Camping and Backyard Tent Games for Kids

Whether you're properly camping or just pitching a tent in the garden, these games make the most of being outside after dark.

A tent (whether it's pitched in a proper campsite or just the back garden) changes the rules of ordinary play. Darkness, torches and being slightly further from the usual routine make familiar games feel new.

Before it gets dark

Nature ID walk. A short walk collecting or spotting a simple list: a pinecone, a feather, three different leaf shapes.
Tent pitching race: For older kids, timing how fast they can pitch a small tent (with supervision) turns a chore into a challenge.
Firewood scavenger hunt: If a campfire is planned, turn collecting kindling into a proper hunt with size categories.

Once it's dark

Torch tag: A version of tag where being caught in someone's torch beam for three seconds means you're out.
Shadow puppets: A torch and a tent wall (or sheet) make an instant shadow puppet screen.
Night sky bingo. A simple card of things to spot: a bright star, three stars in a row, the moon, a satellite moving slowly across the sky.
Story around the "fire": A battery lantern works fine if a real fire isn't possible. Build a story together, one sentence each, going around the circle.

Quiet tent games (for once everyone's zipped in)

Torch under the chin ghost stories: A classic for a reason, and self-limiting once someone gets genuinely spooked.
20 questions in the dark: Works just as well without being able to see each other.
Would you rather, camping edition: "Would you rather sleep next to the noisiest cricket or the smallest spider?"

Practical tips for a smoother night

Set expectations about noise and bedtime clearly before things get exciting.
Have a backup plan for weather. A rained-out garden tent night can quickly become an indoor "camping" night with the same games.
Bring more torches than you think you need. Torchlight is doing half the entertainment work here.

For the next night out

Whether it's a real campsite or the back garden, TinyThinkLabs can suggest a fresh outdoor or torchlight game matched to your child's age.