10+ Camping Crafts for Kids That Won’t Drive You Nuts (And Actually Work at a Campsite)
Some crafts sound cute until you’re out in the woods trying to glue sequins to a soggy pinecone while your youngest is licking a stick.
This list? It’s for real-life camping with real-life kids.
The kind who lose interest fast, cover themselves in glue, or demand a new activity every 6 minutes.
These camping crafts are low-prep, fun-ish, and just the right level of chaos.
Bonus: most use stuff you already have, or can grab from Amazon before your trip.
🛒 Must-Have Craft Supplies for Campsite Fun
- ✅ Waterproof Craft Caddy – Keeps everything organized, even when your toddler insists on “helping” 👉 Shop Waterproof Craft Caddies
- ✅ Non-Toxic Washable Paints – Because nature is the canvas, and your kids will paint *everything* 👉 Shop Washable Paints
- ✅ Wood Slices & Craft Sticks – Great for nature signs, ornaments, and “mystery stick creatures” 👉 Shop Wood Slices
- ✅ Nature Scavenger Hunt Cards – Perfect starter for crafty inspiration 👉 Shop Scavenger Hunt Cards
- ✅ Glue Dots & Kid-Safe Scissors – No mess, no drama, just stick-and-snips fun 👉 Shop Craft Glue Dots
Disclosure: We used a mix of Canva Pro and AI-generated images to help illustrate ideas in this post. Also, some of the links here are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Everything we recommend comes from our own experiences and honest opinions. Hope you find this helpful! Thanks for being here!
1. 🦔 Pinecone Pets
Collect pinecones, grab some googly eyes and glue, and suddenly you’ve got a forest full of tiny hedgehog monsters.
🧠 Parent Pro Tip: Keep the craft glue flowing but hide the glitter. These become forest “friends” they’ll play with all day.
- ⏱️ Time Killer Rating: 30+ minutes
- 😬 Meltdown Meter: Low risk
- 📦 Essentials:
2. 🎨 Rock Painting (Still a Classic)
Hand them paint pens and let them turn rocks into bugs, monsters, or campsite “warning signs.”
This one always works.
🧠 Parent Pro Tip: Bring a paper plate as a painting surface. No need to clean the table… or your own lap.
- ⏱️ Time Killer Rating: 45 minutes
- 😬 Meltdown Meter: Chill if you avoid open paint
- 📦 Essentials:
3. 📿 Nature Necklaces Or Bracelets
Twine + holey leaves + beads = campsite fashion show.
You might get 20 minutes or a full hour depending on how into it they are.
🧠 Parent Pro Tip: Tie a knot at one end before you hand it over. Trust me.
- ⏱️ Time Killer Rating: 20–40 minutes
- 😬 Meltdown Meter: Safe if they don’t drop all the beads
- 📦 Essentials:
4. 🌲 Stick Weaving
Find two sticks, add yarn, and let them weave in leaves, grass, or flowers.
Calm, sensory-friendly, and shockingly pretty.
🧠 Parent Pro Tip: Great for kids who need a moment of focus after fighting over the headlamp.
- ⏱️ Time Killer Rating: 30 minutes if they’re into it
- 😬 Meltdown Meter: High risk if yarn tangles
- 📦 Essentials:
5. 🔥 Paper Campfire Collage
Can’t build the fire yet? Make one with paper.
Use sticks for logs, cut out flame shapes, and let them decorate with stickers.
🧠 Parent Pro Tip: Use it as a stall tactic while the real fire gets going.
- ⏱️ Time Killer Rating: 15–25 minutes
- 😬 Meltdown Meter: Only works if no one’s hangry
- 📦 Essentials:
6. 🐛 Egg Carton Critters
Bring a couple egg cartons, cut them up, and let kids paint or glue on faces to make worms, caterpillars, or aliens.
🛠️ The Steps:
- Cut the carton into individual cups or a strip of 2–3 connected cups (for caterpillars).
- Let kids paint or color them.
- Add googly eyes and pipe cleaners for legs, antennae, or tails.
- Bonus: turn them into worms, bugs, aliens, or even pinecone helmets. 😄
🧠 Parent Pro Tip: You will be the one cutting the cartons. Accept it.
- ⏱️ Time Killer Rating: 30–45 minutes
- 😬 Meltdown Meter: Low if you set it up ahead of time
- 📦 Essentials:
7. 📓 DIY Nature Journals
Let them decorate a blank journal and fill it with leaf rubbings, bug drawings, or weird made-up camp stories.
🧠 Parent Pro Tip: Sticker packs = journaling fuel. Give ‘em freedom to draw whatever, even if it’s poop monsters.
- ⏱️ Time Killer Rating: Ongoing
- 😬 Meltdown Meter: Zero
- 📦 Essentials:
8. 🍁 Leaf Rubbing Art
Flat leaf + paper + crayon = surprisingly satisfying art.
Add eyes and turn it into a leaf creature for bonus time.
🧠 Parent Pro Tip: Keep those old-school crayons. This one works every time and even toddlers can do it.
- ⏱️ Time Killer Rating: 20 minutes
- 😬 Meltdown Meter: None
- 📦 Essentials:
9. ☀️ Sun Catchers
Stick leaves and petals onto pre-cut contact paper to make campy window hangers.
You bring sheets of clear contact paper, peel off the backing, and let kids stick leaves, flower petals, feathers, or grassdirectly onto the sticky side.
Then you seal it with another piece of contact paper on top—kind of like a nature sandwich.
🔆 The Result:
You get a flat, translucent panel with colorful bits of nature trapped inside. When you hold it up to the sun (or hang it in a car or tent window), it makes a simple sun catcher.
🧠 Parent Pro Tip: Prep the paper at home or they will stick it to your hair/tent/themselves.
- ⏱️ Time Killer Rating: 25 minutes
- 😬 Meltdown Meter: Moderate without supervision
- 📦 Essentials:
10. ⛺ Campground Collage
Let them glue sand, bark, petals, or whatever they find onto a piece of cardboard.
No rules. No “wrong” way.
🧠 Parent Pro Tip: It won’t be cute. Don’t pretend it will be. But it will keep them busy.
- ⏱️ Time Killer Rating: 15–20 minutes
- 😬 Meltdown Meter: None if you don’t care about mess
- 📦 Essentials:
11. Custom Lantern Jars
Grab a mason jar, fill it with battery fairy lights, then decorate the outside with stickers, tissue paper, or even pressed leaves.
Instant cozy glow, made by your littles!
🧺 Pro Move: Pack a “Craft Kit to Go”
Throw these in a tote and you’re ready for rainy hours, sibling arguments, and post-lunch meltdowns.
- ✅ Collapsible Craft Table
- ✅ Washable Art Smocks
- ✅ Zipper Organizer for Craft Supplies or portable craft organizer
- ✅ Travel Baby Wipes – for gluey hands, painty noses, and… whatever else
Pair these with our Camping Activities for Kids post and you’ve officially earned your parent scout badge in “Keeping Kids Busy Without Losing It.” 🏕️
Have a favorite camping craft your family swears by?
Drop it in the comments—we love stealing your genius ideas! 💬✨
