Ooooo that is the best bit of the evening! When I camp with nephew and niece, it is glow sticks all round on a fine night and they can gallop around with campstie chums outside till bedtime at about 10ish. We also have books, board games (especially Pass the Pigs) Boggle, daft memory games, charades etc are all great for damp evenings.
And on the last night we have a glowstick party. This has been a good way to maintain behaviour too throughout the trip. Good behaviour ( e.g. doing something when asked only once, being spontaneously nice and helpful to each other) gains "points" . Points are recorded each day. On the last night the points accumulated are exchanged for glowsticks. If everyone has also maintained good behaviour throughout the trip, everyone's points are doubled. We play music on the iPod that night, eat favourite party foods and the tent ends up festooned with all the glowsticks!
I also take our musical instruments on trips as camping gives us lots of time to noodle around on guitar, banjo and dulcimer too. (But obviously not so late at night as to annoy neigbhours!)
So apart from iPod as a source of music we don't have any plug-in entertainments at all and we really don't miss them either.
I have loved the comments about Yahtzee noise. Last year we were pitched next to a family of three that played cards each night....They were SOOOOO noisy!
Can't believe no one has mentioned Bananagrams. One of our favourite games. Kids also like connect 4 but can be noisy later on. We also have Nintendo UNO.
I usually get the kids a puzzle book each plus they have a holiday diary which they write in each night. Plus loads of pictures and they leave space for photos. We started this when they learnt to write so have a few books now but they are lovely memories. It is also a great way of seeing what they enjoyed the most and whch bits they remember....our eldest used to just list the things he had eaten all day!
------------- If you see a family struggling to put up the tent then it must be us!
We have a small games compendium and take the Travel version of the Great Game of Britain - one of the best board games for fans of British geography and the steam railways of old. Comes out almost every evening whilst on site!
You have to get to several random destinations and back to London, crossing railway companies and facing obstructions and chance type cards that send you to the opposite end of the country or to join other players etc. You even get the chance to block your components...
Quote: Originally posted by special_k on 07/5/2010
Quote: Originally posted by HarryBear on 07/5/2010
Oh, and we took a book to read to all the children. Last year was "You're a Bad Man, Mr Gumm" and I've got Kensuke's Kingdom saved for this year. A chapter a night seemed to do the trick.
What a lovely idea i remember doing this with my older guys when they were little before bed we used to snuggle up and a chapter a night.Will have to find something for my 5 year old to enjoy in cornwall.
Most of the other games suggested we use a few ideas to pinch ty.
We also like "beetle game " but we take it in turns for someone to choose an animal person that can be made in 6 dice rolls ie
Dad drunk,
1= head (funnier the better)
2= beer belly
3= arms(can in hand
4= legs
5= eyes
6= mouth etc 1st prize to who gets all body parts 1st next prize for funniest drawing. this game can be adapted in loads of ways. had many a night giggling playing this with guys.
Quote: Originally posted by valbarley on 10/5/2010
Quote: Originally posted by special_k on 07/5/2010
Quote: Originally posted by HarryBear on 07/5/2010
Oh, and we took a book to read to all the children. Last year was "You're a Bad Man, Mr Gumm" and I've got Kensuke's Kingdom saved for this year. A chapter a night seemed to do the trick.
What a lovely idea i remember doing this with my older guys when they were little before bed we used to snuggle up and a chapter a night.Will have to find something for my 5 year old to enjoy in cornwall.
Most of the other games suggested we use a few ideas to pinch ty.
We also like "beetle game " but we take it in turns for someone to choose an animal person that can be made in 6 dice rolls ie
Dad drunk,
1= head (funnier the better)
2= beer belly
3= arms(can in hand
4= legs
5= eyes
6= mouth etc 1st prize to who gets all body parts 1st next prize for funniest drawing. this game can be adapted in loads of ways. had many a night giggling playing this with guys.
I like the evenings when my grandchildren AKA the brats sit and chat about their hopes and ambitions for the future, about girlfriends, boyfriends, likes and dislikes re food, clothes etc. But most of all "what are we doing tommorow, grandad " so planning that can take ages depending on the weather, so out come maps, guides a drink or three, and when its finally decided... its bedtime.
My two boys had DSs to take camping this year, for the first time. I was a bit worried that the DSs would replace their normal activities, but hoped they would provide entertainment on the rare occasion that OH and I wanted to mooch round a shop or something. In the end, they were only used at night, when they went to bed, and then for only 5 minutes before they crashed. I was running out of games ideas though, but thanks to this thread have Lego Robots and the Great Britain Steam game on order. Plus lots of great ideas for 'thinking' games
for those monopoly fans we bought the monopoly card game - its fantastic the same monopoly feel but much quicker gameplay .
to be honest the kids don;t usually come in until 9 and by then my 6 year old is ready to drop so a quick hot choc , game of snap or snakes and ladders and her is ready for bed .
for me half of the fun of camping is having time with my husband without any electrical distractions - its amazing how much we find to talk about !!!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: when its dark!
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