Tired of hearing “I’m bored” and kids repeatedly asking to be on screens this winter?
Create a fun day camp experience at home. This is a great way to keep kids entertained, active and engaged. These activities don’t take a lot of setting up, expensive props or planning. In fact, they can all be done in your living room, backyard or neighbourhood (if weather allows) with things you already have.
Check out our list of exciting day camp activities that can be tailored for various age groups and interests.
1. DIY Nature Scavenger Hunt
Materials: List of natural items to find (e.g., pine cone, red leaf, smooth rock).
Activity: Create a list of things to find around the yard, park or neighbourhood. This can include specific plants, animals or natural objects like a flower of a certain colour or a specific type of rock.
2. Campfire Story Time (Indoor/Outdoor)
Materials: A campfire setup (if outside), or a cozy blanket fort (if inside).
Activity: Share spooky or funny campfire stories, sing camp songs or make shadow puppets with a flashlight. You can also tell classic campfire stories.
3. S’mores Station
Materials: Graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate, skewers, firepit or stovetop.
Activity: Create a “camp kitchen” and teach kids how to safely make s’mores. You can also try alternatives like fruit-based s’mores or “no-cook” versions.
4. Tie-Dye T-Shirts
Materials: Plain white t-shirts, fabric dye, rubber bands, plastic squeeze bottles.
Activity: Kids can create their own tie-dye shirts using bright colours. You can even make a game out of it by creating themed designs (rainbow, spiral, etc.).
5. DIY Bird Feeder
Materials: Peanut butter, bird seed, toilet paper rolls, string.
Activity: Have the kids cover the toilet paper rolls in peanut butter, roll them in bird seed and then hang them on tree branches or around the yard to attract local wildlife.
6. Camp Olympics
Materials: Cones, ropes, measuring tapes, stopwatch.
Activity: Set up a series of Olympic-style events like running races, sack races, three-legged races or a water-carrying relay. You can give out “medals” made from cardboard or plastic cups.
7. Nature Walk & Journaling
Materials: Notebooks, pencils, binoculars, camera (optional).
Activity: Take a nature walk around the neighbourhood or local park. Encourage kids to observe wildlife, plants or insects and write down, sketch or snap a photo of what they see.
8. Camping Cooking Challenge
Materials: Pre-made ingredients like tortillas, cheese, fruits, snacks.
Activity: Challenge the kids to create their own “camping meal” using only a few ingredients. If you have a portable grill or stove, they can make simple meals like grilled cheese, quesadillas or s’mores-inspired snacks.
9. DIY Nature Crafting
Materials: Leaves, sticks, pinecones, rocks, glue.
Activity: Have kids collect natural items from your yard or on a walk, then use those items to make nature-inspired art pieces, like leaf prints, stick animals or rock faces.
10. Mini Talent Show
Materials: A small stage area, props, costumes (optional).
Activity: Let each child come up with a short performance, whether it’s a skit, dance, song or magic trick. Set up a little “stage” and have a talent show complete with applause!
11. Camp Bingo
Materials: Pre-made bingo cards with nature-related items (like a bird, flower, tree, cloud).
Activity: Play a nature-themed game of bingo while walking around the yard or during your nature scavenger hunt. The first to fill a card wins a prize.
12. Rock Painting
Materials: Smooth rocks, paint, paintbrushes, sealant (optional).
Activity: Have the kids paint rocks with bright colours and fun designs. You can also create “kindness rocks” to hide around the neighbourhood for others to find.
These activities can be mixed and matched throughout the day, creating a perfect at-home camp experience filled with creativity, outdoor fun and even a bit of learning. Whether you choose to focus on arts and crafts, sports or nature exploration, the goal is to keep things lighthearted, exciting and engaging.
