Suggestions for Games or Activies for Children on Backpacking Trips

[DawnTreader]

I will be heading out Bridgton Maine again this summer to lead trips at a summer camp! Oh the joy! I am looking for ideas and suggestions for group activities, team-building exercises, games ect. to keep the kids, ages 8-15, all girls, occupied on the backpacking and conoeing trips. Trips are usually 8 kids, 2 adults. Any fun, time consuming games or traditions that keep you and your family from getting to board during down time on the trail? I appreciate any input... thanks
-El Duderino

[MichaelRedBeard]

How about those mini milton bradley ones. You know they are like the travelers verison of the larger sized games.

[snaplok]

When I take my son and his friends out, I always bring a deck of cards, an Uno deck, and a frisbee. Recently I replaced the deck of cards with the Don't Die Out There deck that doubles as a teaching aid for first aid, signaling, wilderness survial, knots etc. Got my son so interested in it, I gave him the deck.

[DawnTreader]

Noted.. Love uno and frisbee.. good good keep it comin'....

[randyg45]

Somebody made a cloth chess/backgmmon/ checkers game. The board was a sleeve that fit around a 20" thermarest; the game pieces were cloth (except for the dice lol) Pretty light.....Found it at Cabela's. http://www.thecampingsource.com/gear...6/product.aspx

[JoshStover]

Just go with the classic Snipe Hunt. That will keep them occupied for a while...

[rpenczek]

When I backpack with my Boy Scouts ages 13 to 17 we typically hike enough in a day that camp chores and a little down time time (hang out time) are all they need.

If we were going shorter becasue of the younger kids (8-12 year olds), I would ensure I ended in a cool place (waterfall, creek, lake, etc...) to keep the little buggers occupied (most kids love to play in/around water) and will spend a ton of time investigating.

My boys will also bring cards to play euchre (its an Indiana thing). Uno would keep them and much younger kids happy for a while, heck, my 6 year old plays Uno.

Another thing, while canoeing, you could bring some line, small hooks, split shot and bobbers. Let the kids make their own "cane" poles and try and fish a bit.

For the area you will be in you can find a Tree identification tree (sort of a decision tree on Tree identification) that anyone who can read can use effectively, bring some along and have a contest in groups of two (find 10 different trees). Another contest would be a nature scavanger hunt (id 10 animals, id 10 birds, etc...)

Have fun, introducing kids to the outdoors its very rewarding.

[texascampgal]

http://www.google.com/products?hl=en...ell=1&oi=spell

I've purchased Boggle, Connect 4 and Scrabble. Scrabble was the only game that did not have the correct number of play pieces to actually play the game. If you order any of these games, just make sure they can actually be played.

[mister pooh]

How about mini-orienteering? Have one adult set up 5 or so points close to the camp, use a GPS if you have one to get bearings and distances easily. Make the points far enough away for no easy sightlines between them, but not too far (50-100 yards should work). Maybe tie neon surveyors tape on to trees and write a series of letters/numbers that the girls have to copy.

Never to early to learn basic navigation

[ShelterLeopard]

The kids (if they're like I was when I was younger) might love making their own games. Make a game board out of bark, make up the rules. (Last one not to get eaten by a bear wins... etc...)

Honestly, I think it's a bit weird to bring brightly colored board games hiking. Maybe checkers and cards, but maybe that's just me.

Just have everyone sit in a circle and do verbal games or something.

[ShelterLeopard]

Just entertain them by teaching them things, like survival and navigation things, or plant identification. I wish my leaders had taught me things like that, I would've respected them so much more!!! Seriously, kids love learning about plants and animals. So you better read up!

[wilSwim]

This book has a lot of great team building exercises in them.

http://www.amazon.com/Teamwork-Teamp.../dp/0787245321

[unclemjm]

Noted.. Love uno and frisbee.. good good keep it comin'....

Just another vote for the frisbee - not only a good game idea but makes a great paper plate holder. Spend a few extra bucks and get one that lights up at night - great for night games of all kinds and also serves as a way to mark where your camp is in case you need to make a short walk in the woods late at night. One more place frisbees come in handy is fanning that smoldering fire into flames.

Not a UL item but versatile and great when you have kids around.

[ShelterLeopard]

Wait, are you doing these games in camp? Or during a hiking trip? Cause its gonna be difficult to play frisbee in the woods (unless you stop at a clearing), and that frisbee will be lost after three throws.

[unclemjm]

Noted.. Love uno and frisbee.. good good keep it comin'....

Wait, are you doing these games in camp? Or during a hiking trip? Cause its gonna be difficult to play frisbee in the woods (unless you stop at a clearing), and that frisbee will be lost after three throws.

One more reason to go with the light up one - play at night and never lose it.

[harryfred]

Last I was at a Barnes and Noble they had laminated cards for plant, animal, snake, ID ect. use these and keep score as to you can ID the most. Around camp have them look around and see how many different things they can ID. Play "What would you do If", Joey broke his leg, there was a fire, Sally got bit by a snake, you get the idea. Along with the orienteering have them all get very quiet look around And listen, using what they can sense now look at a map and see where they are. The idea is lead them to pay attention to details and answer their own questions. Write questions down and Google them later.
Oh, and I love a good game of cut throat Uno or Trivial Pursuit.

[Blissful]

Our teens loved playing this card game - "Worst Case Scenerio"

[Monster13]

8 years old is old enough to start learning Texas Hold'em right?

Joking aside...there are some pretty great ideas here. Cards are something small and relatively light for the number of different games you could play with them. Team building and plant/animal identification games are really good too.

[lazy river road]

1. Flash Light Tag-Personal favorite but dont know how well it would work on the trail

2. If you love me baby smile-Have group of girls sit in circle and one person goes in the center....the person in the center goes around to people and with out touching them in the funniest voice possible says if you love me baby smile....if the recipeant can say I love you baby but i just cant smile then the person moves on to the next person....if the person smiles then they are in the middle

3. Pass around a piece of paper...have each person write one or two lines to a scarry story but before passing the piece of paper to the next person fold it over so people dont know what other wrote....read ridiclious story when it is done usually turns out pretty funny...

4. Nature realay's....who can identify a X tree first GO....who can tie a X knot first go....who can finda X leaf first go....who can collect the most kindeling first go...you get the ideah....

5. Get the book 101 would you rathers.....It has 101 different would you rather questions and some of them are pretty funny....makes for great conversation...

[Zac]

Before taking them on an identification walk or orienteering or whatever. Go out and put a pile of chocolate covered raisin, malted milk duds, or similar in a pile. Then when you take them out ID is at moose, deer, or similar and sample it to verify. heheheh