19 camping, book club and community group games

Campfire story chain

Players

3 to 20

Minutes

15 to 30

Ages

6 and up

You need

A campfire or a lantern, and a stick to pass

1. Sit around the fire. One player starts a story with two or three sentences, such as 'A hiker heard a noise near the lake.'
2. Pass the stick to the left. The holder adds the next part of the story.
3. Anyone can pass the stick on without adding.
4. The last player gives the story an ending. With young children, keep it funny rather than scary.

Flashlight tag

Players

5 to 20

Minutes

20 to 30

Ages

7 and up

You need

A flashlight, and an area clear of drops, water and tent lines

1. Walk the play area in daylight and agree on the boundaries.
2. After dark, one player holds the flashlight and counts to 30 while the others hide.
3. The flashlight holder searches and tags players by shining the light on them and calling their name.
4. Tagged players wait at base. The last one found holds the flashlight next.

Glow stick ring toss

Players

2 to 20

Minutes

15

Ages

4 and up

You need

Glow stick bracelets joined into rings, and a stake or a bottle filled with sand

1. Snap the glow sticks and join them into rings.
2. Stand the stake or bottle a few steps from a throwing line.
3. Each player throws three rings per turn.
4. A ring that lands around the target scores. Play after dark so the rings glow.

Camp bingo

Players

3 to 30

Minutes

20 to 30

Ages

5 and up

You need

A different camp bingo card for each player, the call list and pencils

1. Give each camper a card on a clipboard or a flat book.
2. Call the camp words from the list, pausing so everyone can find them.
3. A full line wins. Check it against the called words.
4. Play again for a full card while dinner cooks.

Without a printer: Campers draw a 3 by 3 grid in a notebook and choose nine words as the list is read out.

For this game: Summer camp bingo

Nature scavenger hunt

Players

2 to 30, in small teams

Minutes

30 to 45

Ages

4 and up

You need

A checklist and a bag for each team

1. List things found around the campsite: a pine cone, a feather, something smooth, a leaf with jagged edges, animal tracks.
2. Mark living plants and animals as 'seen' items, to be ticked off and left alone.
3. Teams search within sight of the campsite and return at a set time.
4. Check each list, then return what was collected to where it came from.

Without a printer: Write the list in a notebook for each team.

For this game: Printable scavenger hunt checklist

Camping word search

Players

1 or more

Minutes

10 to 15

Ages

7 and up

You need

A printed word search and a pencil

1. Pack printed puzzles for a rainy afternoon or quiet time in the tent.
2. Campers find each camping word in the grid.
3. Pair a younger child with an older one.
4. Check against the answer page before lights out.

Without a printer: Open the puzzle on a tablet before leaving, in case the campsite has no signal.

For this game: Camping word search

Campfire riddles

Players

3 to 20

Minutes

15

Ages

6 and up

You need

A list of riddles with answers

1. One person reads a riddle aloud by flashlight.
2. Campers call out guesses.
3. If nobody has it after a minute, give a hint.
4. The camper who solves it reads the next riddle.

For this game: What am I riddles with answers

Shadow puppet guessing

Players

3 to 15

Minutes

10 to 15

Ages

4 and up

You need

A flashlight and a tent wall or a pale sheet

1. Shine the flashlight onto the tent wall from a few feet away.
2. A player puts their hands in the beam to make an animal shape, such as a dog, a bird or a rabbit.
3. The others guess the animal.
4. The right guesser makes the next shape.

Book club bingo

Players

4 to 20

Minutes

Runs through the meeting

Ages

Adults

You need

A different book club bingo card for each member, and pens

1. Hand out the cards at the start of the meeting.
2. Members mark a word when someone uses it in the discussion, such as chapter, author or genre.
3. The first full line calls bingo and reads the words back.
4. The winner chooses the snacks for the next meeting.

Without a printer: Post the card as an image in the club's group chat, and members keep track on paper.

For this game: Book club bingo

First line guess

Players

4 to 20

Minutes

15 to 20

Ages

Adults

You need

Ten well-known books, and paper and pens

1. The host reads the first line of a well-known book without saying its title.
2. Members write down the title and the author.
3. Include a few books the club has already read.
4. Reveal each book after the guesses. A right title and a right author score a point each.

Character hot seat

Players

4 to 15

Minutes

15 to 30

Ages

Adults

You need

The club's current book

1. Play it after everyone has finished the book, so nothing is spoiled.
2. A member volunteers to answer as one character from the book.
3. Others ask them questions, such as why they made a key choice or what they think of another character.
4. The volunteer answers in character, using the book for support. Swap characters every five minutes.

Cast the film

Players

3 to 15

Minutes

15 to 20

Ages

Adults

You need

Paper and pens

1. Each member casts the book's main characters with actors of their choice.
2. Read the casts aloud, one character at a time.
3. The group votes for the best choice for each role.
4. Finish by choosing a director and a filming location.

Book spine poems

Players

3 to 15

Minutes

15 to 20

Ages

10 and up

You need

A shelf of books, or the members' own

1. Each member stacks four to six books so the titles on the spines read as a short poem.
2. Take a photo of each stack.
3. Read the poems aloud.
4. The group votes for a favorite.

Book title charades

Players

6 to 20, in two teams

Minutes

20 to 30

Ages

12 and up

You need

Blank cards and pens

1. Each member writes three book titles on blank cards, mixing classics and club picks.
2. A player draws a card from the other team's pile and acts it out without speaking.
3. Their team has one minute to guess the title.
4. Naming the author as well earns a bonus point.

Without a printer: Write the titles on torn strips of paper.

For this game: Printable blank charades cards

Book swap gift exchange

Players

6 to 20

Minutes

20 to 30

Ages

Adults

You need

One wrapped book from each member, and a numbered card for each

1. Each member wraps a book they have enjoyed and writes one hint on the paper, such as 'set at sea'.
2. Members draw numbers.
3. Number one unwraps a book. Each next member either unwraps a new book or takes one already opened, and the member who lost it picks again.
4. A book can change hands only twice. Everyone leaves with a book.

Without a printer: Write numbers on folded slips and draw them from a cup.

For this game: Printable gift exchange numbers

New members bingo

Players

10 to 60

Minutes

15 to 20

Ages

10 and up

You need

A custom bingo card and a pen for each member

1. Make cards with squares tied to the club, such as 'joined this year', 'has led an outing' or 'has been a member over five years'.
2. Members mingle and find someone who fits each square.
3. That person signs the square.
4. The first full line wins. Introduce the winner and the people who signed their card.

Without a printer: Read the squares aloud while members list them on any paper and collect a name beside each.

Club quiz board

Players

6 to 40, in three or four teams

Minutes

30 to 45

Ages

All ages

You need

A laptop, a projector or TV, and 25 questions about the club's activity

1. Write questions in five categories tied to the club, such as its history, local places and the hobby itself.
2. Load them into the quiz board maker and put the board on a big screen.
3. Teams take turns choosing a square. Every team writes an answer, and each team that is right scores.
4. Save the board and add new questions for the next season.

Club tournament

Players

4 to 16 players or pairs

Minutes

60 to 120

Ages

All ages

You need

A bracket sheet, and the club's game, such as chess, checkers, table tennis or cards

1. Draw names at random onto the bracket, so nobody picks their first opponent.
2. Play single games, or best of three if time allows.
3. Each winner moves to the next round of the bracket. Players out in the first round can play a second bracket.
4. Post the bracket on the wall and fill it in as the night goes on.

Without a printer: Draw the bracket on a whiteboard.

For this game: 8-team printable tournament bracket

Question card swap

Players

10 to 80

Minutes

15

Ages

10 and up

You need

A name tag and a card with a light question for each member

1. Give each member a name tag and a card with a question, such as 'What is the best place you have walked to?'
2. Members pair up and ask each other the question on their cards.
3. After each chat, the two swap cards and move on to a new partner.
4. Stop after ten minutes and ask a few members for the best answer they heard.

Without a printer: Write names on strips of tape and questions on index cards.

For this game: Printable name tags