Water play with brown water (Food colorings orange and green).
Leaves.
Rocks and pebbles.
Sand and mud.
Pine cones and needles.

Camping Math

Tent Matching:
Cut ten small tents from a variety of colors.
Cut out another set just like the first.
Write numbers 1-10 on both sets to the matching colors.
If you have older kids who know their numbers mix up the colors
so they do not match.

Camping Sorting:
Give children several pictures of camping equipment
as well as several pictures of household items.
Have them sort home from camping.

Collect things you might see while camping outside.
Bring back to the room and sort by what they are.
Example: Rocks, leaves, twigs etc...
Divide into sets and count each set.

Camping Saftey

The Fire:
If at all possible get a local park ranger to come talk.
Tell a story of Smokey the Bear.
Smokey's job is to keep fires from spreading.
Build a pretend fireplace with blocks ringed by other (rocks) blocks.
Discuss:
Always have a water bucket and a dirt bucket for putting out fires.
Always put out all the fires before going to sleep.
Always have an adult with you.
Never go in the woods or water without an adult.
Don't forget to discuss the bathroom in the woods!

Dramatic Play

The Camp Site:
Set up a pup tent and throw in two blankets.
Provide buckets, play food, flannel shirts,
back packs, Play fishing poles, camping cooking gear.
I use the real things. Aluminum plates and pans as well as canteens.

Camping Animal Puppets:
Set up a play puppet show place for kids.
Add puppet animals for kids to pretend to be the animals in the woods.

Camping Science

Sink or Float:
Set up a bucket or tub with clear water.
In a tray to the side add twigs, pebbles, rocks,
feathers, leaves, roots, pine needles, etc...
Discuss which ones the kids think might sink or float then try each one.
Draw a chart and add pictures to the sink side or float side.

Have binoculars and magnifying glasses available.

Arts & Crafts

Easel Painting or Fence Hanging with Clothes Pens:

Paint with browns, greens, yellows and oranges.
Paint with feathers, flowers, grasses, leaves, twigs.

Cut heavy cardboard into tent shapes.
Have kids trace around them and then cut out.
Either paint or use markers to decorate the tents.

Use same cardboard shapes and cut out after tracing.
Glue small twigs, leaves and grass to tents.

Give each child a thicker piece of posterboard or cardboard.
Glue on pebbles collected outside.

Tackle Boxes:
Collect an egg carton for each child in your care.
Punch two holes in the top and have them put a piece or yarn
through the holes and tie off. You may need to help the little ones.
Paint the egg cartons and provide "s" shaped styrofoam pieces for worms.
Paper clips and yarn for fishing gear.

Camping Circle Games

What's Missing?:
Bring out different pieces of camping equipment.
A canteen, portable stove, sleeping bag, cooking tools,
lantern etc... Ask the children to close their eyes.
Hide one of the pieces then ask the children to open their eyes.
Can they guess which one is missing?

Bring one backpack to the circle.
Take a pretend camping trip to the lake or beach.
Ask each child what one thing they would pack into the backpack.
As they describe what they will bring pass the bag to them
and let them pretend to pack up their item.

Camp Cooking Activity

S'Mores:
Place a large marshmellow on a square
graham cracker. Next place a square of
sweet chocolate on top of the marshmellow.
After this place the graham cracker on a baking
sheet and put into a 250 degree oven for about 5 minutes.

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