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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

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Games for camping holidays?

20 replies

snowgirl1 · 24/07/2017 14:42

We're off on holiday to France in a few weeks time - staying at pre-erected tents by Canvas holidays and we're driving, so don't have restrictions we've had on previous holidays where we've flown. Can anyone recommend some outdoorsy games that I can take to help keep DD (5) entertained? Swing ball?

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Milliways · 24/07/2017 17:16

They are never too young for Pétanque (boule) in France, you can take those plastic coloured sets that work on the beach, but we bought a decent set in France of the weighty metal balls and used them for years.

Quoits/ ring toss is cheap.

Badminton if she is co-ordinated, loads of kids playing that and beach bat & ball on the campsites.

Take a scooter and/or bicycle if space.

Just sitting outside playing cards and board games is a lovely part of the holiday too.

Almostthere15 · 24/07/2017 21:41

We have a velcro ball and handbat set. The type that catches on the mat. We've had hours of fun with it, and it takes very little space. Rounders bat and ball would be good but it takes a bit more coordination.
Just don't take bubbles ;)

TestTubeTeen · 24/07/2017 21:49

Kite.

snowgirl1 · 25/07/2017 15:09

Thanks all for the suggestions. We have small kite somewhere, so I'll dig that out and a Velcro bat & ball set. And DD's bike. I'll also dig out the snap cards and a couple of small board games.

I'd love to buy a nice petanque set - lots of happy memories playing that on holiday as a child!

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ItsAMackerel · 26/07/2017 22:36

At the camp sites that we've stayed recently Nerf guns seem to be the universal toy. Boys and girls of all ages love playing together. You could consider packing a small one and some cheap bullets.

Other than that, swing ball, bat and ball, frisbee are all good.

If you google 'camping scavenger hunts' there are some good ideas there for lists of things to collect.

snowgirl1 · 27/07/2017 11:26

Oh, Nerf guns - DD loves it when we go to visit friends with older children and we have a nerf battle! I think I'll buy her a small gun so that she can join in if there are other children with them.

Scavenger hunt is a great idea!

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LakeFlyPie · 27/07/2017 22:19

Why no bubbles Almostthere?
Is there some bubble camping etiquette I should know about?

FadedRed · 27/07/2017 22:22

Lake the sticky residue from bubbles can compromise the waterproofing on some tent fabric.

BarbaraOcumbungles · 27/07/2017 22:31

Which site are you staying on?

We always take dobble, banangrams, uno and cards against humanity 😂

BarbaraOcumbungles · 27/07/2017 22:32

Oh and badminton racquets, skittles and a plastic cricket set.

TestTubeTeen · 27/07/2017 22:52

LakeFlyPie yeah, bubbles are a big no-no round tents. Bubble mixture is neat detergent. It washes off the waterproofing from poly tents and does something to the surface tension of cotton / canvas tents, and makes them non waterproof.

Never clean your tent with washing up liquid or any other detergent, however weakly diluted.

snowgirl1 · 28/07/2017 19:19

Barbara thanks for the suggestion . Might save cards against humanity until DD is a little bit older

We're staying at Chateau de l'Eperviere (Burgundy) for 3 nights; Chateau Boisson (Ardeche) for 7 nights; and Domain de Chalain (Jura) for 3 nights.

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JenniferYellowHat1980 · 29/07/2017 17:04

I just bought a mini rounders set from Amazon for the beach.

BarbaraOcumbungles · 29/07/2017 19:42

Oo I haven't stayed at any of those sites but we did stay in the ardeche last year and it is a spectacular region.

Penhacked · 29/07/2017 20:11

Fishing net is nice if you are near lakes or rivers.
I would be taking some Playmobil or something she can play with at silly o clock when she wakes up early with no TV!
My five year old loves Uno. A hammock is nice too if you have the space. Happy memories of listening to music in the hammock! Ahhh.

snowgirl1 · 30/07/2017 08:44

Ooh a fishing net is a good idea as all the sites I've chosen are on a lake or near a river - and DD loved playing with a net when we were on a loch earlier this year. Although not sure where I'd get a net from round here - might have to see if we can buy one at the first site.

LOVE the idea of a hammock...although possibly more for me than DD!

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BarbaraOcumbungles · 30/07/2017 15:54

We're packing at the moment and It's reminded me that we take boules too. Most French sites will have a boules pitch ( not sure if that's the right terminology!) and also table tennis tables.

jellyshoeswithdiamonds · 30/07/2017 17:01

I pack our metal boules set, table tennis bats plus ping pong balls (French sites charge for them). Playing cards.

If you are by rivers and lake I'd take any inflatables you have already. At the campsite we're at the kids launch at one end, float past our riverside pitch, land at the beach and then walk back up through the campsite to go again.

snowgirl1 · 31/07/2017 13:17

Table tennis bats and ball - think DH has them somewhere so I'll add them to the packing list, thanks!

Inflatables - good call, will pack DD's lilo too as all the sites were going to are either on a lake or near a river.

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teabagsrus · 31/07/2017 13:42

If you are taking inflatables onto natural water, lakes, ponds, rivers etc (not enclosed swimming pools) then please attach some nylon string to it and then around your wrist while you are in water too

This is so that the child is kept safe and doesn't float away

Seen too many families on the beach or river or lake who put a child in a inflatable boat then go to sit down to watch their child float away, then parent can't get to them

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