camping with kids - traditions/games?

[Scampiekat]

We are going camping for the first time this summer. As we were going to the store today to get some supplies and my son said we need to get a mailbox. He was being innocent about getting our mail delivered to us while we were away but it got me thinking....

Do kids/families play games with other camping families? Like as Halloween time some neighborhoods get "boo-ed" - you leave a bucket to items at the door and you place a paper in your window to let others know you have already been boo-ed. Than you do the same for another house.
Or maybe you leave "mail" to welcome a new arrival?

[ro_sie]

We camp with our grand kids a lot and I buy those small flashlights. always more than what we need. I give them to all the kids that come around. they love them and it helps keep track of where they are after dark. In the day time we look for different bugs and leaves and flowers. they think they are having fun but they are learning.

[caranoel]

We've been camping with our kids since they were weeks old, so it really depends on the age. My kids will find other kids to play with, and campground people are friendly, but I haven't really seen non-seasonal campers get involved with anything like a Halloween Boo. Check the campground's facebook page or call the office and ask if there's any traditions that you should know about (sometimes, there's Christmas week or Halloween week).

As for fun, these are things that our kids have enjoyed through the years:

Indestructable tonka trucks
Coloring Books
Water Color paint or the Just-add-water painting books
Army men
Bocce
Solo cups
Cards
Books
Football
Tennis balls
Frisbee
Ladder ball

Don't pack too much, but do have some things available. Don't put it all out at once. And, if it's something you like, and want to keep nice, don't take it. Make sure it can be hosed down or run through the dishwasher.

We have a no-electronics rule in the campground, including TV, although we do see many families who set up gigantic televisions. Our kids complain for about ten minutes, until they discover something like the solo cups and golf balls and make a game of it.

[noe-place]

We carry board games, movie cds, cards, dominoes, etc in the MH all the time. But we're usually gone from the campground into other activities but it's nice to have these items if we get rained in.:C

[peterepete]

Plan for the all day rain! Dollar store sells plastic rain ponchos.

[2oldman]

Depends on the age of your kids.

[TomHaycraft]

Scampiekat wrote:
We are going camping for the first time this summer. As we were going to the store today to get some supplies and my son said we need to get a mailbox. He was being innocent about getting our mail delivered to us while we were away but it got me thinking....

Increasingly, Texas State Parks have Geocache locations. Don't know if other parks have picked up on this. Great way to get kids out hiking, helps them to see more of the park, tires them out and ties in an electronic device that will likely interest them.

[farmerbillswife]

We have planned camp wide activities all weekend. Most are geared toward the 7-15 yr range. A lot of kids also ride bikes, go the lake etc.. in the evening there is entertainment for all usually a DJ or karaoke that all can participate in. Then when the kids come back from the entertainment we usually play a boardgame before going to bed.

[LakeN]

All of those mentioned seem to be popular. It is a wise parent who plans ahead in order to keep kids occupied appropriately.

[peterepete]

One tradition we treasure is last camp fire, everyone is silent toasting the last marshmallow, then we pass the marshmallow bag around and share a favorite memory, and together shout till next time and there will be at next time.

[Beartoo]

Some campgrounds have, horseshoes, basketball hoops, volleyball nets, ball diamonds, etc. This last weekend's trip we saw a lot of kids and adults playing
a bean bag game (some call it cornhole). Kids seem to have all kinds of things to do camping.
Happy Camping!

[raindove]

We got one of those ladder ball games when we took our GS on a trip. He loved it, and we had a lot of fun playing with him. We ended up buying another set to leave at my son's house to use when we have cookouts there. All ages enjoy this game (even the teens). I recently found a washer game on sale - GS likes that one, but it's more difficult.

[Terryallan]

Ours play Battleship with the kids, and they play uno, checkers, and other board games. But mostly they just ride bikes. Seems at one CG, they have a "biker" gang

[Camper_Mama_Bea]

I haven't heard of, or been involved in, any. there are some campgrounds that have "Halloween" weekends or "Christmas in July" weekends. the campground organizes the activities for the weekend for the campers to participate in.