them paint sections of each stick with paint all the way along the stick. Once dry display their colorful stick bouquet in a mason jar on the picnic table.

Find the full tutorial at the Homemade Ginger. 

via: Homemadeginger.com

#8 Triangle Stick & Wildflower Wreath

Decorate your campsite with these beautiful triangle-shaped wildflower wreaths. 

Find the full tutorial at: A Pretty Fix

via: A Pretty Fix

#9 Mini Twig Fairy Chairs

These little chairs will have your child's imagination going wild! Making their own mini chair from twigs is so much fun they might end up making enough for a family of imaginary fairies! 

Find the full tutorial at: One Inch World

via: One Inch World

#10 Pinecone Owls

Whooo wants to make a pinecone owl? This craft is a hoot that your child is sure to enjoy! Send your kids out to gather up a handful of pinecones then get the craft tote out to begin making owls. Don't worry if you didn't pack googly eyes, use stones, shells or even flower petals. 

Find the full tutorial at: Crafts by Amanda

via: Crafts by Amanda

More Fun Camping Activities For Kids

Here is another fun activity for your children to do while on a camping trip and all you have to do is print this free Scavenger hunt printable! If you have several kids divide them up into teams and see who can finish first. 

The Ultimate Camping Scavenger Hunt - FREE Printable

FREE PRINTABLE

I hope you enjoy your next camping adventure! Please share your camping crafts with me in the comments.

Learn How To Make Aluminum Foil Luminaries

Aluminum foil luminaries are simple and fun to make and the final project will have your kids in awe as they enjoy the beautiful light shining through the patterns they made! 

If you have always wanted to try to make a tin can lantern but thought your kids were too young to use tools like hammers and sharp nails this luminary project is for you! Aluminum foil replaces that tin can and no hammers are needed. 

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please read my Disclaimer page. Thanks!

The Perfect Craft For Kids

This is a great craft project for kids of all ages and makes for the perfect summer craft, birthday party craft or even something to do on a camping trip. Younger kids will probably need a little adult assistance but older kids can certainly do this craft all on their own.

Make sure to check out this post: 10 Awesome Camping Crafts To Make On Your Next Camping Trip

Since kids are going to be using this craft you may want to consider using a plastic jar like an empty peanut butter jar otherwise an empty glass jar like a pickle jar will work well too. 

How To Make An Aluminum Foil Luminary 

Supplies:

• clean and empty jar with a lid (plastic peanut butter jar or a glass pickle jar)
• aluminum foil
• toothpick
• pencil
• small sheet of styrofoam (a clean to-go container will work)
• battery powered tea light candle or glow sticks
• cookie cutters (optional)

Step-by-step Tutorial

Step 1

Tear off a long sheet of aluminum foil then fold it in half to create a long narrow rectangle shape. Lay your empty jar next to the rectangle and adjust the height of the aluminum foil by folding it a little more if necessary so that the height is the same as the inside of the jar. 

Next, gently wrap the foil around the outside of your jar to measure how long your foil rectangle needs to be. Cut the foil where the cut edge meets the rest of the foil. 

Step 2

Lightly trace shapes or words along the length of the foil with a pencil. Use cookie cutters to gently press into the foil to make fun shapes. You can skip this step if you feel comfortable just free-handing your design. 

Place the foil on top of the styrofoam sheet and then use a toothpick to puncture the foil along the lines of your design.

Step 3

Carefully wrap the foil into a tube shape just slightly narrower than the outside of the jar. Then slide the aluminum foil tube inside the jar gently pressing the foil along the inside of the jar. 

Step 4

Insert a battery operated tea-light candle or activated glow stick inside the jar, screw on the lid, and enjoy your luminary!

For younger children, these luminaries make great night lights since they aren't too bright and are fun for sleepy eyes to watch. Make several to place on outdoor tables in the summer or inside on a shelf or fireplace mantel. 

Make sure to PIN this tutorial and follow me on Pinterest for more inspiring ideas!

If you loved this craft make sure to check out these other fun & easy crafts that are perfect for kids!

More Crafts For Kids 

How To Hydro-Dip Pencils With Nailpolish

How To Make Colorful Layered Salt Art In A Jar

Easy No-Sew Sock Bunny Stuffed Animal

How To Make Colorful Yarn Wrapped Flowers

How To Make Tie-Diy Coffee Filter Butterflies

The Ultimate Camping Scavenger Hunt For Kids

Camping is the perfect family vacation especially if you are trying to leave the busyness of life behind and reconnect as a family. One way you can reconnect with your kids while camping is through activities like a family scavenger hunt. Whether you pair up in teams or search for the items on the scavenger hunt individually this activity is perfect to do on your next camping trip. 

This post was written in partnership with Zulily. Make sure to check out the Camping Essentials Checklist For Beginners as well as many other great ideas at The Find By Zulily.

Camping Scavenger Hunt For Kids

Since camping happens in the great outdoors it makes sense that this scavenger hunt should include outdoor treasures as well as camping-specific items too! To keep your job easy I've put together a great family scavenger hunt you can take along with you on your next camping trip. Invite other campers to join in with the fun too. 

Scavenger hunts are fun because they encourage those participating to look more closely at the surrounding area while they hunt for the items on the list. They can also be quite competitive (especially in my family), so consider offering a prize for the first person to complete the scavenger hunt - like an ice cream cone or an extra s'more for dessert. 

Lastly, scavenger hunts are great for any age to participate which is why it is the perfect activity to do while camping with your family or a big group.

Here is the printable link for this cool camping scavenger hunt!

Ultimate Camping Checklist For A New Camper

If you are new to camping it might seem a bit overwhelming to know what to bring when you go on your first camping trip. No need to stress - I've got you covered with this post I wrote The Ultimate Checklist For A New Camper for The Find by Zulily. Click to get the full checklist before you adventure out on your first camping trip.  

What's For Dinner?

Now that you have a great activity planned for the family the next thing to figure out is what to serve for dinner! Don't worry I've provided you with 5 Easy Meals To Make On Your Next Camping Trip so you don't have to stress about dinner while on vacation! 

Over the last year, camping in the U.S. has grown in popularity, especially with first-time campers. The number of first-time campers in the U.S. from 2019 to 2020 has grown five-fold according to Kampgrounds of America. Thanks to the pandemic the boom in first-time campers spending their vacation time outdoors in nature at campgrounds around the country is a trend that doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. 

Whether you are a seasoned camper or a newbie figuring out what to make for meals on your trip can be difficult. Cooking over a campfire is completely different than the oven or microwave cooking you do at home but that doesn't mean the quality of your meals should suffer. Campfire cooking takes a little practice and some pre-planning but the meals can be just as good, if not better than what you have been making at home. 

Making sure you have the right camping tools to cook over your campfire is important. Here are a few must-have basic tools I recommend you invest in (or borrow from a friend). 

Hot dog / Marshmallow Roasting Sticks

Pie Irons

Campfire Cooking Grate 

Cast Iron Skillet

Dutch Oven

 

Heat Resistant Grill Gloves 

 

Armed with the right tools for the job you are all set to prepare a tasty meal for your family. Building a campfire and waiting for the fire to burn down into hot coals is the perfect time to get the ingredients ready and prepped for cooking. 

5 Easy Meals To Make On Your Next Camping Trip

There are countless meals you can make over a campfire. Camping isn't all about eating just hot dogs and roasted marshmallows as many people think that is all they can cook over a campfire. There are so many great meals you can cook over a fire. As a new camper to help you get started with meal planning I am going to share 5 easy meals you can make on your first camping trip.

#1 PIE IRON PIZZA

Pizza is a popular meal that you can easily serve your family for dinner anytime. While the pie iron pizza isn't quite as fast as a Little Ceasar's Hot-n-Ready it is worth the wait. 

• two slices of buttered bread buttered or Pillsbury pizza dough in a can cut to fit the pie iron
• pizza sauce
• toppings of your choice
• mozzarella cheese

Place the buttered side of the bread against the pie iron then spread the pizza sauce over the bread. Spread your pizza toppings and cheese over the sauce then place the second piece of bread butter side up on top of the cheese. Close the pie iron and lock it in place. Scrape off any pieces of bread that are sticking outside of the pie iron. Place the pie iron into the hot campfire coals and let it cook for 3-5 minutes per side. Crack open the pie iron to check if the pizza is done. When the bread is golden brown you know the pizza is ready. 

#2 FOIL PACKET SALMON BAKE

Who says you can't have fine dining when camping? Baked salmon, especially if you catch your own out on the lake that day is a treat for anyone. Prepare your fish for the campfire by coating a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil with cooking spray then lay your salmon skin side down in the center of the foil. Add any seasonings (Old Bay is my favorite) and a slice of lemon on top of the salmon then fold the foil around the salmon to seal it closed. Place the foil packet on a campfire grill grate over the hot coals of a campfire for indirect cooking. When the salmon is no longer pink it is ready for dinner! 

#3 CHICKEN & SAUSAGE SHISH-KABOB

If you have never made shish-kabob at home you are in for a real treat with this meal. Cut 2-3 chicken breasts and 4-5 smoked sausages (brats or kielbasa work well too) into 1-inch chunks. Thread the meat onto metal skewers then place them onto a metal cooking grate over hot campfire coals. While the meat is cooking cut up peppers, onions, mushrooms, potatoes, and zucchini into 2-inch pieces and thread them onto metal skewers then brush olive oil over the veggies. When the meat is about halfway done add the vegetables to the cooking grate. Make sure to turn and the meat and vegetable skewers regularly so they cook evenly on all sides. Slide the cooked meat and veggies off of the skewers into a serving dish and serve alongside a loaf of crusty bread. 

#4 CAST IRON SKILLET RIBEYE STEAK

The cast-iron skillet will do all the work for you to make this amazing dish. To prepare make sure your campfire coals are good and hot and that your cooking grate is placed just above the coals so the cast iron pan gets nice and hot. While you prepare the campfire season your steak with salt and pepper allowing the seasonings to marinate the meat.  Preheat your skillet, drizzle a little vegetable oil into the skillet and then place the steak into the hot pan. Let it cook for a few minutes per side until it is cooked to your liking. Remove the steak from the skillet and let it rest for 5-10 minutes covered.

 

#5 PORK CHOPS & POTATOES

Comfort food at the campfire is the best way to describe this meal. I recommend you get this meal going earlier in the afternoon since it will take about an hour to cook over the campfire before it is ready to serve for dinner. 

• 4-5 pork chops (medium thickness)
• olive oil
• butter (melted)
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 3/4 cup water
• 3-4 potatoes cubed
• salt & pepper 

Preheat the dutch oven on the hot coals of a campfire then drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil into the bottom of the pan. Season the chops with salt and pepper then once the oil is hot lightly brown the pork chops in the oil. Melt the butter in a small pan then mix it with the bread crumbs and 1/4 cup of water. Spread the bread crumb mixture over the pork chops. Cover the pork chops with the diced potatoes. Mix the soup with the rest of the water then pour it over the potatoes. Cover top of the dutch oven with hot coals and cook the chops for one hour ensuring the hot coals remain at 350 F. 

These tasty meals should get you started for your first week of camping. Once you get comfortable using these campfire cooking tools you can really get creative with your campfire meals. 

CAMPFIRE DESSERT

After a delicious hearty campfire meal, I know your kids are going to ask what is for dessert! No problem. Campfire desserts can be just as amazing as the meal you just cooked. Get those marshmallow roasting sticks ready because here are some mouthwatering gourmet s'more recipes you should try on your camping trip:

10 Gourmet Smore Recipes

Pie Iron Fruit Pies

Before you put your pie iron away why not bake a few fruit pies in it for dessert. Butter two slices of bread placing one slice buttered side down on the pie iron. Add a few spoonfuls of canned pie filling into the center then place the second piece of bread butter side up on top of the filling. Close the pie iron and cut off the extra bread. Place the pie iron on top of hot coals flipping it every few minutes to ensure even cooking. Once the bread is golden brown your pie is ready! 
Full bellies make for happy campers! I know you will enjoy these delicious recipes and so will your family. 

Is this your first time camping? I'd love to hear how your camping vacation went as well as what meals you made to feed your crew - please share your experience in the comments.