Updated on: Feb 20, 2024
If you are looking for a great outdoor-themed celebration, having a camping theme party is the perfect nostalgic summer vibe. Everyone will reminisce about their childhood playing outside, eating s’mores, sitting by the fire, and telling scary stories. Who says growing up has to be boring? This party idea is great for kids, teens, and grown adults. Here is a list of ideas for your next camping theme party to impress guests whether you go out in the woods or stay in your backyard. And to make your party planning a breeze, be sure to download our handy dandy budgeting tool as well as gift ideas to get you going.
Camping Theme Party Decorations
1. Lighting
Decorative lighting is an excellent idea for an evening party. You can place tiki torches at intervals around your yard or hang miniature camping lantern string lights from the trees or ceiling. Set up actual camping lanterns to guide your guests around your party area. You can also use citronella candles, which can be great décor and also practical as they help keep the bugs at bay.
2. Camping Creatures
Decorate your party area with plenty of creatures that you might see if you were actually camping. These supplies can be rubber bugs, rubber snakes and rubber lizards to place around your tent or tables, and large stuffed bears or plush wolves to be hidden in the trees. To make this more effective for a nighttime party use glow-in-the- rubber creatures and spotlight your stuffed animals with a flashlight or lantern.
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3. Flags
These decorations can double as a party activity. Have your guests decorate pillowcases and then tie them to a long stick. Place the flags around your party area to claim your territory.
4. Logs
To create an authentic woodsy feel, use log stools instead of chairs. This idea works best around the fire and if you do not plan on having a sit-down meal at a table.
5. Night Décor
To create an indoor nature theme scene, drape the walls with black fabric and attach glow-in-the-dark stars and a moon. Keep the lights off and use camping lanterns for light. To complete the effect, play a night soundtrack on your phone.
Camping Theme Party Favors
6. Light It Up!
Glow sticks and light-up items are an excellent party favor for this theme. These campsite giveaways are definitely a necessity when camping so you can never have enough! Purchase some that are fun such as different shapes or exciting color combinations.
7. Lanterns
Flashlights and handheld lanterns are also great tent party prize ideas. Find some that are practical and easy to carry. Tie a pretty colored ribbon to this favor in order to add a personal touch.
8. Find Your Way!
Give your guests their very own pocket compass that will always lead them in the direction they want to go! This is a great tool to have when you go camping in case there is an emergency situation!
9. Yummy S’mores!
Your guests will absolutely love this party favor! Put together some delicious s’more making materials, such as Hershey’s chocolate bars, marshmallows, and graham crackers. Arrange all these items in a decorative manner by tying them together with ribbon or bows. Add some roasting sticks to the bundle so your guests are ready to go!
10. Starry Sky!
An adorable idea for a prize is to give out the glow in the dark star stickers. Your guests can stick these on their bedroom ceilings at home so they can gaze at a beautiful starry sky as they fall asleep!
11. S’more Skewers
Provide guests with some quality metallic skewers that they can bring with them wherever they go camping. These skewers are great for cooking s’mores, along with other tasty snacks they’ve been craving! Purchase some that are colorful and fun. You can also pick some out that have fun shapes or unique designs!
12. Thermos Containers
Use a thermos to keep all of your giveaways together. This is a creative favor holder that is an easy way of bringing the gifts home. It is also a great addition to their useful camping supplies!
Camping Theme Party Activities
13. Scavenger Hunt
Tweak the traditional scavenger hunt activity to fit with your camping theme. Fill a bag or pillowcase with items that relate to camping and tents, like flashlights, bandannas, trail mix , and glow sticks. Hide it somewhere in your house or in your yard. You can hide several of them, one for each team or hide only one for the team that finds it first. Once they are hidden, give each team the coordinates of the bag and a compass. You can also set up several clues that will lead the teams to their bag.
14. Ghost Stories
This is a perfect tent party activity to do around a campfire in the dark. Have all of your guests bring their favorite ghost stories to share with the group and have them take turns sharing them around the fire. Or you can find a book of campfire stories and read them to your guests.
15. Campfire
Build a campfire to enjoy at your party. For an indoor party, you can use the fireplace, and for an outdoor party, you can use an actual fire pit. For a fireless option, use a fake firelight and make it feel real with a fan to agitate the “flames” with this campsite activity.
16. Flashlight Tag
This activity is a game you can play in the dark. Give the person who is “it” a flashlight and give everyone else several seconds to scatter. If a guest is illuminated by the flashlight beam he or she becomes “it.”
Camping Theme Party: Conclusion
We hope you find the perfect treats and goodies for your perfect camping theme party. Whether it's outdoors or in the comfort of your home, these little hacks will ensure you have a wonderfully planned event.
Written by Jessica Bundy and Becky Smith; Contributor: Royce Legaspi