Camp Games

There is more to camp games than kick-ball or four-square! The key to a fun summer lies in your ability to offer ever-changing, age-appropriate, and interactive games to your campers.

The categories below will take you to hundreds of different games. Feel free to change the rules or add a personal touch.

We encourage you to play all activities using the "everybody plays - everybody wins" philosophy. Whenever possible, don't keep score, change the rules, and most of all - have fun!

Check out our Camp Game Videos Section to see many of our favorite games in action!

Animal Alphabet

The leader starts with the name of an animal that starts with the letter “A.” From there, go around the circle and have each person say the name of animal each beginning with the next letter in the alphabet. First see if you can get to the end of the alphabet and then see how many times you can complete …

Animal Guessing Game

This is a fun circle game that has a bit of prank as part of it. Take one camper from the group and explain to him/her that they are going to act like an animal when they return to the group. Explain and that they aim of the game is for everyone else to guess the animal. Then tell them …

Apples and Bananas

I like to eat I like to eat I like to eat, eat apples and bananas (Repeat) A lake tay ate A lake tay ate A lake tay ate, ate ape-ells and bay-nay-nays (Repeat) E leek tee eet E leek tee eet E leek tee eet, eet epples and bee-nee-nees (Repeat) I like tie ite I like tie ite I …

Army, Navy

Large playing area, preset boundaries To be the last one standing This game is best played with a big group and a large playing area like a gym or a large filed with the two opposite sides defined. Designate one side “army” and the opposite side “navy”. When a counselor yells… -“army” the campers are to run to the army …

Assassin

This is a game best played in a large group. We always played it with the 6-10 year olds at our summer camp. Sit all of the children in a circle, with legs crossed. Have all children put their heads down. one person (we always had at least one adult present) would walk around the circle and tap one child …

Assassin Remix

In this fun version of Assassin (also known as Wink, Murderer, etc), everyone must work as a team to figure out who the assassin is! Given the strategy involved, we recommend this version for children ages 10 or older. To prepare for the game, write the following roles on small pieces of paper to be chosen from a hat or …

Auto Trip

Arrange players in a circle either on chairs or in front of a place marker, such as a backpack.Assign each an auto part name to each person (ie, hood, wheel, door, etc).The storyteller walks around the circle and invents and shares a story of an auto trip. As the player tells the story, the parts mentioned get up and follow …

B’gawk! (The chicken game!!)

Stand in a circle. Make two circles (one with each hand) with the index finger and the thumb. Hold a circle over each eye. The person starting drops one hand (a quick bounce, as if the hand was tied to elastic) and says “B’gawk!!” The direction is decided by which hand is used; if the first person drops his right …

Baby Food Roulette

Get six volunteers (works better if you don’t tell them what they are in for). Have the jars of baby food in a sack or box so the players can’t see them. Have them stand in a circle and pass a spoon while music plays (like hot potato). When the music stops, have the loser blindly pick out a jar …

Baby If You Love Me

Everyone sits in a circle, with one person chosen to be IT. IT chooses silently someone they want to try and make smile. The IT looks at that person and says “Baby if you love me, smile.” Then, IT can say or do anything they want (camp appropriate) to make them smile except touch them. The chosen person must say …

Back to Back

Water balloons Buckets Have the most water balloons in the bucket before times run out. Split children up into partners however many as necessary. Then put them next to their bucket of water balloons. This is a relay race so have another bucket abouy 15 feet away. The players have to put the water balloon between both of their backs …

Back to Back Tag

Two people hold hands start off as being “it.” They can try to tag any other player but they can only use their free hands. When they tag someone, that person joins onto them by holding hands. Remember, other players can only be tagged with one of the two free hands. Players are safe from being tagged if they find …

Back Words

Divide the group into teams of 5 people each with pencil and paper. Call out a word which has four or more letters. Each team writes the word vertically down the left side of the paper, and on the right side write the word vertically backwards. Then they have to fill in between the letters to form new words.

Backlash

Divide the group into two teams, then divide each team into pairs. This is a relay race, and the race course can extend across a large field or around a building. Mark a start and finish line. Teams of pairs space themselves equally from one end of the racecourse to the other. Pairs stand back to back with elbows linked. …

Backward Scotsman

2 small children ‘s brooms, 2 ping-pong balls, 1 ball heavy cord or twine Divide the group into two teams, and have them stand in parallel lines, one team member behind the other, at one end of the room. Using the cord, have each team tie the broom handle to the waist of the first player on their team. The …

Bag-O-Stuff Improv Skit

This is a rainy day or all camp activity. Divide the whole camp into groups of 8 or 10 campers (each with a counselor or two to supervise). Have the campers or leaders go all over camp collecting items in a bag… from their tents, the arts and crafts area, the camp kitchen, just random stuff… Give each group their …

Balance Ball

Per pair: 2 skipping ropes, 1 soccer ball, 2 ping-pong balls Divide the players into two teams. Divide the players on each team into pairs and have each person stand facing his partner. Each player holds one end of each skipping rope so that the ropes are parallel and taut, about 6″ apart. A ping-pong ball is placed between the …

Balloon Baseball

Balloon, Base markers Players are divided into two teams. Each team designates a pitcher who pitches to his own team. Each batter gets two pitches to hit a balloon with his fist. If the ball is hit, the fielding team tries to blow the balloon to the ground before the batter runs around the bases. If they do not, a …

Balloon Baseball (Revised/Updated)

Balloon, Wiffle ball bat team sport Same as baseball but use a balloon and wiffle ball or soft bat

Balloon Battle

Inflate balloons and tie on a string for each team member. Each player ties the other end of the string to their ankle. There are two teams – the teams try to burst the others first by stepping on them. Team with the last balloon wins. As your balloon is burst you withdraw from the game.

Balloon Catapault

Water Balloons Divide the group into equal teams. Partially fill the balloon with water and give each team a balloon. The team members sit down in straight lines. On “GO”, the first person on each team places the balloon between his feet and, using only his feet, passes the balloon over his head to the next person in line, who …

Balloon Charades

A package of balloons, written list of items to act out, cut into little strips of paper. To act out different actions and have fun, of course! To prepare Balloon Charades, write or type nouns (people, places, or things) on thin strips of paper. Fold them in half twice. Stick the folded strips in the mouth of a balloon. Blow …

Balloon Relay Race

Split campers into groups of about 10 per group. Line the campers up in their groups on one side of a gym, space, field, etc. behind a starting line. Have one hula hoop or cone for each team placed on the ground about 40 feet away from each team. Blow up about 5 balloons for each team in case a …

Balloon Up

Objects Needed: Three Blown Up Balloons Keep the Balloon off the ground without breaking the circle. Campers and counselors form a circle and hold hands. One facilitator throws a balloon into the circle. The group tries to keep the balloon from touching the ground without letting each others’ hands go for as long as possible. Facilitator can set time or …

Bam Go Back

Night time. For the campers to sneak their way to a group of counselors. Counselors sit at the top of a hill with flashlights and the campers try to sneak up the hill to the top. If a counselor sees any campers and shines their light on them, saying “bam (or a similar variant) go back”, that camper has to …

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