28 Entertaining and Hilarious Campfire Games for Kids and Adults in 2024
LOOKING FOR THE BEST CAMPFIRE GAMES FOR YOU AND YOUR KIDS?
You are in the right place because we love campfire games and have spent years finding our favorites. We have traveled in our RV since 2010 looking for the best games to play on all of our adventures.
Camping gives you the ability to disconnect from the world for a moment and allows you to enjoy being out in nature. But campfire games can elevate the outdoor experience to new levels.
See, while camping, there’re so many reasons you’d want to engage in amazing campfire games; they stimulate you physically and mentally, which is great for your health. Campfire games are even more important for kids, who may need to channel their energy to something more constructive.
Our kids absolutely love taking games with us on our RV trips, and we love the family time it gives us. It is so fun to learn new skills and have fun together as a family.
In this guide, we share a list of 28 amazing campfire games you should consider in your next camping outing.
Campfire Games for Kids
1. Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger Hunt, a search-and-find game, is fun and engaging for kids. It burns their energy and gets them closer to the nature surrounding them. Plus, it’s free and uses some of the common camping equipment.
Here’s how to create a scavenger hunt for kids:
- Pick a safe and appropriate location, ideally within your campsite.
- Create a list of items your kids need to find. Include things such as leaves, shells, rocks, feathers, etc.
- Write clues for each item on the list. The clues should be easy to understand and age-appropriate.
- Hide the items in the designated area and set up the hunt.
- Explain the rule of the games, including the boundaries and safety precautions.
- Let the hunt begin. Provide your kids with the list and clues.
- Award prizes once they find all the items
You must always supervise your kids during the hunt.
2. BAGGO Portable Bean Bag Toss Game
The Baggo Toss Game is among the best corn-in-the-hole games to play around a campfire. The way this game works is you must toss the bean bags, and scoring happens when you land the bean bags into the corn holes on the board.
This is not as easy as it sounds. The board has a trampoline effect and bounces the bean bags away. Once you figure out the high, looping throw, it’s easy to make the best toss. It’s challenging yet so open to kids of all ages. It doesn’t require much athleticism, so it’s perfect for the whole family.
The best part of the Baggo campfire board game is the bean bags stored in the back of the board, and the board can snap together for easy transportation. On top of that, the Baggo game boards are solid and will survive years of use and abuse.
➡️ SHOP BAGGO Bean Bag Toss Game
3. Farkle Classic Dice-Rolling Game
The Farkle Classic Dice-Rolling Game is fun and similar game to Yahtzee in many ways, but the point system is easier.
It’s an awesome game for kids who don’t get campfire board games. Scoring points is determined by rolling the dice and sorting the dice with the most points. Usually, a win is determined by the “luck of the roll” but also tempered by how aggressive/risk averse the kid is.
I love that Farkle Classic Dice-Rolling Game is a fast-paced game, and your youngsters won’t have a chance to get bored before the game is over. Part of the fun is seeing the game play out as different players take their turns.
➡️ SHOP Farkle Dice-Rolling Game
4. Molkky Outdoor Throwing Game
Molkky Outdoor Throwing Game is an outdoor throwing game based on a combination of chance and throwing accuracy. This great game is perfect for competitive kids and those who love precision games.
Players usually take turns tossing the throwing pins and try and knock over the numbered pins. It’s similar to bowling but with pins. The genius feature is the pins are super low impact, and winning is usually based on luck.
It’s the perfect game for all sizes of groups. You can play with large groups or small groups. Either way, it will be fun.
For something meant to be thrown on the ground, I love how well-crafted and engineered the wood pins are.
➡️ SHOP Molkky Outdoor Throwing Game
5. Play Frisbee
Frisbee is a fun and physical game to play when spending time outside, enhances moods, and provides your kids with much-needed Vitamin D.
There’re several variations of frisbee, but I like the Kan Jan. It doesn’t require a lot of equipment, save for a flying disc and two cans. To score, you must toss the disc and hit the can. The game is fun to play and has a lot of strategy, teamwork, and team building is involved.
➡️ SHOP Kan Jan
6. Catch The Water Balloon
A fun campfire game can’t get as simple as the catch the water balloon game. To play, fill several balloons with water, and let kids stand in a circle.
Stand in the middle with your water balloon, shout a name, and throw the water balloon at the person. They have to catch the balloon without popping it in their hands. When it pops, they’re out of the game. Simple.
7. Outside Inside Backpack Watercolor Kit
If your kid loves painting, get them the Outside Inside Backpack Watercolor Kit. Portable and convenient, this water kit is a perfect solution for kids who want to paint their imagination. The kit is ideal for beginners, and I love that the colors are opaque.
It’ll keep your budding artists engrossed on your next outdoor escapades.
Some colors tend to get a bit “dry,” but that’s expected for a budget purchase. The best thing is that the colors come back to life easily after adding water drops and stirring with a toothpick.
➡️ SHOP Outside Inside Backpack Watercolor Kit
8. Giant Jenga Outdoor Game
Giant Jenga is like Jenga on steroids, and if you love regular Jenga, you’ll love this jumbo-sized game. Stacked normally, it’s like 2 feet, and therefore a blast. It’s also well-made, and I won’t lie; kids will find it fun to build with.
The sheer size of the game is an instant crowd-pleaser with kids. Stacking is also easy with superb quality parts. Everything is also straight, with no weird angles at all levels. Kids find it more visual and dramatic and love setting it up.
And when it falls, because it always does, it makes a big splash of blocks that kids run around to gather. However, I suggest you play the game on a wide-open area with a platform low to the ground because when it eventually tumbles, there’s usually a significant amount of weight.
The physical aspect of this Giant Jenga is also nice. The build design is sturdy, the game holds up to abuse, and I love how the pieces slid out effortlessly.
9. Twister Ultimate
Twister is a game of physical skill, and the Twister Ultimate is a true classic. It might not be a classic campfire game, but It’s a fantastic go-to game when camping.
Personally, having the Twister Ultimate in our campfire rekindled memories of the Twister-playing days. It’s still as popular as ever and doesn’t seem to lose its allure.
The Twister Ultimate has a spinner, which tells you where to place your hands or feet. It usually promotes itself as a game that will tie you in knots. It makes you go into crazy contortions, and because of the scarcity of colored circles, Twister Ultimate will make you take unlikely or precarious positions. It’s fun watching someone fall.
We love Twister Ultimate’s extra space, making it a great option for multiple kids in your camp to play simultaneously.
It’s fun, but the best part is that it helps your kids develop motor skills such as coordination and balance. It’s also great for building socialization skills, and kids learn how to negotiate rules and develop problem-solving skills.
10. FunforFun
FunforFun is a fantastic ring-tossing game. It’s a cute game set, and the objective is to attempt to throw rings sing they land around the targets, typically a bottle or a peg. The further the targets are, the more points your kids earn.
Each person gets a chance to throw the rings, and the person with the highest total win.
11. Triple Tongue Twisters
The Triple Tongue Twisters is another educational card game you should add to your list of favorite camping games. It’s a no-prep game and a simple, fun game with a twist of laughter.
In many ways, I find the Triple Tongue Twisters similar to Go Fish, with a twist. It has lots of fun tongue twisters for young and old. The instructions are easy to understand. It’s more than the average card game and keeps the kids engaged.
Kids are excited when they receive their set and amused when their partners get theirs. But the best part is how they laugh at their partner’s attempts to verbalize the tongue twisters.
While some tongue twisters are easier to say than others, I can tell you they’re difficult to say, especially when laughing with friends.
The help with language and pronunciation. In addition, they’re helpful in that they help your brain remember patterns and works.
And the best part with this deck is that it’s pocket-size, so you can always throw it in your bag to play on road trips or campsites.
➡️ SHOP Triple Tongue Twisters
12. Field Day Tug of War Rope
You can’t go wrong with a tug of war in your campsite. Tug of war rope is a hands-on activity to help the kids develop their muscles and improve their proximal stability.
The Field Day Tug of Way rope is a super fun way to keep the kids engaged. Each group of players, both on the opposing, ends up tugging the rope when the referee signals. Each group pulls back as hard as possible until one group crosses the center of the ropes.
The good thing about the Field Day Tug of War Rope is that it is not the rope of your childhood PE class. It’s not so thick that your little ones won’t be able to hold it, and it’s not scratchy to leave burns on their hands.
Instead, it’s super soft, with no scratchy fibers or irritated hands. Also, the rope has less girth, so even kids of 3-5 years can easily wrap their little hands around it.
The brilliant colors are also great, while the flags, play medals, and a bag are all bonuses. This is a very family-friendly camping game for all ages!
➡️ SHOP Field Day Tug of War Rope
13. Wilcor Camper Tic Tac Toe
Tic-Tac-Toe is a perfect campfire game to channel your kid’s energy into doing something more constructive. It lets them use their little brains and develop problem-solving skills.
Typically, Tic-Tac-Toe is played on a 3*3 grid. Each play is assigned either the letter X or O, and the game’s objective should be to get three symbols in a row, either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. It’s a 2-person campfire game and, in many ways, seen as a perfect classic game to foster social interactions and develop fine motor skills.
14. Potato Sack Race
Our list of campfire games for kids wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the potato sack race. It’s a staple in many outdoor adventures, so why not bring it to the campsite?
One thing I like about the potato sack race is that it’s not instrument/tool intensive and only requires a potato sack.
Here’s how to play potato sack:
- Make a start and finish line
- Let the competing kids get into the sack, and hold on to the top of it
- Yell go! Watch them hopping as fast as they can to the finish line.
The sack potato race is a great form of aerobic exercise. It challenges the kids, encouraging them to explore different ways of maintaining balance.
It is also a great campfire exercise for the kids, promotes a lot of discussion around speed, distance, and time, and includes a lot of mathematical languages.
Best Campfire Games for Adults
15. Werewolf The Party Game
Werewolf The Party Game, AKA Mafia, is among the original campfire games played for decades and among the best campfire games for adults.
In Werewolf the Party Game, players are divided into two groups and secretly assigned the role of villagers and werewolves. It’s played over several rounds, each consisting of day and night phases.
During the day, villagers discuss and try to determine the werewolves amongst them, and at night, the werewolves secretly choose a villager to eliminate from the game.
It’s a highly engaging game, with players using wits, buffing, deceit, and deduction skills to win, all while trying to avoid suspicion or expose themselves.
And the best part is that you don’t need to buy a game, just a deck of cars. The cards are high quality, and the artwork is well-done.
16. The Name Game
The Name Game requires one player to start by stating the name of a famous person. The person needs to be popular or have some fame attached to them. Movie stars, musicians, actors, athletes, and politicians are all great examples.
The next player is then required to name another famous person whose first name begins with the same letter as the last name of the previous player.
Here’s an example:
Player 1: Trevoh Noah
Player 2: Nick Jonas
Player 3: J….
17. Hive
Hive is a great 2-player game, and it strikes me as a fresh concept in tabletop camping games for adults. It’s like chess but harder than checkers. It doesn’t have many rules like many strategy fun campfire games, but it still requires intense levels of strategy.
Like chess, it has special movement rules, but the movement is always in relation to other pieces because there’s no game board. The goal of the game is to try and capture your opponent’s Queen bee.
It’s a fun game and perfect for the outdoors since only a few pieces are involved. It also packs small, and the pieces are thick tiles, so they won’t break or get blown away by the wind. This is also a great gift for campers if you ever need an idea!
➡️ SHOP Hive
18. Secret Hitler
Secret Hitler is a dramatic and social deduction game for several players and involves finding and stopping Hitler from a fascist takeover. It depicts the political intrigues set in Germany in the 1930s.
Players are usually divided into the liberals (majority) and the fascists. The former is usually hidden from everyone but themselves. The liberals, therefore, need to learn to trust each other and control the elections, but fascists can say or do whatever it takes to have their way.
During the game, it’s amusing to observe the deceptive capabilities of the players, but the real beauty is the lingering suspicion.
19. National Parks 1,000-Pc. Jigsaw Puzzle
The National Parks 1,000-Pc. Jigsaw Puzzle is among the highly-rated educative adult campfire games. It’s a fun puzzle of 1,000 pieces that can create different national park landscapes.
Players enjoy setting up national parks, and if you’re a fan of national parks, you’ll be delighted to visit all of them on a board.
The pieces on this puzzle snap in and hold together nicely, and the picture quality is great. There’s also a poster for reference. You could easily use some awning lights to make it easier to work on the puzzle after dark.
20. SCRABBLE National Parks Edition
Scrabble National Parks Edition is similar to the National Park Jigsaw Puzzle, only that it uses word puzzles. Scrabble camping games for adults are perfect for those who need something different in the Scrabble arena and ideal for those who have been playing traditional Scrabble for so long.
I consider it a Scrabble on steroids, which focuses on all things related to national parks for extra points.
The Scrabble National Park Edition has a similar rule to the traditional Scrabble game, but this one is educational and will help you learn more about national parks, including those you’ve not heard of before. The cards let you do so many crazy & fun things, but you also learn more about national parks and get bonus points for “park” type words.
Overall, the Scrabble National Parks Edition game is fun, and you’ll be delighted to find a game that also supports our national parks by contribution from each purchase.
➡️ SHOP Scrabble National Parks Edition
21. Spikeball Game Set
The Spikeball game set is a fun, active, and easy-to-play game. It combines all the positive attributes of volleyball and foursquare.
The sport of rounded spike ball is played with two on two, with each team starting on opposite sides of the net. Once the ball is served, team one gets up to three touches to turn a return ball back on the net, like tow-on-tow volleyball. Think bump, set, and spike.
What makes the spike ball rounded ball game unique is that there’re no sides or boundaries after the service, and you can run 360 degrees in any direction to return the ball.
It requires a lot of fast action and hand-eye coordination. It also takes some athleticism, but not so much as the average person should possess.
Plus, I love how this campfire game breaks down easily, allowing you to carry it anywhere, so hop out of your hammock and get ready for the fun action!
22. Racko Board Game
Racko board game is timeless fun and among the best sequential-matching card games. To win, you must match ten card numbers in numerical order. You need to turn by turn and replace your cards from the draw/discard piles so you can have cards in ascending order. Then yell, “RACKO!” and everyone else groans.
It’s such a simple concept for a game, but it involves some strategy. It also involves skill and luck, so it’s also easy for kids to beat adults. The game is also great for learning about probabilities and the distance between numbers.
It’s long enough to beat time but also short enough to keep everyone engaged. A typical Racko game takes five minutes, although other variations would make the game longer.
23. Throw Throw Burrito
The Throw Throw Burrito game is exactly as it sounds. It’s a dodgeball card game where you get to throw stuff at your opponent, and they don’t have to get mad at you because it’s soft and squishy.
The game rules are simple. You must collect matching cards faster than your opponent does. All the while, you must avoid getting hit by the flying burritos from the opponent. The objective is to rack up as many points as possible by finding sets of three in the deck.
The cards you collect earn points, but you lose them all if you get hit by a flying burrito.
It requires a combination of strategy and reflexes. Players must also keep on their feet as they strive to collect more sets while avoiding getting hit by a flying burrito from an opponent.
The Throw Throw Burrito is full of excitement and laughter, and it’s a friendly competition.
24. Munchkin
Munchkin is a simple game, fun, and goofy card-based game with three players working against each other. The objective of the game is to level up and unlock ten tiers, which is achieved by killing monsters. The catch is killing the monsters isn’t always easy, and players need to enroll in the help of fellow monsters in return for a reward.
Gameplay breeds a lot of treachery, debate, and hostility because there are few diplomatic rules.
Overall, it’s a nice game, and I love that many monster characters are pun-based. The illustrations are also cartoony, and the overall scheme of the game isn’t too serious.
25. Small World – Board Game
The Small World campfire game, designed by Phillippe Keyaerts, is also an awesome time-passing game for adults.
It’s an area control board game where you must vie for conquest and gain control of a world that is too small to accommodate everyone. This isn’t enjoyable for some campers since you’ll be assaulting other players, but they’ll, in turn, assault you. It follows in line with classic control fun games for camping, such as RISK or Conquest of the Empire.
I love the game because of its simplicity, but the winning aspect is the presence of multiple races and special abilities, which allows for countless random combinations. The game is never the same each time you play.
➡️ SHOP Small World – Board Game
26. Fortunately/Unfortunately
Fortunately/Unfortunately, it is a storytelling game and perfect for an entire group of campers. The basic premise of this game is simple and requires one player to start a story as a whole group in an ad-lib fashion.
The player starts a storyline with, fortunately, the second players add the flowing sentence with, unfortunately, and so on.
For example:
Player 1: Fortunately, the apocalypse passed without too much complaining;
Player 2: Unfortunately, this is because many people have died
Player 3: Fortunately, it was part of the normal cycle
Player 4: Unfortunately, ….
Player 5: Fortunately, …
27. Two Truths and a Lie
Two Truths and a Lie adult campfire games are exactly as it sounds. In this game, the first person must share two truths and a lie. Your opponent is then required to identify the lie.
This can be done with a number of people, with the next person getting a turn after the first player. There is no limit to the number of people who can play, but we like it best with a smaller group of people.
What I like most about this game is that it offers the chance to know more about the other person without directly asking them about it. It’s great when you’re camping with strangers and need to break the ice. If you want to make some sort of scoring, you can, and after the last person, add up the scores, but we typically don’t have a scoring system with this game. It is just fun to play.
On top of that, Two Truths and a Lie doesn’t require any tools, instruments, or special preparations, though you might need a pen and piece of paper to track scores if you’re competing.
The trick to playing this game is trying to make your lie believable. For example, think of something you might have wanted to do but never did. A lie that is too far-fetched will sound fake and kill the game’s vibe.
For example, something like, I was once the president of the US, or I speak 22 languages is a lie, and everyone can spot it. On the other hand, if you throw something like, I can speak three languages fluently, it’s plausible enough to get people thinking.
So pull up a camp chair and get comfy on your camping rug and prepare to become a professional lie detector.
28. 20 Questions
The final campfire game on our list of the best adult campfire games is 20 questions. It’s a timeless guessing game, and chances are you’ve played it. It’s among the best campfire games to play with adults and teens, and this is because it’s entertaining and versatile. The game is a great campfire game but can be played in the camper or around a picnic table.
Traditionally, the way to play 20 questions is for one player to select an object, city, famous person, or anything. They keep their selection a secret and don’t share it with anybody.
Meanwhile, all other players are guessers or question-askers. The players must keep asking the one with the selection yes or no questions. If one player successfully figures out the selection, they can make the selection in the next round.
However, if 20 questions pass and no player has figured out the answer/selection, the answerer shares their selection and gets to choose another object for the next round.
The primary rule of this game is that no lying is allowed.
Fun Things to Bring to the Campfire
Roasting Sticks
You might consider packing roasting sticks if you love cooking over a campfire, especially a marshmallow for a camping dessert.
I prefer roasting sticks over prongs because prongs are usually too far apart to get into a marshmallow and almost seem appropriate for hot dogs. On the other hand, roasting sticks are more versatile and will go with most roasting food items.
Camp Chair
A camp chair is also one of the luxuries you should never set out when packing for your next camping trip. A camp chair provides an elevated and convenient resting place rather than sitting on the ground. It’s particularly handy when you’re around a campfire and don’t want to sit on the cold ground.
The best camp chairs are solid, durable, and comfy. Of course, the comfort levels aren’t as on your household chair, but it should be comfortable enough to sit for extended periods without hurting your back or legs.
Wood Burning Fire Pit
A wood-burning fire pit is also a great way to generate light and heat while camping. Unlike gas-powered fire pits, which are simply plug-and-play, a wood-burning fire pit makes you work for the fire to get going, which adds to the overall allure of camping.
Having a nice warm fire pit to cozy up next to is always a great way to wrap up a fun day of camping!
Propane Fire Pit
A propane fire pit is a nice accessory, especially if you’re in a wet environment and aren’t sure about finding dry wood piles. It’s also convenient, especially when you need a fire pit, where you can start a fire through the simple flick of a switch.
Fire Starter
A fire starter provides an easy and convenient way to start a fire while camping. It’s hardly affected by weather inclement much as the traditional matchsticks are, so you’re always assured of getting fire.
Dutch Oven
Finally, carry your Dutch Oven for all your cooking needs. In particular, a Dutch Oven is great when you’re camping as a group and need to prepare a wholesome meal in a single go.
We love cooking up some great chicken Dutch oven meals for dinner or cooking a great breakfast recipe in ours when we head up to the mountains in Idaho.
FAQ: Fun Games for Camping
What Are Fun Games to Play Around the Campfire?
There’re so many games to play around the campfire. Some popular games are 20 Questions, cornhole, tag, scavenger hunts, and Jenga.
What Are Some Fun Things to Do Around a Campfire?
You can do a couple of things to make your campfire experience more fun. Besides playing games, you could also engage in outdoor activities such as roasting marshmallows, bonfire activities for adults, telling stories, star gazing, or gaming your favorite music.
Conclusion: Fun Campfire Games
It’s a wrap and everything you need to know about the best games to play around the campfire. Of course, this list is not conclusive, but it covers most of the ground. Our list contains games of different intensities for different age levels and settings.
But as always, ensure you consider the safety aspect of any game. In particular, you must supervise your younger kids while they play.
