30+ Fun Indoor Camping Ideas To Bring The Fun Of Outdoors Inside!
Indoor camping is the perfect way to capture the spirit of camping when it’s raining, too cold, or you’re just in the mood for a cozy night at home. These indoor camping ideas are also perfect for hosting a camping party at home!
With a bit of creativity and some camping essentials, you can turn your living room into an “indoor campsite” that captures all the best parts of camping.
The Best Indoor Camping Ideas
This guide covers everything you need for an indoor camping adventure, from setting up your “tent” to fun games, snacks, and activities for campers of all ages.
Setting Up Your Indoor Campsite
Creating a comfortable, fun indoor campsite sets the stage for your indoor camping adventure. Here’s how to make your space feel like the great outdoors:
1. Set Up Your Tent or Fort
When you’re planning an indoor ‘camping trip’, at the very basic level, you need to have some type of shelter. A tent is ideal, but if you don’t have the space, there are other options:
- Pop-Up Tent: If you have a real tent, set it up in the living room or any room with enough floor space. This makes for a fun indoor camping experience that feels just like the real thing.
- Blanket Fort: Use large sheets or blankets to build a cozy fort over chairs, tables, or sofas. Make it extra special by adding pillows, sleeping bags, and soft blankets for a warm, inviting atmosphere.
- No-Sew Indoor Tent: For the purposes of indoors, a play tent works just fine. If you don’t have one, you can make your own no-sew indoor tent.
2. DIY Campfire Setup
One of the best parts of any camping trip is the campfire. You’re not exactly going to bring a fire into your house (I hope) but you can get creative with your DIY indoor campfire set-up. Here are some ideas to give the vibe of campfire time in your living room:
- Battery-Operated Tea Lights: Arrange a few tea lights or LED candles in the middle of your campsite for a “campfire” glow.
- Crafted Logs and Flames: Use paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls as logs and crumpled orange and yellow tissue papers for “flames.” This adds a touch of creativity and makes for a fun DIY project that the kids can make!
- Use Real Logs: Stack a small pile of real logs from outdoors with a candle or coloured paper in the centre. Put down a small tarp or plastic sheeting underneath your ‘fire’ so it doesn’t make a mess of your floor.
3. Camping Essentials
The next part of your indoor family camping trip is to bring out the cozy comforts, especially if you are planning to sleep in your shelter for the night.
- Sleeping Bags and Pillows: Set up sleeping bags, or pile up blankets and pillows for a cozy setup. Kids may enjoy bringing their favourite pillow or blanket to make it even more comfortable. For extra comfort, inflate your air mattresses as well – after all, this is essentially glamping!
- Lanterns: Use LED lanterns for ambient lighting. They’re safe for indoor use and help create a true camping feel.
- Starry Night Ambiance: Hang fairy lights on the ceiling or create a starry night with glow-in-the-dark stars on the walls. This mimics a night under the stars and adds to the camping vibe.
Fun Indoor Camping Activities and Games
Indoor camping is the perfect time for some classic camping games, interactive storytelling, and hands-on activities. Just like you would around a real campfire, make sure you bring some of those same activities everyone loves into your home camping experience.
4. Camping-Themed Games
There are so many fun camping games and activities that can be adapted for camping at home:
- Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of “campground” items (like water bottles, compasses, or pinecones) and hide them around the room or take the scavenger hunt into the backyard. This is a fun game for kids of all ages and a great way to explore the indoor campsite.
- Camping Bingo: Make bingo cards with camping-related items (like animals, tents, and snacks) and have one person calling out the items until someone gets a full line marked off their bingo board. You can also get pre-made camping bingo games.
- Ring Toss: Set up a ring toss game using plastic rings for a game that doesn’t require too much space. Just be careful there is nothing nearby that can be knocked over.
- Storytelling Games: Gather around your “campfire” and tell campfire stories or take turns adding to a group story. Start with a sentence, and let each person add to it.
- Activity Table: For extra entertainment, set up a small table with supplies for crafts, board games, and activities that add to the camping fun, just like you would have one set up at your camping site.
- Treasure Hunt Map: Create a treasure map for a “lost treasure” hidden somewhere in the house. This can be an ongoing adventure that adds excitement throughout the night.
- Campfire Songs and Sing-Alongs: Have a campfire sing-along with family favourite songs, or make it silly by adding actions or funny lyrics.
- Outdoor Skills Practice: Teach kids how to tie basic knots, pack a camping bag, or even use a compass. This could be a “practice” for the real camping experience.
Get our free camping scavenger hunt printable:
Find more camping game ideas to play at home:
5. Camping Crafts
Camping crafts are a fun way to keep younger campers entertained, especially if you are hosting a camping birthday party and want to make sure the kids have plenty of fun things to do. Here are a few camping craft ideas to try:
- DIY Binoculars: Make pretend binoculars with toilet paper rolls, some tape, and string. Kids can use them to “spot” animals or items around the campsite.
- Leaf Rubbings: Bring some outdoor elements inside by doing leaf rubbings on paper.
- Rock Painting: Get some smooth rocks from the garden or a rock painting kit and decorate them.
- Bird Feeders: Make bird seed DIY bird feeders to hang in the garden.
Snacks and Treats for Indoor Camping
No camping experience is complete without delicious snacks. Here are some fun camping-inspired snacks that are easy to prepare indoors.
6. Classic Camping Treats
- S’mores: Use a microwave or stovetop to melt marshmallows and chocolate between graham crackers. For a twist, try adding peanut butter, caramel, or fruit slices.
- S’mores Cones: Fill ice cream cones with s’mores ingredients, wrap in foil and heat in the oven so they taste almost as good as they would out the campfire.
- Hot Dogs: Cook hot dogs on the stove or grill and serve them wrapped in foil, just like you would by a campfire.
- Popcorn and Trail Mix: Whip up a big batch of popcorn and serve it with a trail mix station featuring nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips, and pretzels.
- Trail Mix “Bar”: Set up a trail mix bar with bowls of nuts, pumpkin seeds, dried fruits, and chocolate. Let everyone make their own custom mix.
- Fruit Skewers: Create fruit skewers with chunks of fresh fruit like grapes, strawberries, and pineapple for a refreshing treat.
- Mini Sandwiches and Wraps: Make bite-sized sandwiches or wraps with a variety of fillings like cream cheese, ham, or veggies for a satisfying snack.
7. Cozy Beverages
- Hot Cocoa: Warm drinks like hot cocoa add a cozy vibe to your indoor camping trip.
- Lemonade or Iced Tea: If it’s warm inside, make lemonade or iced tea for a refreshing treat.
Decorations and Extra theming
One of the best parts of doing a home camping experience is that you can still add little elements to bring the great outdoors into your home. It’s just a matter of getting creative!
8. Indoor Camping Party Ideas
Planning an indoor camping party? Make it an experience to remember with these fun extra touches:
- Party Decorations: Set up paper lanterns, hang outdoor-inspired banners, and add some green plants for a natural vibe.
- Themed Costumes: Encourage kids to dress up in camping clothes, like flannels, hats, and hiking boots. Adults can join in, too, for extra fun!
- Photo Booth with Props: Create a mini photo booth with props like binoculars, hiking sticks, and maps. Take fun photos as souvenirs of your “trip.”
Indoor camping is the next best thing to a real camping trip, perfect for rainy days, chilly weather, or a creative date night. This is a fun experience, for planning a family adventure with kids of all ages or an indoor camping party for kids. Or of course, a cozy date night with your significant other!
The best part? Indoor camping is an easy way to bring the joy of the great outdoors inside—no matter the weather!
