7 Camping Activities For the Night
Camping with your family and friends is a great way of bonding with each other. And for the most part, there is a lot to do. But the problem is, even though the daytime camping activities are aplenty, many people often don’t know what to do at the nighttime.
However, for any seasoned camping enthusiast, it is the nighttime amidst nature that adds more flavor to the experience and makes for an enjoyable camping trip with your loved ones.
If you too are wondering what you could do during the night on your next camping trip, here are a list of activities that you might consider.
#1. Build A Campfire and Tell Stories
Movies often show friends seated around a campfire, roasting marshmallows for smores and telling each other stories. Well, life’s not a movie, but in this particular instance, it just might be! Gather some wood and build a campfire. When you all participate in making one, the teamwork would further enhance the enjoyment. Then sit around the campfire and tell each other stories.
People love to hear each other in cozy atmospheres as such. Stories from your childhood, or good memories that you want to share – well, pour your heart out! Give everyone a chance to explore bits of your life that they might not have known before.
#2. Put On Some Music and/or Sing!
Music is a classic nighttime camping activity. If you or your friends know how to play a guitar or ukulele, bring it along on your next camping trip. Playing the strings around the campfire and singing along to some familiar tunes – that brings people closer.
Even if you aren’t much of a singer, you can still participate by just humming along; or you may opt to just quietly enjoy the melodies instead. Fortunately, camping songs like Kumbaya are widely popular. Some other favourite campfire songs include Leaving on a Jet Plane, Margaritaville, and Sweet Caroline.
#3. Play Board or Card Games
Sometimes when camping, due to rain or other weather conditions, you might be forced to stay indoors. The beauty of board games and card games is that they can be your rescue in any situation involving a group.
Be it inside a tent or out there by the campfire, board games and card games are enjoyed by almost everyone.
Games like UNO, Monopoly, and YAHTZEE are popular board and/or card games so everyone will be able to participate and spend time together. Make sure you pack one such game as a contingency plan.
#4. Play Flashlight Hide-and-Seek
Flashlight Hide-and-Seek is a fun game to play in groups in camps! Well, simply put, it’s the regular game of hide-and-seek, but here all the lights are out. The seeker has a flashlight using which he/she has to find the others.
In some variations of the game, the first person to be found by the seeker becomes the “it” or seeker. And so, the game can go on for hours – in the dark!
If you have children with you, make sure that the camping site is safe to play this game, and set some boundaries so that the children don’t get lost.
In case you’re not a hide-and-seek fan, there are quite a few other nighttime games with flashlights. So, don’t forget to buy a good flashlight before going camping, lest you miss out on fun activities!
#5. Don’t Forget The Classic Games!
In case you all had a long day of activities and are running low on energy to play flashlight games, don’t worry, the classics are always there! So don’t forget about classic games like Charades and Pictionary where there is minimal movement but maximum fun.
The options also include two truths and a lie, truth or dare and many others. The best part is that these games don’t require much preparation or logistics, so you don’t have to plan ahead of time. Can you think of any other classic games that everyone can participate in?
#6. Stargaze
Stargazing is, to be honest, an underrated camping activity. Often we go camping because we want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the urban life, and to disconnect for a bit. While camping under the clear skies, therefore, it is important for you to embrace the silent ambiance and look up.
You’d be surprised how many stars you get to see that you otherwise may not be able to from your home’s balcony. You might take it up a notch and actually learn about stars and constellations by downloading some free apps on your phone. So just lie down, relax and watch the stars and marvel at the sheer size of our universe!
#7. Take A Walk With A Loved One
Take your significant other or a close friend for a walk around the campgrounds. Walking in the dark can be therapeutic and help you get rid of any negative emotions you have been carrying around with you.
Don’t forget to take the flashlight, as you wouldn’t want to hurt yourself in the dark. However, if you are up for a mini adventure, consider turning off the lights and letting your eyes adjust to the darkness – just the way nature had meant it to be. But in that case, ensure there is no wildlife that can hurt you in the darkness, like snakes.
Bonus Tip
You might want to practice your nighttime photography skills while camping. Take a picture of the moon over the trees, or the campfire burning bright – the possibilities are endless!
Final Thoughts
Camping and nighttime may not always go hand-in-hand; or at least, that’s what is popularly believed. But the list above sheds some light on a number of things to do during the night on your next camping escapade. So get ready for your next camping trip and make it a night to remember with a bunch of planned activities!
