Free Camping Lesson Plans for Preschoolers for Classroom or Home
Download these free camping lesson plans for preschoolers and make planning for your camping theme quick and easy! These weekly lesson plans are a part of our free summer preschool themes collection.
A camping preschool theme is a really fun way to teach preschoolers about nature, downtime, and of course camping favorites, like s’mores, songs, and fire safety.
Our camping preschool theme is packed with valuable lessons about nature, relaxation, and, of course, camping classics like s’mores and sing-alongs.
And to make your planning process even smoother, we’re thrilled to offer you free camping lesson plans for preschoolers. These weekly lesson plans are part of our extensive learn-at-home summer preschool collection, designed to make teaching and learning a breeze.
Check out this post that hosts all our free weekly preschool lesson plans!
These free lesson plans include camping alphabet activities, camping themed math activities, and even nature based art activities and science, too!
So grab your gear and get ready for an unforgettable educational adventure under the stars!
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Camping Lesson Plans for Preschool
Whether you are looking for camping circle time activities, a daycare camping theme, or engaging play ideas for your camping theme, we’ve got you covered with over 16 preschool camping activities.
Literacy Activities for a Camping Theme for Preschoolers
Alphabet Fishing – Using magnetic letters or alphabet fish (attach a paperclip to each fish to make it magnetic), invite your preschooler to fish! Using a wooden dowel with a magnet tied to string will create the perfect fishing pole.
Encourage your preschooler to share the letter names and sounds. Or make it a challenge by having the child fish for a certain sound. Say, “I spy the letter that makes the /s/ sound, can you hook it?” This makes a great literacy center too! This camping literacy activity for preschoolers is a great hands-on way to practice letter sounds.
Camping Syllables – Help your little learner practice identifying how many syllables are in a word. Clap, use a robot voice, or put your hand under your chin to see how many times your chin drops within each word. Use these fun camping syllable sorts to make learning syllables a blast.
Simply print and sort! For extra practice, encourage your child to come up with their own list of words and help sort those words by syllables too!
Children’s Books About Camping
Books can help us learn about the joys of camping! Perfect for children who may not be familiar with camping or for kids who are camping pros. Take a look at these high-quality camping books.
- Publishing, MadGaviette (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 28 Pages – 05/04/2022 (Publication Date) – Independently published (Publisher)
- Catalano, Leslie (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 28 Pages – 05/01/2024 (Publication Date) – Independently published (Publisher)
- English (Publication Language)
- 24 Pages – 06/05/2018 (Publication Date) – Penguin Young Readers Licenses (Publisher)
- Gamble, Adam (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 20 Pages – 07/31/2018 (Publication Date) – Good Night Books (Publisher)
- Hardcover Book
- Chris Van Dusen (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Camping Math Activities for Preschoolers
Marshmallow Patterns – This mini marshmallow and paint pattern activity is so engaging! Simply dip the marshmallows in colored paint to create patterns! There is something so exciting and fresh about painting with items other than paintbrushes, right?
Note: Make sure students don’t attempt to eat the marshmallows with paint. If you need a taste-safe version, you can dye whipped cream, yogurt, or even frosting to use as your paints. This is some camping math that your little ones can get behind!
Fish Number Sequence Puzzles – Simply print and cut! Lay out all the puzzle pieces randomly and invite the child to put the pieces into number order. Once finished, explain that this puzzle also shows a growing pattern because each puzzle piece number is one more than the last.
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Camping Tent STEAM Challenge – Using toothpicks, marshmallows, and coffee filters, invite your preschooler to create a tent for a Lego person or small figure. Encourage them to experiment with what is working and what is not.
Expand on this activity and encourage them to make a tent or a fort large enough for a grownup! Camping science activities for preschoolers don’t need to be complicated, use the natural materials around you to engineer and create!
Camping Theme Activities for Play
Camping in Nature – Head out on a real camp adventure! Whether just in the backyard, a park, or a full-blown camping experience, give it a try. Invite your preschooler to back a camping backpack and discuss what things you might need to explore and stay overnight in nature. Don’t forget to pay attention to that beautiful night sky!
Build a “Camp Site” – Grab your flashlights and blankets, it’s time to build your campsite! Once inside enjoy books, color camping pictures, tell stories, or even take it outside for a real adventure!
Make a Video – Grab the phone or camera and start recording! Have the kids record nature outside and be dramatic. Use different voices or pretend to be a character from a book or movie. Have fun!
Social-Emotional Activities for a Camping Theme for Preschoolers
Being Different is Special – Go to YouTube and listen to the story, Pete the Cat Goes Camping by James Dean. After listening, encourage your preschooler to tell you some of the events in the story. What did Pete do on his camping trip?
In this story, Pete talks about people being different like Bigfoot. In what ways might people look or be different? Why is being different a good thing?
Being Responsible is Important – Go to YouTube and listen to the story, Curious George Goes Camping by Margaret Reyes. After listening, discuss with your preschooler about Curious George’s choices.
He went to go get water and filled his bucket but then decided to put out another camper’s campfire, got lost after chasing a deer and was sprayed by a skunk. Now George is lost and lonely.
What choices could he have made to ensure that he wouldn’t get lost? How do you think the man with the yellow hat felt when George disappeared? It’s very important to be responsible and safe, whether you are camping or not.
Fun Camping Themed Toys for a Preschool Camping Theme
Camping is full of new experiences and with some engaging camping materials, your preschoolers will love an adventure! Here are some of my favorite camping items for dramatic play and investigating nature.
- 🍗 Realistic Play Food Kids Grill Playset: This barbecue play set kitchen toys provides…
- 🍢 Fine Motor Skill Children Toys: The grilling kitchen playset kid toys comes with…
- 🌽Cooking Toys Easy for Storage: The toddler playset toys grill is easy to put together…
- CAMP OUT AT HOME: Pretend to camp out in the comforts of home
- LET IMAGINATION GROW: Boost language skills and let imaginations grow
- PLAY FOOD, CAMPFIRE & GLOW-IN-THE DARK LANTERN INCLUDED:: 11 piece set includes 2 logs…
- Camping role play set for preschoolers ages 3 years and up
- 2-sided mat for campfire play or picnic, stuffed log with crinkle fire, and felt axe
- “Roast” s’mores: wood sticks and pretend marshmallows, chocolate, and graham…
- 🐞 Start your child’s Safari today with Kidz@Play! This complete gift set has everything…
- 🐌 Each kit is durable, high quality and includes, Toy BINOCULARS, Safari/Hunting VEST…
- 🐛 Educational STEM toy that helps the young explorer to catch and study insects with…
- VALUE SET – This camping set toy for kids comes with a tent and different camp-related…
- SPECIAL EFFECTS – Your little explorers will be blown away by the interactive…
- KIDS CAMPING TENT: The size of camping tent fits 1-2 toddlers sitting in who have a secret…
Fun Camping Preschool Activities
Camping Bingo Game – Everyone loves playing Bingo! This is a game that is fun for everyone and is just print and play.
Make S’mores – Whether you use the real ingredients or make a pretend s’more with playdough, this will be s’more fun than you’ve ever had!
Build a Pretend Campfire – Using wooden blocks and red, yellow, and orange tissue paper, invite the children to get creative! Roast marshmallows (pretend), tell campfire stories or sing songs, or put on a puppet show or use shadow puppets.
Firefly Art – Grab some brown and yellow band-aids and create adorable fireflies! These lightning bugs are so simple to make and are a great opportunity to learn some firefly facts!
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Insect Preschool Centers$8.00
Safe Online Activities for a Camping Theme for Preschoolers
Llama Llama Loves Camping Story – Go to YouTube and listen to the story, Llama Llama Loves Camping by Anna Dewdney. After listening, encourage your preschooler to tell you events from the story. What did Llama and his friends do on their camping trip? Was it hard for them not to use gadgets on their trip? Would it be hard for you?
A Camping We Will Go Song – Sing along to this snazzy song and learn about all the ways to work together to contribute to a fun camp trip!
Tobee Goes Camping Follow-Along Adventure – Join Tobee and Caitie on a camping adventure. Take a kayak, build a fire, sing campfire songs, and perform hand puppets in the dark!
Camping Activities for Preschoolers
Preschool teachers can recreate the camping experience indoors by transforming the classroom into a campsite.
A camping theme in preschool can be as simple as using blankets, pillows, chairs, or tables. Bring in some extra flashlights, turn out the lights, and practice reading by a fire made of paper towel rolls and construction paper.
Through activities like storytelling, sensory play, nature walks, crafting, and pretend campfires, children can engage in imaginative play and learn about nature while staying safe and comfortable indoors.
This creative approach allows preschoolers to develop skills, foster a love for the outdoors, and make lasting memories of their camping adventure without actually leaving the school premises. Try our nature preschool lesson plans, too!
Whether you are looking for fun summer camp lesson plans, or camping lesson plans for toddlers, we’ve got you covered!
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Download Your Free Camping Lesson Plans Here
Think your preschooler will enjoy learning about camping? Download these free preschool lesson plans by clicking the image below.
FAQ About Camping Activities for Preschoolers
A camping theme is wonderfully engaging, hands-on, and full of real-world connections for young learners. It naturally opens doors for exploring nature, weaving imaginative stories, practicing counting skills, and diving into pretend play. Children are often fascinated by tents, wild animals, and crackling campfires, which naturally sparks their curiosity and keeps them motivated. This versatile theme can be easily adapted for both indoor and outdoor learning environments, making it perfect for integrating multiple subjects in a fun, cohesive way.
Camping lesson plans can cover literacy (storytelling, themed books), math (counting sticks or marshmallows), science (shadows, bugs, stars), and art (campfire crafts, nature prints). You can also include dramatic play, fine and gross motor activities, and even social-emotional development through teamwork and imaginative role play. It’s a versatile theme that encourages cross-curricular learning. Nearly every developmental domain can be included. This makes it ideal for weekly or multi-day units.
Most camping-themed activities can absolutely be adapted for indoor spaces. You can use props like tents made from blankets, create paper campfires, or fill tubs with leaves and sticks for a natural feel. Flashlight games and storytime can easily create that “outdoor” atmosphere indoors. You don’t need a backyard or a real campfire to make it fun; just a little creativity can transform your living room or classroom into an exciting campsite.
You don’t need real gear—you can use blankets for tents, cotton balls for marshmallows, and craft materials for nature-themed play. Printables and pretend play props are incredibly helpful. Many activities, like counting games, songs, and crafts, require absolutely no equipment. You can even use books, videos, or photos to introduce camping concepts. The goal is to spark curiosity and creativity, not to perfectly replicate a real camping trip.
Yes! Camping themes naturally support age-appropriate learning through play, sensory exploration, movement, and imaginative storytelling. Activities can be easily simplified or extended based on age and skill level. For example, younger children may focus on counting or matching, while older preschoolers may engage in storytelling or problem-solving. Hands-on, play-based learning keeps things developmentally aligned. The theme also encourages social skills like sharing, turn-taking, and cooperation.
You’ll want basic craft materials like paper, glue, and markers, along with simple props such as a flashlight and blankets. Everyday items like sticks, cotton balls, and toy animals will also be useful. Optional items include printable counting cards, themed books, and snacks for sensory or cooking activities. You don’t need a lot of specialized gear; most activities rely on imagination and simple tools. Start with what you already have and only add what’s truly needed. Printables from educational sites can also be a helpful resource.
I’m Sarah, an educator turned stay-at-home-mama of five! I’m the owner and creator of Stay At Home Educator, a website about intentional teaching and purposeful learning in the early childhood years. I’ve taught a range of levels, from preschool to college and a little bit of everything in between. Right now my focus is teaching my children and running a preschool from my home. Credentials include: Bachelors in Art, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction.
