Pack Up Your Sports Balls for Limitless Fun

While camping is often a nice, relaxing getaway for parents, children are not always so easily entertained. Within the first few days, many moms and dads are faced with a steady stream of ‘I’m bored, I’m bored, I’m bored.’ Let’s face it - even with a beach or lake nearby, kids lose focus quickly. Fortunately, there is one item that can entertain children for days on end: a ball.

The best part about ball play is that it suits campers of all ages (even adults). Whether you’re planning a camping trip with your best friends or a few co-workers, everyone is sure to enjoy an impromptu game of touch football or softball. Setting up a makeshift baseball field is always easy – all you need are a few large rocks to act as the bases and an empty field or spot on the beach.

A great game that is fun for everyone is dodgeball. While it works best with a foam volleyball, almost any type of soft ball will work. Sure, your family and friends may roll their eyes when you ask them to join you in a game of dodgeball, but once everyone takes their spot on the field, the laughs will start rolling in.

Best of all, the rules are simple. Divide your players into two teams, line each team up on opposite sides of the field, and flip a coin to see which group will make the first move. The point of the game is to throw the ball across the field in an attempt to hit one of your opponents, who then has to sit out the rest of the game. Use a sheet or towel to separate the two sides.

When travelling with small children, invest in an inexpensive t-ball set. T-ball allows kids to play baseball without a great deal of skill because the ball is placed on a ‘T’ that sits in the ground. Using a bat, kids hit the ball and follow similar rules to baseball – running from base to base and attempting a ‘home run’. T-ball can also work with just a few players, as long as you have an equal number of players on both teams. If you’re dealing with an uneven number of kids, try to recruit a few kids from nearby campsites.

And while you’re out searching for that perfect T-ball set, pick up a cheap volleyball net that breaks down into packable pieces. Campers of all ages are sure to join you in a friendly game of beach volleyball – just be sure to bring a cooler full of drinks to replenish everyone on those hot days.