Summer Camp Game Ideas for Kids and Teens

Summer camp game ideas are all about bringing kids together through fun, laughter, and teamwork in the great outdoors. These games are designed to encourage creativity, movement, and bonding, whether campers are cooling off with water games, solving challenges in scavenger hunts, or competing in friendly team relays.

Classic favorites like capture the flag, tug-of-war, and sack races keep the energy high, while group games like charades, talent shows, and minute-to-win-it challenges bring out imagination and spirit. Whether in the forest, field, or around the campfire, these games help kids build friendships, learn cooperation, and make lasting memories through shared adventure and play.

Summer Camp Game Ideas

Here’s a huge list of 100+ Summer Camp Game Ideas—categorized for easy browsing. These include a mix of outdoor, indoor, water, night, and team-building games. Perfect for campers of all ages!

🏞️ Outdoor Games

1. Capture the Flag

2. Kick the Can

3. Freeze Tag

4. Sardines

5. Hide and Seek

6. Red Light, Green Light

7. Sharks and Minnows

8. Simon Says

9. Mother May I?

10. Blob Tag

11. Zombie Tag

12. Flashlight Tag

13. Duck Duck Goose

14. What Time is it Mr. Fox?

15. Human Knot

16. Tug of War

17. Three-Legged Race

18. Potato Sack Race

19. Wheelbarrow Race

20. Relay Races

21. Hula Hoop Challenge

22. Obstacle Course

23. Nature Scavenger Hunt

24. Compass Treasure Hunt

25. Follow the Leader

💧 Water Games

26. Water Balloon Toss

27. Sponge Relay

28. Slip and Slide Races

29. Drip, Drip, Drop (like Duck Duck Goose with water)

30. Pool Noodle Joust

31. Pool Volleyball

32. Marco Polo

33. Water Gun Freeze Tag

34. Leaky Cup Relay

35. Water Limbo

36. Sprinkler Dash

37. Fill the Bucket Relay

38. Water Dodgeball

39. Ice Cube Pick-Up

40. Cold Potato (pass the ice cube around)

🤝 Team Building Games

41. Trust Fall Circle

42. Group Juggle

43. Minefield (blindfolded obstacle course)

44. Silent Line-Up (no talking, order by birthday)

45. Tower of Cups

46. Blanket Flip Challenge

47. Human Pyramid

48. Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower

49. Team Balloon Pop

50. Pipe and Marble Challenge

51. Crossing the River (with limited items)

52. Pass the Hula Hoop

53. Camp Trivia

54. Puzzle Piece Hunt

55. Friendship Web (yarn game)

🎨 Creative/Artsy Games

56. Nature Art Competition

57. Sidewalk Chalk Challenge

58. Tie-Dye Station

59. Face Painting Contest

60. Sand Sculpture Contest

61. Make-Your-Own Camp Flag

62. Story Circle (add to the story one by one)

63. Skit Night

64. Camp Song Karaoke

65. Make a Camp Mascot

66. Talent Show

67. Puppet Making and Puppet Show

68. Leaf Rubbing Art

69. Painted Rock Hunt

70. Dress-Up Relay

🏠 Indoor Games (for Rainy Days)

71. Charades

72. Pictionary

73. Heads Up

74. Bingo

75. Uno Tournament

76. Giant Jenga

77. Would You Rather

78. Mad Libs

79. Balloon Ping Pong

80. Sardines (indoors)

81. Board Game Bonanza

82. Hot Potato

83. Who Am I? (sticky notes on forehead)

84. Indoor Scavenger Hunt

85. 20 Questions

86. Paper Airplane Contest

87. Build the Tallest Tower (with paper or cups)

88. Human Bop-It

🌙 Night Games

89. Glow Stick Tag

90. Flashlight Hide and Seek

91. Campfire Storytelling

92. Night Hike

93. Firefly Catching

94. Star Gazing Bingo

95. Nighttime Obstacle Course

96. Shadow Puppet Theater

97. Glow-in-the-Dark Ring Toss

98. Constellation Drawing

99. Lantern Walk

100. Campfire Songs and Games

101. Ghost in the Graveyard

🏅 Just for Fun (Unique Ideas)

102. Counselor Hide-and-Seek

103. Egg and Spoon Race

104. Costume Relay

105. Water Balloon Piñata

106. Giant Twister

107. Balloon Stomp

108. Limbo Contest

109. Wacky Relay (with silly challenges)

110. Camp Olympics

111. Mystery Box Challenge

112. Camp Idol (music or skit competition)

113. Guess That Sound

114. Reverse Charades

115. Alphabet Treasure Hunt

How to Play

1. Capture the Flag

Players: 8+ (2 teams)
Supplies: Two flags, boundary markers

Steps:

1. Divide players into two teams and set boundaries with a dividing line.

2. Assign each team a territory and hide their flag within it.

3. The goal is to capture the other team’s flag and bring it back to your side.

4. Players can tag opponents in their territory to send them to “jail.”

5. Jail can be a designated spot; teammates can free captured friends by tagging them.

6. First team to bring the opponent’s flag to their side wins.

2. Kick the Can

Players: 4+
Supplies: A can

Steps:

1. Place the can in the center of a play area.

2. One player is “It” and counts while others hide.

3. “It” searches for players and calls out their name and hiding spot to capture them.

4. Captured players go to “jail” near the can.

5. Any free player can sneak in and kick the can to release all prisoners.

6. Game ends when all players are caught or someone successfully kicks the can.

3. Freeze Tag

Players: 4+

Steps:

1. One person is “It.”

2. “It” chases other players and tries to tag them.

3. When tagged, a player must freeze in place.

4. Other players can unfreeze them by tagging them.

5. Game ends when everyone is frozen or “It” is switched out.

4. Sardines

Players: 4+

Steps:

1. One player hides while everyone else counts.

2. Players search for the hidden person.

3. When someone finds them, they hide with them silently.

4. The last player to find the group becomes the next person to hide.

5. Hide and Seek

Players: 2+

Steps:

1. One person is the seeker and counts with eyes closed.

2. Others hide.

3. After counting, the seeker tries to find all hidden players.

4. The first person found becomes the next seeker (or the last found, depending on rules).

6. Red Light, Green Light

Players: 3+

Steps:

1. One player is the “traffic light” and stands at one end.

2. The others line up on the opposite side.

3. When “Green Light!” is called, players move forward.

4. When “Red Light!” is called, they must freeze.

5. If anyone moves on red, they go back to start.

6. First to reach the light wins.

7. Sharks and Minnows

Players: 5+

Steps:

1. One player is the shark, the rest are minnows.

2. Minnows line up on one side, shark in the middle.

3. On “Go,” minnows try to cross to the other side.

4. Shark tries to tag them.

5. Tagged minnows become sharks.

6. Game ends when one minnow remains.

8. Simon Says

Players: 3+

Steps:

1. One player is Simon and gives commands.

2. Players must only follow commands that begin with “Simon says.”

3. If a player follows a command without “Simon says,” they’re out.

4. Last person standing wins.

9. Mother May I?

Players: 3+

Steps:

1. One player is “Mother” (or “Father”) and stands at one end.

2. Others ask permission to take certain steps (“Mother may I take 3 giant steps?”).

3. Mother grants or denies.

4. If someone moves without permission, they go back to the start.

5. First to reach Mother wins.

10. Blob Tag

Players: 6+

Steps:

1. Two players start as “the Blob,” holding hands.

2. They tag others to join their blob (must link hands).

3. The blob grows as more people are tagged.

4. Last player untagged wins.

11. Zombie Tag

Players: 4+

Steps:

1. One player is the zombie and walks with arms out, slowly.

2. Tagged players also become zombies.

3. Last survivor wins.

12. Flashlight Tag

Players: 4+
Supplies: Flashlight

Steps:

1. One player is “It” with a flashlight at night.

2. Others hide in the dark.

3. “It” uses the flashlight to find and “tag” players by shining the light on them.

4. Last one caught becomes “It.”

13. Duck Duck Goose

Players: 5+

Steps:

1. Players sit in a circle.

2. One walks around tapping heads saying “duck, duck…” until “goose.”

3. Goose must chase the tapper.

4. If tapper makes it to goose’s seat, goose becomes the new tapper.

5. If goose tags them, they go again.

14. What Time is it Mr. Fox?

Players: 3+

Steps:

1. One player is Mr. Fox, standing away from the rest.

2. Others call, “What time is it, Mr. Fox?”

3. Fox responds with a time (e.g., “3 o’clock”), players take that many steps.

4. When Fox says “Dinner time!” he chases them.

5. If caught, that player becomes Mr. Fox.

15. Human Knot

Players: 6+

Steps:

1. Everyone stands in a circle and grabs two different people’s hands (not next to them).

2. The goal is to untangle the knot without letting go.

3. Work together to twist and turn until you form a circle again.

16. Tug of War

Players: Even number, split in two teams
Supplies: Rope, marker on ground

Steps:

1. Teams grab each end of the rope.

2. A line is marked on the ground.

3. On “Go!” each team pulls.

4. First team to pull the other past the line wins.

17. Three-Legged Race

Players: Even number, paired up
Supplies: Ribbons or ties

Steps:

1. Pair up players and tie adjacent legs together.

2. Line up at the start.

3. On “Go!” pairs race to the finish.

4. First team to cross wins.

18. Potato Sack Race

Players: 3+
Supplies: Burlap sacks or pillowcases

Steps:

1. Players step into a sack and hold it at their waist.

2. Line up and hop to the finish.

3. First to cross the line wins.

19. Wheelbarrow Race

Players: Even number, paired up

Steps:

1. One partner holds the other’s legs while they walk on their hands.

2. Line up and race to the finish.

3. First team to cross wins.

20. Relay Races

Players: 4+
Supplies: Optional baton or object to pass

Steps:

1. Split into even teams.

2. Each runner takes a turn running a set distance.

3. Pass a baton (or tag) to the next runner.

4. First team to finish all legs of the race wins.