kids activities for seasonal camping

I think with the age difference with the kids is your most significant hurdle. Do the 13 and 8 year olds play a lot together at home? Or are they off with their own friends? If they spend a lot of time at home playing together, then you probably won't have too much trouble with them camping - they'll find things to occupy themselves. If they are used to spending time with their own friends at home and don't interact too much socially, then you'll want to find things that can bridge the 5 year age gap (which is bigger than the 5 year age gap between a 5 and 10 year old).

For the older kids, outdoor exploring is likely to be the most popular - not too "childish" for the 13 yr old and not too much to handle for the 8 yr old. Maybe get some books on insects and trees and send the kids off on scavenger hunts to find specimens. A couple cheap digital cameras (look for used ones) so they can take photos and not bring back hordes of insects in jars and they're set to go. And with used cameras, you could find something real simple for the 2 yr old that costs a couple bucks.

With the cheap cameras, they can try photography as a hobby. Set up "challenges" for them. Like "take a photo of wood" - leave it to each of them to decide if wood means a tree, a bench, a sign post, etc. At the end of the challenge, have them choose the best photo and that photo taker gets to decide dessert for that night.

For the 2 yr old, have the older kids bring back interesting things from their explorations and share it. This gets the young one interested in what the older kids are doing and the outdoors, but safely in your sights.

Walkie Talkies are usually popular and can provide inspiration for play time. Sketch pads and colored pencils so they can try their hands at drawing what they see. An inexpensive metal detector for treasure hunts. And all these things can help build hobby interests as they grow older.

For older kids and adults here's a great way to spend an evening, think dinner or dessert. Or morning, think breakfast!

Make Wannadimgers! They are, essentially, biscuit on a stick. I learned about these tasty treats last winter and have made them for every meal and dessert. It keeps everyone occupied for awhile, makes for easy cleanup and are just so darn good.

I just posted this blog post today with step by step instructions on how to make the sticks. Once made, they'll last for years.

I'll check back for ideas from all of you for filling ideas.

http://quinnsawesomejourney.blogspot.com/2014/05/51614-wannadinger-or-biscuit-on-stick.html

Just an idea. Get the kids to pitch tents and sleep outdoors. Let them take care of a campfire dinner for the family. It’s a good thing for bonding and teaches them about responsibility-sharing.

Play in the dirt, ride bikes, help cook, play in the dirt, fly kites, ride bikes, play in the water, climb trees, find nearby geology to explore, ride bikes, carve wood with pocketknives, ride bikes, legos, burn things in the fire.

We spent a week in Utah for spring break and two 10 year-olds and two 12 year-olds still wanted to play in the sand and ride their bikes. They love cooking and are efficient at making messes.

Man, I miss being a kid!

I was a girl scout forever and grew up with dozens of siblings and cousins. Literally. And no TV. Kids can be resourceful when they have to be.

Our seasonal park has limited, okay no activities, for the kids. Just a beach and a fishing pier. The campground kids seem to stay busy all season. Sometimes its rollerskating, catching fireflies, camp cooking, whittling or setting puzzles. Don't forget the Silly String, the sidewalk chalk or the Chinese lanterns. If someone has a birthday, decorating a campsite is always in order.

The boys like to throw loose change into the grass or sand and pretend to find treasures with a metal detector while making the little kids dig 'em up. They get to keep what they find. Great fun and the older boys get a charge out of intriguing the little kids. The older the boys, the more they just like to hang with the adults or scope out girls.

The girls are always tie-dying something. They like to take people's dogs for walks in exchange for a can of pop. They also like to arrange different scavenger hunts, using the graphics or names on various campers. An arranged game of kickball is always fun. We've shown movies on the side of our camper while the kiddos learn how not to burn Jiffy Pop over the campfire.

My own kids are grown and gone, but we still like to entertain the ones that are still around. Almost anything you can do at home, you can bring to a campground.

So many great ideas! We have def. stocked up on board games. I like the idea of allowing them to bring friends up. Our camper isn't quite big enough, but the teens can sleep In a tent.

The sandbox hubby is making is made with one of those under the bed tupperwares, so it has a top to put on to keep cats, bugs and rain out :)

We too are at a seasonal site but we also pull it out and go on the road. Our grandkids are boy girl twins 11 and a little sis 10 and we have custody of them. In addition to having two dogs with us, we have bikes scooters fishing tackle, board games, basketball, football, wiffle balls and bat,and know every path in and around the park. It's very secure, with one way in and out and a nosey camper at the entrance spot that doesn't miss a thing.

For bad weather, leggos, books, and on ocasion DVD movie.

Keep old clothes and shoes there to change into when they accendently fall into the lake.

Week before last each brought a friend for the weekend from school, two of which had never went camping before. Lunch and supper came off the fire ring and two of them slept in a tent outside the camper.

I like the idea of washing cars for folks. I'll see what the park regs say about it and if OK suggest it to the kids.
Jim

We've owned a camping lot for over 20 years at a park. A blue collar park where during the week hardly anybody there. But on weekends many people. We watched neighbors kids grow up and now have their own kids. They still come by for a visit but now all grown up. I used to enjoy taking them on "nature" hikes. That was after got some books and learned just about every type of tree we had and what the Indians used them for. And then we together made an old fashion wagon wheels. They and I learned a lot. They saved bacon grease for a long time to use as axle grease. Sort of fun. Made many bird houses, wooden toys etc. Girls learned to make stuff on campfire and always enjoyed getting as many dishes dirty as they could; being boys had to clean up if they didn't help. Girl brought back rocks, boys would cut up and polish and girl would make jewelry. My mind still hears that rock tumbler crunching.

1st off sand box. Be prepared for cats to use it more than you, sad to say.

2nd Don't plan on park having kid things to do or even planned. Can't tell you the times in our park things get cancelled due to low turn out or weather. Our pool was closed for many summers due to maint or (whatever). Kids got over it quick. The oldest boy also made money washing cars and rv's and wanted to come every weekend.

Neighbors took kids to garage sales in local area and brought "stuff" back. They also found good fishing lakes, horseback riding and lots of other stuff that was in area that hardly anybody else knew about. We took them black berry or huckleberry picking often and went on rafting trips down river. Their parents would pick us up down river and on way back we'd all have dinner together. They also got better at smoking salmon than me. My wife yelled and scared a bear one time and oldest boy thought my wife saved his life. He wrote a school story assignment about it. (Wife could do no wrong after that):B

When they used to whine and cry we'd hear it, all we had to do was let them know they must be like "campers" just like the rest of everybody in the park and not babies. Worked every time. They could sit around the campfire for as long as they wanted, but they had to get up at normal time 6:30. They learned a lot at a place where not many things are for kids to do.

Today the oldest boy married a Japanese lady and teaches English in Japan. Next boy has construction company and not in debt and builds spec houses. Girl drives a school bus with 2 kids.

When we do together anymore (usually once a year), the kids have a big spot in their heart for that park.

Being the park is out of town the girl was able (thru the park) to join a local 4H group and she raised a lamb one year. Which was not allowed in town where she lived. She'd invite her neighborhood friends from the city with her for weekend and believe was the total envy of others. Boys got hooked up with some people in park that did "ham radio" and would listen real late at night from around the world. Not to mention being away from their parents and up real late, they loved it.

OK I'll shut up.

Thanks

Sounds like you may be finding your activities outside the campground or RV park. What else is there in the area? Public parks? Supervised recreation programs? Sports programs?

Toddlers often love to explore the outdoors, but need constant supervision. Been doing that with my grandson since last summer (1 1/2 then). He won't do any particular thing for more than about 10 minutes, but since he cycles through the activities he invents, he gets back around to what he gave up on sometime later. At 2 1/2 now, his favorite outdoor activity is running away from whoever is supposed to be watching him.

13, they can figure out what they want to do, from what is available. If not enough to fit their interests, you can expect complaints about being bored. A few years younger than that, might play video games 16 hours a day, if not well socialized, especially boys.

In our family camping, growing up and with our own kids, first priority in choosing vacation camps and locations was supervised activity programs, age separated and well attended. Same applies to cruises, we don't go on the same lines with children as the ones we choose as 50+ adults.

Sort of assuming here that you are at the seasonal site for the whole summer, so that providing activities is going to be a major effort. If just going out on weekends, it is easier, the "camping" is the activity, it is sold to the kids as a break from being at home.

Hi everyone! Great ideas. My kids are pretty well spread apart. I have a 13, 8, and 2 year olds. Our campgrounds don't always have a lot of kids, mostly just adults. We do get a few visiting their grandparents from time to time. Lol