Playing card games inside a tent, surrounding yourself with nature and loved ones next to the campfire is so much better than playing at home. In fact, camping is a great way to relax and connect with each other on a deeper level.
Many card games for camping are compact, waterproof, and most importantly easy and fun to play. Whether your surrounded by trees, sitting lakeside or desert camping, these card games will be perfect for everyone to play.
What are the best card games to play while camping? Card games are portable and require less game pieces, that is why they are favored by campers compared to board gamers. Don’t worry about losing pieces while you transport these compact card games.
If you are looking for fun ways to spend time outdoors, learn new strategy, have fun and engage with friends and family, then play card games at the campsite.
Best card games to play for camping:
- Spot It!
- Deer in the headlights
- S’Mores Wars
- Go Find It
- Find and Seek
- Llama Drama
- Rook
- Moose Master
- On a Scale of One to T-Rex
- Beat That!
These card deck games are waterproof small-sized, and are lot more entertaining compared to traditional 52 deck of cards. Also, these card games are a fun alternative to screen time that kids and adults of all ages can enjoy.
When it comes to card games for camping, there is a wide range of selections available. Choose them as per your vibe during the outdoors trip.
What are good camping card games?
If you have been playing card games like Crazy Eights or Uno when camping, there are many options that are more suitable for the outdoors.
Card games are the best way to keep everyone at the campsite entertained. Also, after hiking, or fishing, wind down for the night, playing cards in tent or around the fire with S’mores is a great way to end the night before hopping into the sleeping bag.
Let's take a look at some of the best card games for camping:
- Race to match the spot between hipster staples, kitschy objects, pop-cultural icons, and guilty pleasures.
- Incorporates 5 variant ways to play.
- Ideal for 2 to 8 players.
- Perfect for 13 plus years.
- Requires observational skills and lightning-fast reflexes.
- Helps to develop focus, visual perception skills, speech-language skills, and fine motor skills.
- Includes 55 cards, 1 tin, and 1 rule book with 5 mini-games.
In this game, there are 8 different symbols and any two cards have exactly one symbol in common. The player who spots the symbol in common on both cards claims the first card and then the other card is revealed for players to search.
To win this game, player who collects the most cards when the 55 card deck runs out wins.
- Ideal for ages 8 and over with 2 or more players.
- Fast and fun moving card and dice game for the total family.
- Players race and if deer in the headlights is rolled, the progress is stalled.
- Includes 2 decks of customer cards, 3 wood dice, score pad and instruction sheet.
- Lasts 30 minutes of playing time.
In order to play the game, three dice are rolled on a players turn and discard or pick-up the card based on outcome of the dice.
The game ends when a player gets 150 points, and the player with the lowest score wins at the end of the game.
- The battle to create s’mores with the best ingredients and the highest scores.
- Ideal for ages 8 plus, and from 3 to 5 players.
- Easy, good replay value, and simple to play.
- Lasts around 15 to 30 minutes.
- Includes 25 battle cards, 55 ingredient cards, 20 round selection tokens, 5 tiebreaker cards, 1 game board, and instruction.
If you like Go Nuts for Donuts, Slamwich, Sushi Go! or Exploding Kittens, you will love this fast-paced and strategic card game.
When 2 or more players claim the same ingredient, then they have to battle rock-paper-scissors for a delicious and sticky challenge.
- Fun game for the entire family.
- Scavenger hunt to play outdoors.
- Perfect companion to an outdoor trip.
- Portable and small enough to fit in a pocket.
- Recommended for ages 3 and up.
- Best played with 1 to 6 players.
- Gameplay can last as short as 2 minutes, but has flexible playing time that can continue to be expanded.
- Made with waterproof cards to prevent from damage.
This card game lets everyone go outside and discover the nature through senses. Great for learning nature, language development and image recognition.
- Enhance communication and explore the world together.
- Easy-to-play picture recognition game.
- For ages 3 and over.
- Can be played 3 ways with 3 rules that are conveniently adapted to fit one or more players.
- Fun activities throughout the whole game.
- Versatile card game for outdoors and indoors.
- Non-readers can play by recognizing pictures.
- Discover the world and nature around you in this game.
- Includes 35 Seek and Find cards, 2 drawstring bags, and 2 instruction cards.
To start the game, shuffle the cards and deal 5 cards to each player, then race to find 5 things that match. The word on each card need to resemble the matching item.
The player returns back first wins the game.
- Ideal for ages 7 plus.
- Perfect for 2 to 4 players.
- Competitive and fun game for camping.
- Includes additional deck of card to allow for up to 8 players.
- Similar to shedding type card game like Uno and 3 Up 3 Down.
Start the game by dealing each player 3 cards face-down, 3 cards face-up, and 5 cards for the hand. Remaining cards need to be face-down as the Draw Pile.
The objective of the game is to become the first player to get rid of all cards.
- Fast-moving game that challenges you to name tricks by bidding on them.
- Can be played with 2 to 6 players, but best with 4 players.
- Lasts 45 minutes of playing time.
- Suitable for ages 8 and up.
- Deck of cards are similar to standard deck of playing cards, but only numbers are from 1 to 14 in 4 colors.
Be the first team to reach 300 points by bidding and naming tricks. Be careful to meet the wild Rook, it can change the game.
If you are new to the game, start with beginner rules to get familiar with the gameplay, and then change to regular rules.
- Perfect card game for kids, teens, and adults that makes each other laugh.
- Simple to learn and easy to follow, this is an ultimate icebreaker.
- Party game full of fun and laughter.
- Easy to setup with gameplay lasting about 30 minutes.
- Ideal for 3 to 10 players.
To begin this card game, select 2 Moose Rules that every player must follow, then start drawing a card and follow the instructions.
There are actions such as story telling, rhyme a word, test your memory, name a celebrity, point left, answer questions with a questions and many more.
- Includes 139 cards and 58 tokens.
- Easy to learn in 5 minutes and play lasts 15 minutes.
- Suitable for ages 7 and above.
- Can be played for 2 to 8 players.
There are intensity cards that act from 1 to 10. The group is provided with 3 cards to perform an action and each player is provided with an intensity card to act out.
The goal is to figure out which players are performing on the same intensity level as you. If the intensity cards match, you earn points.
- It is ideal for adults and kids.
- Contains 160 ridiculously fun and unique challenges includes solo, battle royale, buddy up, and duel.
- Playtime lasts 30 to 90 minutes
- Encourages motor skills, self-confidence, teamwork, dexterity, and coordination.
- Ideal for all kinds of occasions including rainy days, ski trips, game nights, and camping.
The objective is to collect many points by betting on the capability to finish a series of challenges making use of seemingly random objects. All players attempt challenges to get ready for a battle of capabilities.
To win the game, get the most points at the end of 10 rounds.
Card Games to Play While Camping: Conclusion
The best card games for camping make the camping pastime experience even better while bettering a union for the family and friends to have fun. Card games are lot more fun and portable compared to board games, that is why many campers prefer these camping friendly card games.
Whether you are going camping with family or a couple of friends, try these card games to maximize the fun during the day or night. In addition, these games are great way to spend quality time in outdoors, learn new skills, and build strong relationship with each other.
One important aspect to consider when looking for the best card game for camping is size, portability, and durability of the cards so they do not get damaged while spending time outdoors. These camping card games are quite different than a regular deck of cards because they are more durable and wet weather proof. Happy camping!