Sure, camping is fun and all, but what are you supposed to
do when there’s downtime and no TV? Take advantage of the great outdoors,
sistah! Here are eight things that you’ve just gotta try while you’re taking a
break from civilization.
Argh, Where’s Me
Treasure?
There are a lot of variations you can do on a good ol’
treasure hunt. First, you can actually have one or two people hide something
and draw a map to it. Or if you wanna get really creative, have someone write
out a series of clues that end up at the treasure’s hiding spot. (Just make
sure that everyone else is occupied while the clues’ creator sets them all
around the campsite.) A different version is to draw up a list of things you
find outdoors – a heart-shaped rock, 2 maple leaves, a handful of pinecones –
and divide everyone up into two teams. Then see which team can locate all of
the stuff on the list and bring it back to camp the fastest.
Get a Li’l Starstruck
Spend some time under the night sky. Especially if you’re
from the city, you’ll end up seeing lots of new things. And if you have time
before you leave for your trip, print out a constellation map so that you can
trace the starry pics for yourself. Just make sure you lay down when you’re
looking up, or you’ll have a pretty sore neck in the morning!
Story Time!
You don’t necessarily have to tell ghost stories around the
campfire if you don’t want to – there are still lots of other stories you can
tell. They can be real or imaginary, so see how creative your fam can be. And
if one person doesn’t wanna hold the spotlight for too long, try a game: Have
someone start off with a sentence that begins “Once upon a time…” Then go
around the circle, adding a sentence each. Chances are, it’ll get pretty
hilarious.
Tree-hugger
Ever climbed a tree before? Whether you have or you haven’t,
you should while you’re out camping. Find a nice, big tree with enough low
branches to get you started. Then see how high up you can get (safely). You can
take turns climbing it with your sibs and compete to see who can get up the
highest. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be rewarded with an awesome view of the
campground.
Not-So-Scary Shadows
At night, use a flashlight inside your tent to make up some
shadow stories. Or just see what your hands can come up with. Shine the light
toward the tent wall, and put your hands in front of it. To get the clearest
picture, use a white tent wall or tack up a white sheet to throw the shadow
against.
Shoot to Chill
Don’t forget to pack some squirt guns in with all your
camping gear. On a hot afternoon, you can stage an epic squirt gun battle all
over the campground. And if there are other campers nearby, maybe you can
invite them to join in, too – the more, the merrier!
Collectibles
What’s your fave part of nature? Is it the nifty bugs, the
pretty flowers, or the different types of leaves? Well, try collecting whatever
you think is really neat. Unless it’s flowers that you can press into a book,
you’ll probably have to leave your collection behind at the end of the trip.
But if you start looking, you never know what kind of unique things you might
find out there in the wilderness.
Cloud City
So you’ve already seen the stars at night, but have you
glanced up at the sky during the day? When you just wanna relax and take a
break from all those physical activities, spread yourself out on a comfy patch
of grass. Check out the clouds, and see what pictures you can find. It may
sound silly, but it can be really interesting to compare the things you find
with what your pal sees.
What’re your best
boredom busters when you’re out camping?
BY CARRIE RUPPERT ON 7/21/2012 12:00:00 AM
POSTED IN summer, boredom buster, get outside, spring fun