Whether you’re roughing it in the wilderness, sleeping in a motorhome, or enjoying comfortable cabins at a first-class camp in the mountains, camping is all about friends and family! Your kids will have a blast designing an obstacle course, planning a family trip, creating a fictional story, and writing a summer acrostic. All they need are pencil and paper, these writing prompts about camping, and a vivid imagination.
And maybe a tent.
1. Overcoming Obstacles
You’ve been hired to design an obstacle course for a mountain summer camp. On plain or graph paper, draw out your obstacle course. Then, write instructions for campers explaining to them how to navigate the obstacle course step by step.
Challenge: In place of weak verbs such as go, walk, or climb, use stronger verbs such as leap, race, or scramble.
2. Would You Rather…
Summer’s almost over, and your parents have asked you to pick a place for your last camping trip of the season. Would you rather tent camp at the beach, backpack in the mountains, or take a road trip in a motorhome? Why? Write about three things you might see or do on your family adventure, making sure to include some descriptive details.
3. Adventure in the Forest
Write a story about a camping adventure in the forest. Use at least six of these words in your story: tent, campfire, shadow, noise, tree, sleeping bag, cereal, backpack, trash, bear, owl, flashlight, camera, wooden spoon. Your story can be real or imaginary.
4. Scavenger Hunt
Several families have joined together for a weekend camping trip, and you’re in charge of the scavenger hunt! Each team will need to explore the area in search of different items. Make a list of 20 things everyone will be asked to collect. Include both items from nature (such as a moss-covered twig or a seashell with scalloped edges) and things people might leave around (such as a bottle cap or a plastic bag). Keep in mind the area folks will be scavenging so the list is realistic.
While you’re at it, think of a perfect prize for the winning team!
5. Camp-crostics
Write an acrostic poem for the word “CAMPING.” Here is one example:
C rackling logs on the fire
A waking to the smell of bacon
M orning hike to the lake
P addling our canoe
I ce chest filled with cold drinks
N ature all around
G etting dirty is half the fun!
If you enjoyed these engaging writing prompts, you’ll find new ones every week—along with hundreds more—in the Writing Prompt Wednesdays archive!