I just planned the most fun camping birthday party! If you have one coming up, us my ideas for a crazy great party night in the outdoors.
Some of my best memories growing up involve camping with my family, and I love the nostalgia of going camping with friends.
My latest adventure felt like a sleepover from when we were kids, but even better because we got to connect with nature and have fun while we are at it.
There’s nothing like finding my inner child again by roasting marshmallows and swapping stories around a fire, then snuggling up under the stars in a tent.
Why not create an excuse to go camping for your next celebration?
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Tips For Hosting A Camping Party
Hosting a camping birthday party is a lot of fun, no matter how old you are – this list works whether you are turning 5 or 50. But you need to be prepared.
You’ve got to consider supplies, like tents, cookware, flashlights, etc.
Then there’s food and drinks, including alcohol, if you’re serving it at your celebration.
And, of course, you can’t forget the most fun parts – games and decorations.
Before we get into the list, here are a few tips that will help you get started with planning your party:
- Make a list of everyone you want to invite. Based on the number of guests, decide whether you will provide tents or ask attendees to bring their own. If you are keeping your crew small, you can bring a large tent (see the “Supplies” section) and have a sleepover!
- Bring a large cooler, snacks, and enough food for dinner and breakfast, but ask everyone to pack any extra snacks they may want or bring a dish to contribute to either meal.
- Keep decorations to a minimum to make setup and cleanup as easy and environmentally friendly as possible. I have a few great ideas listed below in the “Decorations” section.
- If you’re doing party favors, choose items that are useful for camping, such as mini flashlights and packs of hand wipes (see the “Supplies” list for suggestions).
- Don’t stress too much about the planning, and be sure to have fun – it’s your birthday party, after all!
Camping Birthday Party Supplies
Here are the basic necessities you’ll want to have at your camping birthday party. You may already have some of these items on hand, or you can ask your friends to help out by bringing supplies.
This list has some of my favorite camping gear, and you will almost certainly end up using it again next time you go on an outdoor adventure, so you might as well stock up.
1. Large tent
Obviously, one of the most important pieces of equipment you’ll need for your camping party is a good tent! This one fits up to 8 people, so you can have a slumber party with your guests.
2. Small tent
If you want a little *personal space* when it’s time to go to sleep, here’s a smaller tent option.
3. Sleeping bag
4. Flashlights
These super cute flashlights come in packs of 6 and include batteries. They make great, useful party favors for your guests!
7. Hand sanitizing wet wipes
These are great to give out to guests! This 10-pack comes with 20 wipes in each baggie, so they’re perfect to divide up and throw in a party favor bag.
8. Plates and silverware
You can use disposable plates and cutlery if you’d like, but it you camp often and want to cut down on waste, get a cute long-lasting set of portable dishes.
10. Kettle
Pro tip: always bring a kettle camping. You’re definitely going to want this to make hot cocoa at night and coffee in the morning.
11. Enamel mugs
You *could* let guests take one of these adorable camping mugs home… but they are so cute you’re probably going to want to keep them for another trip!
12. Cooler
13. Bluetooth speaker
It’s always lovely to listen to the sounds of nature, but it’s also fun to groove to some tunes at a party. This awesome portable speaker doubles as a color-changing party light! Make sure to bring your phone charger, too.
15. Cookware set
Camping Birthday Decorations and Party Favors
Luckily, the outdoors makes the ideal backdrop for your camping birthday party. You won’t be short on scenic beauty and may want to keep the decorations (and associated cleanup) to a minimum.
Here are the cutest camping birthday party ideas for decorations that work perfectly with the outdoors theme.
16. Cute invitations
These customizable camping birthday party invitations feature adorable watercolor art that will really set the tone for your guests when they receive them.
18. Mini lanterns
This super-affordable set comes with 12 LED lanterns that would look so chic placed or hanging around your campsite.
19. Banner
You can customize this campfire-themed party banner to spell whatever you want!
21. Enchanted flames
This is one of the best camping birthday party ideas I’ve ever seen. How magical are these enchanted flames that turn your campfire into magical changing colors? I’m obsessed!
22. Camping stickers
These water bottle stickers are perfect to use with your invitations or throw into a party favor bag.
23. Camping cake toppers
What’s a birthday party without a cake? These cake toppers are so cute for any age, and they’re perfect for a camping party! You can save and reuse them for another cake or as toys.
The Best Camping Birthday Party Games
The best part of camping is when the tents are set up, the sun goes down, and everyone can relax and play some games around the fire.
For me, that’s when the most bonding happens on a camping trip.
Bring a few games for both active play (like a light-up Frisbee) and chilling on a tree stump (like conversation cards) so everyone has something fun to do.
24. Light-up Frisbee
This flying disc with LED lights flashes different colors. It would be so fun to play with after the sun goes down and everyone’s had a few drinks!
26. Camping playing cards
You can get to know your guests on a deeper level with this deck of camping playing cards. It doubles as a conversation starter because each card features a thought-provoking question.
27. “Would You Rather” campfire edition
Some of the memories of when I’ve laughed the hardest is playing a game of “Would You Rather.” This special campfire edition does the hard part of thinking up the questions for you. Note: this version is kid-friendly!
29. Glow-in-the-dark soft lawn darts
Camping Food and Drink Ideas
There are certain foods that I will always associate with camping. The smell of hot chocolate takes me back to campfires with my family and drinking cocoa under the stars.
And I don’t think I’ve ever eaten beans and weenies outside of a camping trip – it’s the outdoorsy meal I look forward to the most!
Here are a few of the best camping birthday party ideas for food and drinks.
30. Water bottle pack
Pro tip: The most important liquid to bring to your camping birthday party is water. You don’t want anyone getting overheated or dehydrated.
31. Hot cocoa
Gather around the fire with camping-friendly mugs (see the supplies list above) to bond over spooky stories and gossip with some cocoa. The unicorn marshmallows really add a sweet touch to this mix.
32. Coffee
Just because you’re out in the wild doesn’t mean you have to rough it. Bring instant coffee to mix with hot water from a kettle, or bring a pour-over set to make your regular brew. Keep creamer in your cooler or pack a powdered version.
33. S’mores
34. Beans and weenies
A camping classic. Make sure you have the necessary supplies (see the list above) to serve these warm!
35. Mac & cheese
36. Granola bars
37. Hard lemonade
Can’t you just smell the campfire already? I don’t know about you, but this list of camping birthday party ideas has me REALLY excited for my next outdoor adventure with friends. There’s something so special about connecting with loved ones in nature that makes for the best memories.
So, what do you think? Did you find any inspiration for your own camping birthday party? My personal favorite is the enchanted flames that turn your fire into different colors – how cool is that! Let me know in the comments which ideas you like best, or your favorite camping memories!
Related Content
- 53Fun Camping Games for Kids & Adults: The best outdoor (or inside a tent) games to play on a camping trip, no matter what age you are! This list includes great ideas and instructions for games that work for various types of weather and activity levels.
- 43 Camping Scavenger Hunt Ideas and Printables: A scavenger hunt is a great way to get in touch with nature and your fellow hunters, so why not take a few of these scavenger hunt ideas and printables on your camping trip?
- 21+ Best Cornhole Drinking Game Ideas: Cornhole is a classic outdoor game, so you should definitely pack a portable cornhole set for your camping party. Here’s a list with instructions on all the different ways you can turn cornhole into a fun drinking game.