What do you do for excitement while camping?

[OutdoorsGirl]

What do you do for excitement while camping? Do you bring games or do you make games up? I want some new ideas for the kids.

[Michael]

Most of the time, I just talk with whomever I'm camping with. This is usually a member of my family, and we get along really well and can chit chat forever.

Depending on what sorts of things the kids in particular like, I might be tempted to tell stories around the camp fire. This has the advantage that you don't need to carry anything with you. Imagination weighs nothing. Round robin style stories can be absolutely hilarious.

For during the day, again it depends on the kids. When I was little, I could entertain myself for hours and hours with the stuff I found in the woods. Likewise, give me and my friends a ball to play with and we were good for the day. I'm not sure if either of these things would be useful for your kids.

[Grandpa]

As the places we camp are rather remote, we never had to worry about entertaining them. Just finding and feeding them. And please don't start on the "bothering others" theme. Where we go, we usally have no neighbors for 20 miles or so.

As the kids got older, we did a lot of pioneering contests. Since a lot of the FS and Park service sites have bear poles all ready in place, we used them for a contest. Throw a rope over the bear pole, tie on to a 3 ft by 10-12 inch log, hoist it to the top of the pole and tie the rope off. Time each kid to see who is the fastest. No matter which one is the fastest, the rest won't quit until they beat him/her starting the whole race over again. On week long stays with a creek nearby, building a monkey bridge was usually on the agenda. And, of course, when near a lake, just swimming was never enough as my "swinging good time" album shows.

[Benny]

Wait, what? Camping in itself is exciting. That's the whole point. The only time I would play games would be to entertain kids, but they usually have a lot of fun with the whole experience, too.

[oldsarge]

Last few times I went camping was with a large church group, every year they have a family camp out with all kind of activities planned. I ran a compass and map class and rappel point for the kids. When I go camping any other time, I normally take advantage of the free time in peace and quiet and just kick back and relax. Maybe do some short hikes just to break up the day

[ChadTower]

I have two boys and they can entertain themselves for hours with what they find in the woods. That's never a problem. I can't speak for girls.

[mi77915]

I usually hike for a good part of the day, providing that there are trails near the camp site. Besides that, I just relax and read a good novel later in the day.

[CozInCowtown]

Agrivate my wife and kids!!

[IndianaHiker]

Being as how if I am out I usually have walked with a full pack for 12 to 15 miles excitement normally is as follows:

1. If there is a stream nearby pump water for the night and the next day.
2. Boil water and dump into a Mountain House meal.
3. Eat
4. IF with other talk for half hour or so while eating.
5. Set up tarp or just crawl in sleeping bag
6. Fall asleep pretty fast.

[freedommachine]

Me and my wife will bring our recurve bow and get some target practice in, color books, magizines, cross words. Camping it self is enjoyable but if you have been hiking several hours,caving,swimming,wheeling etc. you gotta have some hobby to do when your settled down for the night.