Camping And Caravan Holiday Games: 20 That Pack Small

Camping games have one constraint: whatever you bring, you're carrying. The good news is that a pack of cards, a dice and a ball covers a week in almost any weather.

Here's what to play, and the tiny kit that makes it all possible.

Outdoor games with almost nothing

• Frisbee, catch, and a football with jumpers for goalposts.
• Boules or a homemade version with stones and a marker.
• Rounders with a tennis ball and a stick.
• Kubb if you've got room in the boot - the best campsite game there is.
• Capture the flag between two tents, brilliant with several families.
• Stone skimming, den building and a bug hunt with a list.

Rainy day in a tent or awning

• Cards: Rummy, Cheat, Sevens, Racing Demon for the loud version.
• Yahtzee or Farkle with five dice and a scrap of paper.
• Twenty questions and Who Am I with names on sticky notes.
• Hangman, boxes and consequences on a pad.
• Bananagrams and travel Uno, both pocket-sized.
• The story chain, one sentence each, round the awning.

Evening games in the dark

• Torch tag or torch hide and seek, if the site allows it and quiet hours haven't started.
• Wink murder round the table.
• Ghost stories with a proper structure: everyone adds a paragraph.
• Stargazing bingo - the plough, a satellite, a shooting star.
• Quiet card games once the site goes quiet at ten. Campsites take this seriously and so should you.

What to pack

• Two packs of cards, five dice, a pad and pencils. That's the core and it weighs nothing.
• A football or frisbee, and a tennis ball, which is worth more than either.
• One small box game: Bananagrams, Uno, Dobble or travel Scrabble.
• A torch each - most evening games need one.
• A printed list of games, because nobody can think of any when it's raining.

Shop cards

How to write it so it lands

• Cards, dice, pad, tennis ball. That's the pack.
• Write a games list at home - nobody thinks of any in the rain.
• Respect the site's quiet hours.

Where to shop next

• Family reunion games
• Christening and naming day games
• Family barbecue games
• Wedding reception table games
• Games for a wake or celebration of life
• Games for grandparents and grandchildren
• Games for a big age gap family
• Long car journey games abroad
• Rainy day indoor games for kids
• Sleepover games for 8+ children
• Sunday lunch table games
• Board games hub
• Kids' party games by age
• Christmas games for the whole family
• Free feel good tools
• Shop cards
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Birthday cards for kids
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What games can you play camping?

Outside: frisbee, rounders with a tennis ball, boules, Kubb and capture the flag. Inside the tent when it rains: cards, Yahtzee, Bananagrams, Uno, hangman and twenty questions.

What should you pack for games on a camping holiday?

Two packs of cards, five dice, a pad and pencils, a tennis ball and one small box game like Uno, Dobble or Bananagrams. It all fits in a carrier bag and covers a week.

What games work in a caravan awning when it rains?

Cards, Racing Demon if you want noise, Yahtzee, Who Am I with sticky notes, consequences on a pad and a story chain. Anything that works round a small table.

What games can children play on a campsite in the evening?

Torch tag and torch hide and seek before quiet hours, then wink murder, ghost stories and stargazing bingo. Most sites have a ten o'clock quiet rule that's worth respecting.

Do you sell games or party supplies?

No - we make greeting cards, art prints and pin badges in the UK. Every game here runs with what's already in the house, and the only products on this page are our own cards.