Teach with a fun camping theme! Here is a neat selection of over 30 camping theme lesson plans, activities, free downloads and more. Whether you are setting up a year long classroom decor scheme or just a unit – these camping classroom activities will work.
Here are some great themed math activities, ways to integrate reading and even a firefly science experiment – plus the best camping read aloud books.
Camping Theme in the Classroom
Host a week long event of reading fun. Turn your classroom into a “Camp Read a Lot” and fill your week with different reading days, and add a little ambiance.
Encourage reading by telling your kids to “camp out with a good book” with free bookmarks they can color.
I think that both of these are so fun. You can create a huge classroom tent or try this dollar tree table cloth tent alternative to decorate your class door.
What camping theme would be complete without a fake fire for the classroom? This one is made from rocks, twigs and tissue that I think could stand up to the classroom test.
Camping Classroom Activities
Rock the summer campfire theme with a fireflies and glowsticks science experiment. Your students will be enthralled.
Make a campfire hop activity that will have kids literally hopping around the classroom as they spell out words and try to solve a word puzzle. Great kinesthetic learning activity.
Use a square tissue box to make this fun s’mores roll and graph free download activity and worksheet. They’ll love it!
With some basic art supplies you can pull together an easy campfire handprint craft.
You will win over your students with this measuring marshmallows activity. Blowing “marshmallows” and measuring their distance traveled will be a hit!
Free Camping Theme Printables
Print a how to make s’mores emergent reader to bring in a themed easy reader book.
Work on proofreading skills with a camping themed worksheet.
These all about me mason jar printables would make a cute display for a hallway or back to school night.
Bring poetry into your unit with a free poem: in my sleeping bag. Combine it with this “in my sleeping bag” craft for a winning combination.
Use themed materials when you can. This campfire beginning sounds clip activity printable was always stashed away in my guided reading games folder.
Build in a question of the day with a class graph with a camping question. Easy enough! You can easily make your own.
A lantern following directions craft will be a nice addition to your bulletin board.
No camping retreat would be complete without a S’more. Have your students do a how to make a s’more writing craft.
S’more Camping Treats
To thank parents, add a “need s’more volunteers like you” treat topper to a bag filled with s’more ingredients.
I need s’more students like you treat topper is the perfect end of year treat for your students.
Camping Books for Kids
Here are 11 fantastic books recommended by elementary teachers that they read to their classes. Some are just plain fun and some are more educational – but they’re all about camping! These are affiliate links.
S Is for S’mores: A Camping Alphabet by Helen Foster James
Curious George Goes Camping by Margret & H.A. Rey
Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping by Peggy Parish
Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night by Cynthia Rylant
The Camping Trip that Changed America by Barb Rosenstock
Camping Day by Patricia Lakin
The Boxcar Children: The Camp-Out Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Bailey Goes Camping by Kevin Henkes
Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems by Kristine O’Connell George
What Camping Can Teach Us: Life’s Lessons Learned From The Great Outdoors
Scaredy Squirrel Goes Camping by Mélanie Watt and use these free printable graphic organizers to share the problems Scaredy Squirrel has despite how prepared he is.
There you have it – 30 fantastic ideas and camping themed resources all in one place. Which was your favorite?
More Themed Resources
- 23 Festive Christmas Worksheets for K & 1st
- 54 Fantastic Fall and Thanksgiving Freebies
- 21 Landforms for Kids Activities and Lesson Plans
- 22 Apple-licious Classroom Activities and Freebies
Leslie {aka the original Teach Junkie} loves learning new things to make teaching easier and more effective. She enjoys featuring creative classroom fun when she's not designing teacher shirts, making kindergarten lesson plans or planning her family's next trip to Disney World.