20 Campfire Games for Kids and Adults to Play

Gathering family and friends around a campfire calls for an epic night of games. Whether spending an evening in the backyard or trekking to a favorite camp spot, these 20 activities will get everyone mingling and having fun. See how quickly you can get through the list then add a few of your own. Good luck! 

1. Would You Rather - This fast fire game is perfect for all ages. Try our list of questions or make up your own and compile a master list. Take turns putting someone in the hot seat and ask away!
2. Number Game - It may sound easy, but it takes a lot of skill to stay in the game. To start, a member of the group stands up and says the number "one." Guests follow suit by standing and saying the next number. The trick is no two people can get up and say a number at the same time. If that happens, both players are out. 
3. Sleeping Bag Races - Grab your warm and cozy snoozing apparatus then head to the starting line and see who can hop their way to the finish the fastest! If that gets too easy, create an obstacle course.
4. Ghost Stories - Dancing shadows and eerie nature sounds are the perfect backdrop for scary story telling. Tell a good ghost story and let others tell theirs and then take a vote to see who has best or scariest tale of all.
5. Telephone - This classic game is always a good time! Circle up around the fire and choose someone to come up with a phrase of at least five to six words then whisper it to their neighbor. That person will whisper it to their neighbor and continue around the circle until it makes it back to the first person who started the game. Find out how words and meanings changed along the way when the person who started the sequence says the "new" phrase out loud.
6. Name Game - Whoever is selected to go first starts by saying the first and last name of a famous individual.  The next person must quickly name another notable person using the first letter of the last name. For example, if someone says Stephen Curry, the next person would name a famous person whose first name starts with "C" like Carrie Fisher. Set a fixed amount of time for players to come up with a name. If they cannot come up with a name in time, they are out.
7. Two Truths and a Lie - How well do you know your campfire crew? Find out when you go around the group revealing two personal life facts and one lie. Vote as a group which statement out of the three you think is far from the truth or take turns letting people separate fact from fiction. Those who fool the group go onto round two to try to do it again.
8. Stick Gathering - A roaring fire starts with a big pile of sticks and logs to fuel the fun. Turn this chore into a game and divide into teams to see who can build the tallest kindling tower the fastest.

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9. Charades - Fire light is an excellent backdrop for a rousing game of charades. Write down words or phrases covering a range of topics like movies, books, television shows, music, sports, etc. Go head-to-head as a team or play as individuals for ultimate bragging rights. 
10. Campfire Consequences - This campfire game is a lot of fun and can be played with any number of people. Start by folding a piece of paper into thirds lengthwise. Then have each player write their name on the top line, followed by an adjective on the second line and a noun on the third line. Once everyone has done this, fold the paper so that only the adjectives are showing and mix them all up. Then do the same with the nouns. Players then take turns drawing the paper and guessing who they think the list is describing.
11. Memory - How good is your memory? Find out when you go on a treasure hunt and take along lots of provisions. The first person starts by saying "I'm going on a treasure hunt and I'm bringing _(item)___ with me." The next person repeats the phrase listing what items everyone is bringing and adding their own. 
12. Silly Camp Songs - Bring a guitar or another musical instrument or find some sticks and rocks and make your own nature jam band. Take turns in groups or as individuals performing the silliest song. Judge American Idol-style or let the group vote with applause. 

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13. Bingo - Before the party or campout, pass out Bingo cards to guests with words, phrases and sayings you might hear during a night under the stars. You can include things like "fire," "tent," "Band-Aid" - or anything else you can think of. Distribute cards at the start of the trip and tell people to check off their cards when they hear key phrases. The first person to fill their card is the winner. 
14. Sleeping Fish - This is a fabulous way to get little ones to calm down before bed. Ask everyone to lie down in sleeping bags and be as quiet and still as sleeping fish. Once a "fish" sneezes, twitches, laughs or talks, they are out of the game. Weed out the awake fish and see who takes the title as the snooziest fish. 
15. Mosquito Bites - Give everyone a sheet of red dot stickers and choose a common word or phrase that no one is allowed to say during the evening. If you catch someone saying the word, stick a red dot on that person and give them a "mosquito bite." At the end of the evening or the trip, see who has the fewest and the most "bites." Give prizes for both. 
16. Name that Tune - Divide into teams and come up with a tune you know will stump your opponents.  Offer a short clue about the song and start the bidding war to see how many notes it will take for competitors to name that tune. 

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17. Chubby Bunny - Make sure to stock up on marshmallows and you'll have instant campfire entertainment! See how many marshmallows each person can stuff into their mouth and say "Chubby Bunny" clearly. Count as each contestant adds more fluffy sweetness then declare a winner. 
18. Hot Potato - Make a circle around the campfire and choose an object to be the "hot potato." Assign one person to turn their back to the group and play some music or make up a song as the object gets passed from person to person as fast as possible. When the music stops, whoever is holding the "hot potato" is out of the game. Continue until one champion remains.
19. Flashlight Limbo - Have some flexible fun with a round of flashlight limbo. Using the beam of light, hold it straight across as contestants go underneath without touching the light. Keep lowering the glowing bar to see how low you can go!
20. Clean Up Game - It's time to go home but the fun doesn't have to be over. Bring a stopwatch and poster board and assign teams a list of chores to complete. Time teams as they roll up sleeping bags, clean up trash and get ready to say goodbye. Let the winning team choose the first game to play the next time you head out for fun around the campfire. 

Whether you're into word games or storytelling, there's something for everyone on this list. So, gather your friends and family around the campfire and get ready to have some fun!      

Courtney McLaughlin is a freelance writer in Charlotte, N.C. She gratefully shares her life, home and heart with her daughter and their dog.

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