Camp Games For Non-Camp People
Whether you are planning a wedding weekend or a corporate retreat, if you have booked a summer camp venue like Kennolyn’s Stone Creek Village, you won’t want to miss the opportunity for some traditional camp fun!
We have so many activities at Kennolyn, it would be difficult to list them all – trapeze, anyone? As well as the heated swimming pool, tennis courts, sand volleyball, and shuffleboard, there are lots of ways for you and your guests to immerse in camp culture.
5. Acting Up
Camp fire at Stone Creek Village
With our large paved town square serving as the heart of Stone Creek Village, you have the perfect stage on which to perform. Not ‘camp’ enough? Head to our camp fire and amphitheater (which just had a beautiful face-lift), and you’ll find a large stage set in the most peaceful redwood forest.
Charades is a camp classic, and there are several apps that cleverly suggest prompts. Heads Up! is our top pick. For the naturally dramatic, overachieving, or ultra-competitive corporate group, you could also plan a talent show.
4. Play with your Food
Who doesn’t love an eating challenge? Marshmallows are versatile, inexpensive, and fun to play with! Chubby Bunny is a game that will have your guests in stitches, and pairs nicely with s’mores around the campfire. Click on link for more detailed directions, but basically you’ll get the picture if you stuff as many marshmallows as possible in your mouth and then try to say Chubby Bunny. Hilarious! A note about marshmallows, though, please don’t forget your vegetarian and vegan friends – we really don’t want to know how these sweet and fun treats are made, let alone eat them – so stock up on vegan ones, too!
3. Test your Skill
Nothing says team building better than a challenging game of throwing stuff. Our favorite new camp activity for 2019 is axe throwing; it’s one step above archery and riflery, and more satisfying than those ninja throwing stars as the axes actually stick in the target. We also offer Ultimate Frisbee and kickball, as well as slack-lining which doesn’t involve throwing stuff but still requires skill.
Cornhole is another camp classic. In the same family as boules, horseshoes, and croquet, cornhole takes just the right amount of focus so you can carry on a conversation and still be engaged enough to lose track of time. Plus, someone has to win so… winner, winner! Our Giant Chess is also a crowd-pleaser, and better suited maybe to those who are enjoying happy hour while they play.
2. Ball Games
Whatever the event, we love to see grown people enjoy our kid’s camp games. For the authentic camp experience, you want to use balls that are – let’s just say – well-loved. There’s no room for perfection here, you’re at camp! Basketball and volleyball are easy pick-up games, but nothing is as versatile as ping pong. We even had a corporate group recently who moved the ping pong tables into the lodge to carry on their tournament when it started raining. And, of course, if you would like the fully adult version, simply replace the ping with beer.
1. Get Moving
When most people think of camp games, a Color War comes to mind. This is where the group is divided into teams of different colors, and challenges are played out to see which color wins. These events don’t have to be active in nature, but a traditional component is usually Capture the Flag. Capture the Flag can be modified for groups with a range of abilities, but it can be difficult (read: impossible) for competitive people to tone down their ‘enthusiasm’. If you have any guests who might not be into full on contact sports, a Scavenger Hunt is a good alternative. Cellphones (or Polaroid cameras) are great for Scavenger Hunts as participants snap a photo of the ‘treasure’ or target to prove they found it. At Kennolyn, we have some great treasures such as a giant old-growth redwood tree, a nest of treetop hammocks, and a variety of antiques – some we can’t even identify ourselves.
For those who enjoy a slower pace, add some yoga into the mix. Too mainstream? What about stilt walking? We have it all at Kennolyn!
Mermaid lessons anyone?
For more camp activity ideas, feel free to contact us. We also offer a large range of Arts & Crafts such as jewelry making, candle making, pickling, coffee roasting, macrame, truffle making, tie dye, and stomp rocket making.
You can’t really go wrong when planning fun activities at camp, although it’s a good rule of thumb for both wedding parties and corporate groups to avoid Murder in the Dark, Truth or Dare, or Seven Minutes in Heaven – all of which I have seen modified for kids (strange, but true), but wouldn’t recommend with your future Mother-in-Law or boss!
If you are interested in finding out more about retreats at Kennolyn or would like a tour, please contact us for more information.