Camping crafts for kids: 15 easy ideas for home, classroom and camp

Camping crafts do two jobs: they build excitement before a trip, and they fill a rainy afternoon at camp. Most of these use paper, tape and craft sticks. The ones for camp use only what you bring.

Crafts to Make at Home Before a Trip

1. Paper-bag campfire. Crumple tissue paper in red, orange and yellow, tape it inside a cut paper bag, and add brown paper “logs.”
2. Craft-stick tent. Glue three craft sticks into a triangle, cover it with fabric or paper and draw a door.
3. Cardboard-tube binoculars. Tape two tubes together, decorate them and add a yarn strap.
4. Felt s’mores. Cut brown squares, a white circle and a brown rectangle, then stack and glue them.
5. Paper lantern. Fold paper in half, cut slits and tape it into a lantern. Use a battery tea light, never a flame.
6. Paper-plate compass. Mark N, E, S and W and add a spinning arrow with a brad.
7. Camping memory jar. Decorate a jar to hold trip tickets, photos and notes.
8. Packing-list poster. Kids draw and check off what they’ll bring.

Crafts to Do at Camp

The Park Service’s Leave No Trace principles say to leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them. These crafts use what you bring and record what kids see.

9. Leaf and bark rubbings. Place paper over a leaf or bark and rub it with the side of a crayon. Leave the leaf where it is.
10. Nature journal. Draw birds, bugs, clouds and trees, and add the date and place.
11. Scavenger hunt card. Make a card of things to spot, and check them off instead of collecting them.
12. Friendship bracelets. Embroidery floss and a safety pin to anchor it to a camp chair.
13. Story stones from home. Paint smooth rocks from home before the trip, and use them to tell stories by the fire. Take them home again.
14. Shadow puppets. Cut shapes from card, tape them to sticks you brought and use a flashlight at night.
15. Camp sign. Decorate a piece of cardboard with your family name for the campsite, and pack it out.

By Age

Age	Try	Keep in mind
Toddlers	Tissue-paper campfire, binoculars, rubbings	Big pieces, no small parts, an adult on scissors and glue
Ages 4 to 7	Felt s’mores, craft-stick tent, scavenger card	Kid scissors and glue sticks
Ages 8 and up	Nature journal, bracelets, paper lantern	They can plan and lead a craft for younger kids

Keep It Low-Mess and Safe

• Use battery tea lights for anything lantern-like, never candles.
• Keep small parts like beads away from children under 3, and follow the age labels on craft supplies. This is our own caution.
• Never feed wildlife, so leave pinecone bird feeders for the backyard at home. The Park Service says feeding animals harms their health and habits.
• Pack out every scrap of paper, tape and yarn.

More ideas: rainy-day camping activities, family camping activities and campfire games and stories.

Sources: National Park Service: Leave No Trace principles