35 Night Camping Activities: Fun Things to Do At Night

Looking for night camping activities? Not all the fun that happens on a camping trip happens during the day! These fun things to do while camping at night are the best way to spend your evening enjoying the company of fellow campers.

From fun camping games to play in the dark to night activities that you can do while enjoying the quiet hours in the great outdoors, find some new ideas for your next camping adventure!

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Fun Night Camping Activities

These fun nighttime activities for camping are a great way to pass the time if you’re not keen for an early night! There’s a lot of fun you can have outdoors (or in your tent) at night. Here are some fun camping activities for nighttime:

1. Nighttime Scavenger Hunt

Embark on an exciting nature scavenger hunt at night, making it even more fun and challenging. It’s a great activity for both adults and kids, adding an element of adventure to your camping experience.

Your list might include things such as spotting wildlife, the moon, an insect or bird, a constellation, or something sparkly.

2. Stargazing

Away from the city lights, camping at night provides the perfect opportunity to stargaze. Look up and appreciate the beauty of the starry night sky while roasting marshmallows by the campfire.

You can even use an app on your phone to help identify constellations and planets. Or bring along your telescope for a great opportunity to admire the endless night sky.

3. Campfire Stories

Gather around the campfire and share scary or funny stories with your friends or family. Take turns telling ghost stories or play a sentence game, each adding the next line of the story to come up with a wacky combined story.

4. Night Fishing

If you’re camping near a lake or river, try your hand at night fishing. The quietness of the night and the calmness of the water make for a peaceful and relaxing fishing experience. Just remember to bring along a flashlight or headlamp so you can see what you’re doing.

5. Glow Stick Games

Bring some glow sticks along with you for some fun glow stick games at night. A glow stick scavenger hunt, creating glow stick sculptures or using them as markers to create your own obstacle course for a few ideas.

6. Midnight Hike

Put on your hiking boots and explore the nature trails around your campsite at night. Just make sure to bring along a flashlight or headlamp and stick to well-marked paths for safety.

It’s not a bad idea to do a track you’ve done in daylight so you know what to expect. Everything is a little different at night so it’s still going to feel like a whole new experience.

7. Campfire Cooking

Cooking over an open fire is a classic camping activity and a way to pass the time at night at your campsite. Roast hot dogs, make s’mores or cook up some foil-wrapped dinners.

Make sure you’ve got enough light to see what you’re doing so you can enjoy a delicious camping meal together.

8. Read A Book

Reading stories is a perfect way to wind down at the camp during the night. It’s a relaxing and enjoyable activity, especially for younger children, and can be a great way to spend quality time together.

If you’re not camping with kids, bringing a good book or your e-reader is nice way to finish the day, snuggled up in your sleeping bag.

10. Watch the Sunset

Even before the sun sets for the night, you can make a point of watching the sunset. Watch as the sun dips below the horizon and enjoy the beautiful colours it creates in the sky.

11. Play Flashlight Tag

Enjoy a fun game of flashlight tag, which can be a thrilling and active game for a large group of people, adding an element of excitement to your camping adventure.

You don’t need to be young kids to enjoy a game of tag. Not when there are flashlights involved, playing in the dark. This is a great option for older kids and adults alike.

12. Play A Board Game

Engage in classic board games such as Scrabble, Snakes & Ladders, or Monopoly, or play your favourite modern board game by the lantern light in your tent or on your picnic table.

What’s better than a family game night? A game night in the great outdoors!

13. Romantic Meal Under The Stars

Prepare a special meal under the night sky, adding a touch of romance and creating a memorable experience. Pack a bottle of wine and some candles to set the mood, and enjoy a delicious meal together with your partner.

This is the perfect romantic camping activity for couples!

14. Listen To Night Sounds

Sit in silence and listen to the sounds of nature at night. You may hear owls hooting, crickets chirping, or the rustling of leaves in the wind. It’s a peaceful way to end your day and practice a little mindfulness, as you try to identify different animals and insects.

This is also a great camping activity for rainy days when you’re waiting for a break in the rainfall.

15. Listen To Music

The complete opposite of being still and quiet, play some music around the campfire and create your own party vibe. Just make sure you’re not disrupting other campers nearby. Keep your music to a reasonable volume and enjoy the atmosphere.

16. Sing Campfire Songs

Gather around the campfire and sing your favourite campfire songs instead. You don’t need a speaker if you love to sing.

This is a fun activity to do at night if camping with young kids and toddlers. This will give them a sense of calmness when they are feeling uneasy about the dark.

17. Play Mad Libs

Engage in the fun and creative game of Mad Libs, providing an excellent way to keep everyone entertained and have a good laugh. Mad Libs involves filling in missing words in a story and then reading it aloud for hilarious results.

This game is perfect for all ages and can be played by the fire, inside your tent or under the stars. It’s a great way to spend quality time together as a family or group of friends without any distractions from technology.

18. Play Hide-and-Seek in the Dark

Add an exciting twist to the classic game of hide-and-seek by playing it in the dark, offering a thrilling and adventurous experience for everyone.

Make sure each player has a flashlight and be sure to set boundaries for safety as to how far they can venture and that everyone knows what hazards are nearby to avoid injury.

19. Cook Yummy Campfire Desserts

Indulge in delicious campfire desserts, such as s’mores or marshmallow-filled sandwiches, creating a sweet and memorable camping experience. Dessert makes everything better!

20. Twenty Questions

Play the classic game of Twenty Questions, providing a fun and interactive way to pass the time and enjoy each other’s company. One person thinks of a person, place or thing and the others take turns asking yes or no questions to try and guess what it is. It’s a great way to exercise critical thinking skills and have some fun along the way.

21. Play A Musical Instrument

Bring along a musical instrument and enjoy a musical session around the campfire. Sing along or have a full camping jam session with everyone pulling out their instruments.

22. Shadow Puppets

Entertain the younger children with the classic art of creating shadow puppets, adding a touch of creativity and fun to your camping experience.

Use the shadows of your camping lantern on your tent walls to create shapes and animals with your fingers.

23. Write a Journal

Take some quiet time to write in a journal, reflecting on the day’s activities and creating lasting memories to look back on in the future. A journal is a good idea to take some time to reflect while you’re disconnected from technology and enjoying time outdoors.

24. Glow In The Dark Frisbee

Add some glow-in-the-dark fun to your camping trip by playing Frisbee in the dark, providing a unique and exciting twist to this classic outdoor game.

You can get glow-in-the-dark frisbees that light up as you throw it through the air. Easily one of the best nighttime camping activities for the whole family!

25. Play A Card Game

Gather around for a lively card game session, whether it’s UNO, Cards Against Humanity, Go Fish, or any other favourite card game using a standard deck of cards, you can get a lot of fun from a simple game of cards. Best of all, they don’t take up much room to pack either!

26. Movie Night

Set up an outdoor movie night by hanging a sheet and using a projector to watch a family favourite under the stars. Or just set up your laptop or tablet in your tent for your own mini camping cinema.

Snuggle up cozy in your tent with snacks and enjoy a relaxed evening together watching.

27. Talent Show

Encourage everyone to share their talents, whether it’s singing, dancing, or telling jokes. This is a fun way to showcase individual skills and create memorable moments together.

This is a fun and silly way to stay entertained when camping with a larger group of friends and family.

28. Night Photography

Take some photos around your campsite at night. This can be a fun and creative activity for all ages and a great way to test your manual camera settings.. or pull out your mobile phone and see what you can capture in low light.

29. Glow In The Dark Bowling

Add a glow stick to some empty water bottles and set them up like bowling pins on a flat area of ground. Take turns rolling a ball to see who is the bowling champ. A simple game with a bit of DIY fun if you’re looking for outdoor activities at night.

30. Glow In The Dark Dance Party

Those glow sticks get plenty of use when camping, you may as well have a dance party with them too! Turn up the tunes and let loose under the stars with some glow sticks to add to the atmosphere.

31. Practice Your Survival Skills

Teach your kids some basic survival skills, such as building a fire or navigating the campsite by night. This can be a great way to prepare them with useful skills in a more realistic night setting.

32. Wildlife Watching

Many animals are more active at night, making it the perfect time for wildlife watching. Keep your eyes peeled for nocturnal animals such as owls, bats, and raccoons.

33. Mindfulness and Meditation

Take some time for yourself to unwind and reflect on the day. Meditate under the stars or simply sit in silence and listen to the sounds of nature. This can help you feel more connected to the environment and find inner peace.

34. Campfire Yoga

Gather around the campfire and practice some gentle yoga poses to relax your body and mind. This can be a great way to stretch out after a day of outdoor activities.

35. Colouring In

If you’re camping with little kids, bring some colouring books and pencils and set up a colouring in station in the lantern light or near the cozy fire. This is a relaxing activity to help them wind down before bed

Camping Safety Tips For Nighttime

Night camping activities are a lot of fun, however, you do need to make sure you’re safe! Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Always have a source of light with you, whether it’s a flashlight or lantern.
• Keep your campfire contained and never leave it unattended.
• Be aware of wildlife in the area and take necessary precautions to keep yourself and your belongings safe.
• Pitch your tent away from any potential hazards such as trees or rocks that could fall.
• Make sure you have a first aid kit on hand in case of any emergencies.
• Ensure everyone knows of any nearby hazards and keep a close eye on young kids.

Final Thoughts: Fun things To Do While Camping At Night

You now have a wide range of activities to choose from while camping at night, with plenty of activities to suit kids through to adults. There are plenty of memories to be made, even after the sun goes down for the day.

Remember to follow safety guidelines to ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable experience.

So, which activity will you choose on your next camping trip? Let us know in the comments below!