One of the most exciting things to do in summer is sitting around a campfire with friends and family.

Camping trips are more fun when you get to enjoy all of the activities that come with them, like roasting marshmallows or playing campfire games!

Campfire games can be played by children and adults alike. They are a great way to keep people entertained at night while out in the wilderness.

The best part is they often don’t require any supplies other than what’s already in your camping gear.

We will teach you how to play the 30 best campfire games for all ages.

1. Red Light, Green Light

Red Light! Green Light! As a Halloween surprise, we brought Squid Game to life in LA's Koreatown as a one-day event for locals to who dared to play pic.twitter.com/fjEe4toPXo

— Netflix (@netflix) October 30, 2021

Red Light, Green Light game is a classic campfire pastime that became insanely popular thanks to one of Netflix’s most-watched shows: Squid Game.

The game of Red Light, Green Light is a rather simple and easy-to-learn game. It can be played by any number of players on your road. The goal of the game is to reach the end of the road without getting “caught.”

The person starting at the beginning (or “finish”) of the road counts off 10-20 strides while walking backward.

At this point, they yell out “Green Light!” and all players on the road start running towards them. As they get closer to him, he yells out “Red Light!” and everyone has to stop in place where they are for two seconds before moving again.

If someone gets caught during this time, they have to return to their original spot on the road and restart from 10-20 strides back.

The first player to cross the finish line is the winner.

Sometimes, as an even greater challenge, one can play “Double Red Light” in which if someone gets caught after crossing the finish line, they have to start all over again at “Green Light.”

Sometimes, too, players will make up additional rules for extra difficulty.

The game has no set official list of rules. This means that you can tailor this game to your particular situation or location.

Have fun with it!

2. Make Me Laugh

First, everybody sits in a circle.

Next, somebody starts the game by telling a joke and gets three chances to make somebody else laugh. The person they’re trying to make laugh is the judge and will only say “yes” or “no”. If the majority of people say no after three tries, then that person becomes the judge, and others who were originally judges now try to make them laugh.

If the majority of people say yes after three tries, then that person becomes the joke teller. Now everyone else gets a chance to tell jokes and all judges can laugh at them if they’re good enough. Jokes must be told only one time. If you have already told your joke before, then you are out of luck, for this round that is.

Now the game starts again with someone else trying to make another person laugh.

The last person who is able to make every judge laugh wins! (This means it could be more than one person if there’s more than one judge.)

Everybody votes for person 1, so he/she becomes the judge. The other players tell their jokes and if they don’t work out in the judge’s favor, then that player becomes a judge and tries to make others laugh with their joke. The last one who makes every joke work is the winner! (In this case, it would be person 1.)

The game ends when everyone except one person has become a winner. That way, you’re guaranteed not to be left without playing at all.

The majority says yes, so person 3 becomes the judge. The other players tell their jokes, and if they don’t work out in the judges’ favor, then that player becomes a judge and tries to make others laugh with their joke. The last one who makes every joke work is the winner! (In this case, it would be person 3.)

3. Truth or Dare

Truth or Dare? is one of the most popular games, especially among teenagers. The game can be very entertaining, and it can go on for hours.

The first step to playing the game is to create a set of rules. These rules can be made during the game whenever something needs to be clarified.

The basic rules are that every person has five lives before they are out of the game. The player who currently has their turn asks either another player “Truth or Dare”?

If they don’t want to answer the truth, they can pick “Dare”. The dares are usually embarrassing things like kissing someone for 5 seconds, singing a song, or doing a silly dance in front of everyone else. If the player doesn’t want to pick either truth or dare, they can pick “pass.”

If they complete the dare in time, their lives are restored, and if not…they are out of the game.

A great way to save some lives is to complete dares that aren’t too dangerous. For example, instead of kissing someone on the lips, why not kiss them on their cheek? Or give a hug instead of giving them a kiss on the cheek.

If playing with teens, it is important to make the rules clear such as not having to answer any question that will hurt someone. If they want to pick truth or dare then they should be able to choose anything. It is also essential to stay on track and keep the game going.

4. Sound Train

The game is called “Sound Train” because you are trying to think of different words that start with the same sound. You can choose any word to begin with or use one word throughout the game.

To start, one person says a word that has the sound at its beginning, for example “p”. Then, each successive player must say a word that starts with the same sound.

For instance, if the first person said “p”, then the next person would say something like “pickle.” Once someone cannot think of a new word, they are out. The last person still in wins!

5. Telephone

To play the Telephone classic campfire game, everyone stands in one line a few feet apart.

The first person starts by whispering a phrase to the one standing or next to him or her. That person will then whisper what he or she heard to the next person and so on. The last player then says out loud what he or she heard.

Naturally, the phrase is frequently altered on its way, resulting in amusement for everyone involved!

6. Name That Tune

Get a musician. You can play this campfire game without one, but it’s much more fun with someone who brought a guitar and knows the names and artists of famous songs and instrumental mash-ups (and isn’t afraid to sing).

Start by having your musician start playing a song, then wait for the first person to shout out an answer or something along those lines.

If that person is wrong, people can still try to guess until someone suggests correctly this time. The point goes to the one who first guesses correctly in this round. In future rounds, you can either continue where you left off — or restart from scratch if everyone agrees.

7. Charades

The game of Charades usually begins with one individual acting out the title of a play, novel, song, television program, or film without speaking.

The goal is for this person’s teammates to guess what they are acting out. Teams take turns acting out titles. The team guesses at their turn, and if nobody can guess it within three tries, another teammate can try.

For example, the rule of this round can be set to only the “Movies” category. So let’s say the answer is “Star Wars”. The person can begin to act like he or she is wielding a lightsaber.

It’s also important to note that you are not allowed to make any noises or speak whatsoever while trying to act out your title. If you’re found guilty of doing either of these things, then your team is disqualified.

8. Two Truths And A Lie

To play this “Two Truths and A Lie” game, players often tell two true things about themselves and one lie. Then everyone votes on which statement they think is the lie.

The objective of this game is to be as convincing as possible when telling an answer and vote for any answer that you believe is not true. The more convincing your answers are, the more likely it will be that someone will vote for your false statement!

Here are some examples:

9. Beer Pong

Who doesn’t love a good game of beer pong? This oldie drinking contest is just as fun outside at the campsite or house party.

You only need a few things to play: cups, ping-pong balls, and your favorite alcoholic drink for this beer pong game.

But first things first – find an open space on level ground or a picnic table. Arrange the cups like a typical bowling pins position. Fill up the cups with beer. Then get ready for some drinking fun!

Split up into two teams and have an elimination tournament. Each team will take turns tossing the ping pong ball in hopes that it lands on your opponent’s cup, but if a ping pong ball falls into your team’s cups, one of your teammates has to down a drink.

The game continues until all beer is gone; once everyone has had a few laughs along the way we can call it quits – unless someone wants another round.

10. The Winking Assassin

A dark night around the glow of a campfire is how this game should be played. It’s an escape into some good old-fashioned deception, where one person has to kill another without being discovered while also protecting themselves from getting caught in their own schemes.

This is how the game is played:

Except for one player who is chosen as the godfather, all of the players close their eyes.

The godfather taps one of the other players on the shoulder in secret. The slouched player now becomes known as the winker or assassin. He or she must eliminate other players one by one using a well-timed wink but must do so without anyone seeing him do it.

As soon as someone dies with a wink – he or she sinks to his or her knees and remains motionless – but if anyone sees the assassin winking and yells, “he’s the winker!”,” he or she loses instantly.

11. Would You Rather

You’ll need a group of people and some paper/pencils. Ask everyone to write down three “would you rather” questions. These can be anything you can think of, but below are some examples:

• Would you rather get a million dollars or kiss the person of your dreams?
• Would you rather be rich and lonely than poor and loved?
• Would you rather go to space or stay on earth?

Now pass out the pieces of paper/pencils, and each person chooses one.

After they’ve made their choice, they announce it and read their question to the group.

If more than one person picked the same question, then all those people will switch questions. Play until everyone has answered a question.

12. In the Pond

In the Pond is a variation of Simon Says.

First, use a stick to draw a circle on the ground.

This will be the “Pond”. Everyone will now be “frogs” and form a large circle around this circular ring. The chosen one will be named “Chief” and stands in the center and shouts orders.

All the players should leap inside the circle if the chief shouts, “In the pond.”

If the chief says, “On the bank,” all of the players should reverse their leaps out of the ring.

As long as the players are already in the circle when the chief calls “In the pond,” those who jumped out are eliminated. Players who jumped into the circle when the Chief called “On the bank,” are also eliminated.

“Frog frenzy!” is one more command you may shout every now and again, and players must hop around like frogs inside the circle till you say “On the bank” again.

One who survives is the ultimate winner.

13. 20 Questions

This is a good game for larger groups.

You will need a spokesperson while others in the group think of an object that is not too common.

If you have a hard time coming up with any ideas, try naming animals, colors, games, foods, etc. Each person in the group will start to ask a question, taking turns.

For example: “does this object move?” If the spokesperson answers yes, another person can ask “is it alive?” If the answer is yes, then the other player would say “I’m thinking of an animal.” If the spokesperson answer no to either question, the rest could ask further questions such as “what color is it?”

This can continue until someone’s guess matches what the spokesperson is thinking of or if they get frustrated and give up.

This game is good for practicing English, vocabulary, and basic grammar.

14. I Went to Market

To play the “I Went to Market” game, first introduce yourself to the rest of the group.

Then take turns telling about something you or a fictitious character bought at the market.

One person says, “Mary went to market, and she bought a pack of gum.” The following person says, “Mary went to market, and she bought a pack of gum and some apples.” The third player says, “Mary went to market, and she bought a pack of gum, some apples, and milk.”

Keep going around the group, adding more shopping items until someone makes a mistake. He or she will be removed from the game and the next person in line will continue until one player remains.

15. Werewolf

"find the werewolf " is a game like Mafia game but here's the wolf's the bad one and is playing by cards ~ NCT played before!!#DONT_FIGHT_THE_FEELING #EXO @weareoneEXO #엑소
pic.twitter.com/0lTyKHZg2C

— hanEXIST92✨ (@mitEXOchondria) May 25, 2021

“Werewolf” is another must-play popular game to play around the campfire. It’s basically a social experiment, where you have to be human or werewolf each round.

There are a few ways to play Werewolf.

The most popular variant is the “classic” version where one player, the moderator, is an all-knowing seer who speaks in the third person and remains hidden from view while the remainder of the players (usually 7 or more) sit in a circle and discuss what they believe is happening and debate amongst themselves about who might be a werewolf among them.

Whenever someone thinks they know which players are werewolves, they point to one player and say “You’re a werewolf.” That player must then take on the role of the werewolf. If they guess incorrectly, they are out of the game.

The moderator tells each person in turn if they are a werewolf or not, so players may often hear “You’re not a werewolf.” The game continues until no more werewolves are left or everyone has been eliminated except for one person who guessed correctly and thus is the winner.

A second method involves all players sitting in a circle; this time, however, instead of knowing which players are werewolves (and thus able to accuse them), every player is simply given the same number of tokens (such as poker chips or playing cards).

Whenever someone thinks that another player might be a werewolf (or perhaps more than one), they state their suspicion and tosses the chips to that player.

If someone receives more of their tokens back than they were originally given, then that player is a werewolf; if not, then that person is eliminated from the game (but still may be able to make further accusations).

16. Crazy Balloon Popping

Popping balloons and having fun afternoons… Dance party, musical chairs, sidewalk chalk and extra recess! pic.twitter.com/EmPmHfYuZ9

— Jeri Adams (@jeriadams05) May 18, 2017

You must have heard of the “Musical Chairs” game. This is a fun twist on Musical Chairs. Just bolder and crazier.

#1. Place one balloon in each chair, then arrange three or four chairs in a circle, depending on the number of players.

#2. Have your group form a circle around the opposite side of the balloon pile.

#3. Start playing some music.

#4. When the music stops, players must hurry to find an empty chair and pop the balloon before someone else grabs it.

#5. The last one who didn’t’ pop the balloon or grab a seat of their own is eliminated.

#6. Play until the last one standing and declare the winner.

17. Most Likely

Before you play, make sure there is a drink in front of everyone, and that everyone has eaten something first if drinking alcohol (safety first!).

The leader should start by asking questions such as “Who snores the most yesterday night?” and then count to three.

Everyone must point at who they think is most likely to do this thing at the exact same time.

Whoever ends up with the most fingers pointing in their direction has to gulp down a full cup!

You can continue playing until there are no drinks left, but be careful not to get too tipsy before you head to the wilderness.

18. Chubby Chipmunk

One of the most hilarious games to play around a campfire is Chubby Chipmunk.

All you need are some marshmallows, which frankly, I’m sure that if your fire has been lit by now, they should be lying in front of it waiting for something cheesy like this.

To start playing, simply take one or two pieces into your mouth and say “Chubby Chipmunk!”. Each one takes turns stuffing more marshmallows.

Whoever holds the most marshmallows wins!

If you’re a veteran Chubby Chipmunk player, here is another variation to shake up the game:

• Try gargling water and say Chubby Chipmunk” without spilling it. Nasty!

19. Peel The Marshmallow

Do you still have many marshmallows in the bag?

This game for families and friends puts a twist on the traditional roasting of marshmallows.

The goal is to roast a freshly-baked sweet treat until it’s nicely browned, then peel off each crispy layer one by one before repeating with more sugary goodness!

20. Frog Count

You sit in a circle around the campfire, and someone begins shouting: “ONE FROG,” and you jump straight up.

The person next to them says: “2 EYES,” and they look at one person in your group, who then has to wink with both eyes.

Again, the next person says: “4 LEGS,” and pats out four beats on their own legs.

And so it goes on with “IN THE PUDDLE,” where everyone jumps into the middle of the circle and lands with knees bent.

The following person shouts “KER-PLOP,” where you put your arms around each others’ shoulders and belly-flop onto your backs.

After each round, you double the number, and this will continue until finally everyone collapses down exhausted and gasping for breath.

21. Shoe Flick

Camping is a great way to get together with friends and enjoy nature. Why not try this fun campfire competition?

The person who can flick their shoe highest into the air will win!

It’s so much fun that it really doesn’t matter if you throw the sandals or sneakers – either works equally well for these types of games, and you will be guaranteed some good old-fashioned silly entertainment going on around.

22. Hot potato

#latepost Fun Math warmup: each die represents either addition, subtraction, or multiplication. Catch the die, say the fact, solve and toss. We even set a timer for our game, like hot potato. @PowderSpringsES @CobbSchools @CobbMathDept pic.twitter.com/NLOfCPIjEw

— Chrisley McAllister (@chrisleycreator) December 31, 2019

The object of the “Hot Potato” game is to pass a small item that you brought along for this camping trip from person to person as quickly as possible. In order to do so, you’ll have to let go of the item at just the right time.

First, choose a “hot potato” (e.g., empty plastic bottle) to pass around.

Then, start playing your favorite song and begin passing the bottle. Whenever you feel like it, throw the hot potato to someone else and keep playing.

The person holding the bottle when the music stops is out of the game!

23. Catch Fireflies

Catching fireflies is a classic activity played by kids at campfires.

It’s usually more fun to play with groups of people because you will need at least two people to play the game.

Make sure that there are no late-night creatures around before playing because it can be dangerous for the children to stay outside too long.

Gather some friends and follow these instructions:

• Prepare a few glass jars
• Go fill some fireflies inside
• Cover the lid and poke some tiny holes for the fireflies to breathe

Catching fireflies is a great way to end your night. You can watch them flicker and dance in their little space, or you could just keep poking holes until one pops out.

24. Medusa

This game works best in low-light areas, so it’s great for when you’re out camping in the evening.

All you need to do is find a spot with enough light that you can see people’s faces clearly, but not so much that anyone will feel uncomfortable or looked at.

Once everyone has their seats around the group, everyone should close their eyes and count to three together.

Then, when everyone opens their eyes, they can look at someone else’s face and stare at them without blinking (or getting caught!) for as long as they can.

The game ends when someone blinks or looks away for too long!

25. Alien Contact

The game starts with the host choosing someone to be the “NASA Scientist”.

All other players sit in a circle and close their eyes while NASA Scientist goes inside the tent.

A tap on the head by the host determines who will be the Alien.

Everyone now opens their eyes and allows the NASA Scientist to come back to the group.

Now the players can walk about and shake hands with one another.

Here’s the exciting part. The Alien has a unique handshake that he can utilize, and this is generally done by tickling the person’s palm with their fingers as they shake hands. If a player shakes hands with the Alien and the Alien employs his unusual grip, one should act paralyzed and then faint.

However, they must wait 5 seconds before dying to avoid revealing the Alien’s identity too quickly.

Meanwhile, the NASA Scientist is watching the players shake hands and has three opportunities to identify who the Alien is.

In the event the NASA Scientist guesses correctly, he wins; in the event of a wrong guess, the Alien wins.

26. Guess the Jelly Bean

Thanks to everyone who put in their guess for our Jelly Bean Counting Gift Card Game!

There were 357 jelly beans and we had someone guess that number exactly!#pickohiobeer #pickeringtonvillage #357 pic.twitter.com/mR6wP9rIYu

— Combustion Brewery & Taproom (Pickerington) (@CombustionPT) April 22, 2019

The game starts by splitting the Jelly Beans into two bowls, one for each player.

Both players then cover their eyes and guess how many beans are in the other person’s bowl.

Once both people say their guesses, you reveal both bowls.

Whichever player is closer to the actual number of beans wins one point.

The winner goes first next round, and whoever collects 5 points first is the winner!

27. Who Am I?

The idea of the game is that you will receive a card with a famous person’s name and try to guess who it is by asking your group questions.

The host writes down the names of prominent persons on cards or post-it notes and passes them to all the players.

It is forbidden for you to look at the card you receive, and you must hold it on your forehead as you ask your group questions in order to determine who you are.

28. Light Up Flying Disc

Light-Up Flying Disc is an outdoor game that is played at night. Consider getting a Frisbee with built-in LED lights.

One person throws the disc into the air, then everyone else tries to catch it!

The more people that are playing, the faster the action-packed game of Glow in the Dark Frisbee can be played.

29. Team Storytelling

This is a classic campfire game that has been played for generations.

To play the game, divide the group into two teams and make sure they are facing each other.

One team shares a story while the other team tries to guess what story is being told.

If you want, you can make up your own rules, like never using any words with double letters or only phrases less than 10 words.

30. Identify Constellations

It’s nice to learn about all of the different constellations in the sky 😌 pic.twitter.com/fCuwoujKLK

— A★M (@YapapaMirage) November 2, 2021

Constellations are signs in the sky, which are created by different stars.

Constellations can only be seen at night because all of the stars in them are visible then.

It’s easier to identify constellations during camping at night because you’re outside and have less light interfering with your vision.

If you want to learn about the stars, you can now do it with just one tap of your phone screen and some knowledge on identifying constellations in our night sky.

All that’s required is pointing up at any given time with a phone app like Sky View.

It will help make things easier for stargazers by providing information such as what type each constellation resembles (such as Sagittarius; its shape has three stars).