| Do you like camping? Do you love your family? | | | | |
| Why not combine your two loves into a family | | | | Â- Family tent games: Have kids use |
| camping trip? Our hectic schedules are full | | | | pantomime to act like someone the whole |
| of business meetings, junior league | | | | family knows, and then guess who they're |
| basketball games, and cleaning-spring or | | | | mimicking. In another activity, sing fun |
| otherwise. A family camping trip can be the | | | | songs and use whacky actions along with the |
| perfect getaway to help your family relax and | | | | songs. |
| bond. It can include traditional camping | | | | |
| activities, such as hiking, bicycling, | | | | Â- Flag Football |
| swimming, kayaking and fishing. But remember | | | | |
| that your kids naturally have a "Are we there | | | | Â- Duck Duck Goose |
| yet?" attention span, which has become | | | | |
| shorter in today's Information Age. Wherever | | | | Â- Frisbee |
| you camp, including Berlin Ohio, you'll want | | | | |
| to keep your children engaged in activities | | | | Â- I Spy: One player begins describing |
| that will make their camping a memorable | | | | something that they see in their immediate |
| experience. | | | | environment. The wilderness provides an |
| | | | excellent setting for this game, as the |
| You can center your camping trip around a | | | | number of plants, birds, rocks, and things |
| place that becomes the main activity. This | | | | are almost unlimited. |
| can include a national park, an amusement | | | | |
| park, etc. When you return to your family | | | | Â- Save spot: Use a soft toy, such as a |
| camping tent at the campground, you can use | | | | stuffed animal. One child is the "bad guy." |
| other minor activities that will keep your | | | | He or she runs away with a soft toy, called |
| little ones busy whenever they're not | | | | "Spot." After the other players count to ten, |
| sleeping. | | | | they chase the bad guy. The first person to |
| | | | touch the bad guy, has saved Spot. |
| Prevent boredom with board games | | | | |
| | | | Â- Tag |
| Board games never become outdated. Many of | | | | |
| them are basically the same games that we | | | | Â- Treasure Hunt: Hide a wrapped prize |
| played as children. Rolling dice, spending | | | | within the campground area. Draw a basic map |
| play money and sinking play warships can be | | | | that includes major things in the area, such |
| just as fun for children in the wilderness, | | | | as rocks and trees; and footprints to get to |
| as at home. | | | | the prize. Then give the map to your kids, |
| | | | and have them read it in order to find the |
| Good games without boards | | | | prize. You can guide them, but let them do |
| | | | the exploring on their own! |
| Many non-board games can be played with | | | | |
| little or no equipment. Here are some | | | | Â- 20 Questions: One person, the |
| suggestions: | | | | "answerer," thinks of a thing. The other |
| | | | player(s) can ask 20 questions to guess what |
| Â- The Animal Game: This uses the reverse | | | | the answerer is thinking about. This game is |
| logic of the 20 questions game. In the Animal | | | | not only fun for kids in Berlin Ohio and |
| Game, one player continues to give clues | | | | other locations; it improves their creative |
| about a particular animal. The player who | | | | and reasoning skills. |
| guesses the animal first is the winner. | | | | |
| | | | Whether you live in Berlin Ohio or Berlin, |
| Â- Catch (i.e. baseball, football, etc.) | | | | Germany, camping can be fun for your kids. |
| | | | Kids love games, so they're a fantastic way |
| Â- Counting Games: During hiking trips | | | | to keep them busy during rainy days in the |
| with your camping backpacks, you can have | | | | family camping tent, or while waiting for |
| kids count things such as birds, orange | | | | dinner to be prepared. Whether they're played |
| flowers, etc. At night, you can have your | | | | on a board or need no equipment at all, games |
| kids count the stars in the sky, and visually | | | | can be a parent's most important camping |
| connect them to form pictures. | | | | gear. |