Updated 3/06/2026 by Stacy Bressler
Looking for the best camping crafts for kids? You’ve found them! Whether you need a rainy day activity at the campsite, a fun camp-themed party project, or something to do during a preschool camp week, this list of 51 camping crafts has something for every age – from sensory play for toddlers to creative projects older kids will love. I’ve organized everything by theme so you can find exactly what you need fast!
Almost all of these camping crafts link to full tutorials right here on the site, so you’ll never have to hunt around to figure out how to make them. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
S’more Camping Crafts for Kids
S’mores are possibly every kid’s favorite part of camping — so why not turn them into a craft too? These s’more themed camping crafts are perfect for a camp party, preschool camp week, or a fun rainy afternoon at the campsite!
S’more Necklace
This fun s’more necklace (plus other camping necklaces!) is easy to make with some clay and paint. Kids will love wearing their own little s’more as a keepsake from camp!
You’ll need: air dry clay, acrylic paint, twine or cord, paintbrush
Roll three flat clay pieces to represent the graham crackers and chocolate, paint when dry, and thread onto twine. So simple and so cute – even toddlers can help squish the clay!
S’more BINGO
Whether you’re having a camping party or just want something extra fun to do at camp, grab these cute printable s’more bingo cards — complete with emoji faces!
“Roll a S’more” Game
Kids take turns rolling the dice to collect the six pieces needed to build a complete s’more. This printable s’more game is easy enough for pre-reading kids — great for ages 3 and up!
Make a Shelter for a Peep Marshmallow
A fun Easter camping mashup! Kids gather items from nature to build a little home for their Peep marshmallow. A great way to combine nature exploration with imaginative play!
Campfire Camping Crafts for Kids
Campfires are the heart of any camping trip – and these campfire camping crafts for kids let them recreate that magic at the craft table! There’s a campfire craft here for every age and skill level, from simple toddler-friendly versions to more creative projects for older kids.
Recycled Glowing Campfire Craft
Don’t throw out that next plastic container – turn it into an awesome glowing campfire craft! It actually glows when you put a light inside, which makes kids absolutely love it.
You’ll need: clean plastic container (like a deli container), orange/red/yellow tissue paper or paint, scissors, battery-powered tea light
Paint or layer tissue paper on the outside of the container in flame colors. Cut flame shapes from cardstock and tape around the top edge. Drop a tea light inside and watch it glow!
Handprint Campfire Craft
A classic keepsake camping craft – kids use their handprints to make the flames of a campfire! This campfire handprint craft comes with a free printable template so you can frame it when you get home.
You’ll need: white cardstock, red/orange/yellow paint, brown paint or paper for the logs, sponge applicator or paintbrush, free printable template (linked above)
Paint each hand in flame colors and press onto the paper to create the fire. Add brown log shapes at the base. A perfect first camping craft for babies and toddlers — and one parents will want to keep forever!
Construction Paper Campfire Craft
A great no-paint option that also builds fine motor skills! See the full tutorial here — it looks surprisingly realistic and is one of the cutest campfire camping crafts on this list.
Campfire Crown Craft
What kid wouldn’t want to wear a flame crown?! This is one of the most fun camping crafts for a camp party or classroom camp week — perfect for awarding the best s’more maker or fastest fire builder!
You’ll need: free printable crown template (5 designs available at the link above), cardstock, scissors, tape or stapler, crayons or markers to decorate
Print the crown template, cut out, color in the flames, and size to fit. Done in under 10 minutes and kids absolutely love wearing them!
Toilet Paper Tube Campfire
A great use for an empty toilet paper roll! This cardboard tube campfire craft uses basic supplies to make a surprisingly awesome-looking campfire.
You’ll need: toilet paper tube, orange/red/yellow tissue paper or crepe paper, brown paint, scissors, glue
Paint the tube brown to look like a log. Cut flame shapes from tissue paper and tuck them inside the top of the tube so they fan out like real flames. Stack two tubes together for an extra realistic campfire look!
Campfire Safety Craft (That You Can Eat!)
Teaching campfire safety is so much more fun when food is involved! This edible campfire craft uses snacks to build a campfire shape while learning the safety rules — kids learn best through play, and this one sticks!
“Starry Night Campfire” Paper Craft
One of the most artistic camping crafts on this list! Kids get to rip paper (always a hit!) to create the texture of flames against a starry night background. See the full starry night campfire craft tutorial here.
Camping Tent Crafts for Kids
Kids are fascinated by tents – the coziness, the hideaway feeling, the adventure of it all! These camping tent crafts tap right into that excitement and make great keepsakes too.
10 Count Fold Out Tent Craft
Perfect for young campers learning to count! This fold-out counting tent craft is a favorite for camping-themed classrooms and preschool camp weeks.
Footprint “Happy Camper” Tent Craft
An adorable keepsake camping craft for babies and toddlers! This happy camper footprint tent craft uses little feet as the tent shape – so sweet to frame and keep!
Camp Story Sticks
Make campfire storytime even more fun with these camp popsicle stick story figures! Kids make little camping characters from pipe cleaners and popsicle sticks, then use them to act out their own outdoor adventures.
Camping Lantern Crafts for Kids
There’s something magical about a glowing lantern at camp — and these camping lantern crafts let kids make their own! Most use recycled materials, making them budget-friendly and eco-friendly camping crafts.
Glowing Water Bottle Lantern Craft
This “Coleman-style” water bottle lantern craft recycles a plastic bottle into a glowing lantern kids can actually carry around camp!
You’ll need: clean plastic water bottle, construction paper, tape or glue, scissors, battery-powered tea light or glow stick
Wrap the bottle in construction paper, cut a handle from cardstock, and drop a glow stick or tea light inside. Kids can decorate with markers or stickers. One of the most practical camping crafts on this list – kids can actually use it at night!
“Rip and Stick” Tissue Paper Lantern (With Bears!)
A little Mod Podge and tissue paper creates something really magical! This sensory lantern craft is great for toddlers and preschoolers because the ripping and sticking is completely open-ended – kids can customize it with any animal they love!
Outdoor Nature Camping Crafts for Kids
These are the camping crafts that use what’s already all around you – sticks, rocks, leaves, mud, pinecones, and more! Most need little to no supplies from home, making them perfect spontaneous camping crafts you can do right at the campsite.
Camping Scavenger Hunts
A camping scavenger hunt is a great way to spend time exploring with the whole family! From common campsite items like a sleeping bag to trickier finds like a bird’s nest, kids love hunting through the great outdoors to find it all. Pairs perfectly with any of the nature crafts below!
Play Camping BINGO!
These camping BINGO cards can be played as a traditional game OR turned into a nature scavenger hunt – since every item on the card can be found at a real campsite!
Whip Up “Sensory Soup”
Kids love water play, and adding a “recipe” factor makes sensory camp soup even more irresistible! Four printable recipe cards encourage little camp cooks to forage in nature and get creative. A favorite toddler camping craft!
Make a Campsite Sign
Keep kids occupied while you set up camp by having them make a DIY campsite sign to mark their territory! This has become one of our favorite camping traditions.
Forage for Hedgehog “Hair”
While dandelion flowers get all the attention, this craft uses the STEMS to make an adorable hedgehog! Kids will love hunting for the perfect stems to give their hedgehog wild hair.
Build With Play-Doh + Nature
Play-Doh isn’t just for indoors! Set it out on the picnic table and let kids use sticks, leaves, and rocks to build nature sculptures at camp. Hours of open-ended fun!
Clean the Rocks
Little campers will have so much fun collecting and scrubbing their rocks clean — and then painting them into pet rocks! A surprisingly engaging toddler camping craft that keeps little ones busy for a long time.
Create a Hiking Stick!
Before any hike, let kids find their perfect walking stick and customize it with yarn, paint, or carvings. This makes an especially fun camping craft because kids get to USE their creation all trip long!
Create Leaf People
So many leaf shapes = so many funny characters! Collect an assortment of leaves and make leaf people. For younger kids, draw a simple body outline and let them fill it in with leaves they find.
Make a Nature Frame
A beautiful way to use all those “nature treasures” kids collect! With this nature frame craft, kids can hunt for specific items they want, then arrange them exactly how they like.
Build a Bird Nest
Kids already love acting like animals — so let them forage and build their own bird’s nest! The included printable scavenger hunt makes it even more of an adventure.
Desert in a Bottle
While I don’t recommend using a glass bottle like I did, you can have alot of fun in an area where there are different colored sands making a “desert in a bottle!”.
Pet Snail Shell Craft
If you live somewhere where there are lots of mountain snails, then you’ll love this idea of what to do with all those snail shells the kids find! There is also a study unit you can use for bonus for the older kids!
Pond in a Jar
Perfect for spring or lakeside camping, your kids will get to collect some moss, rocks and other pond items to make their own portable mini pond! Bonus points if you have a cute small toy you can put in there (we had a popping frog toy!)
Printable Camping Crafts for Kids
These printable camping crafts are perfect when you want something structured and ready to go – just print before your trip and you’re set! Great for camp-themed classrooms, camping parties, or a backyard camp week at home.
Kids Camp Mini Journal
This pocket-sized printable camp journal is perfect for a weekend trip or backyard campout. Fun prompts inspire creativity and storytelling – kids love having their own special camp book!
Printable Set of 27 Camp Charades
A super minimal, super fun camping craft-meets-game! This camp charades printable includes 27 camping-themed prompts – none too hard, but all hilarious to act out around the campfire!
Week Long “Summer Camp” Printable Pack for Kids
Need structure for a full camp week at home? This 5-day summer camp activity pack includes badges, daily themes, crafts, and worksheets that teach camping safety and outdoor skills through play!
Camping Scavenger Hunts (For All Ages!)
Send the kids off to explore while you set up camp! These printable camp scavenger hunts come in ABC, experiences, picture-based, and senses versions – something for every age!
Leave No Trace Study Unit
There’s no better time to learn about protecting the outdoors than when you’re actually in it! This printable Leave No Trace activity set teaches kids the 7 LNT principles through activities and play – a perfect add-on to any of these camping crafts!
Camp Themed Lego Builds Challenge
If you have a LEGO lover and want a great and *creative* boredom buster, see if they can replicate these camp themed lego builds! There’s a card for each one, and since the builds are pretty small, you won’t need a ton of LEGOs to do it.
Looking for more ideas to keep kids busy at camp?
Check out our full list of camping activities for toddlers and our best camping games for kids!
