Bonfires, S’mores, Flashlight games… Camping out is such a fun time! So many kids absolutely love the great outdoors, and going camping is a fantastic way to experience nature and freshair. It's an outdoor adventure that kids of all ages can enjoy.
“Camp Out” also works as a Great Party Theme for Birthdays! Camping-themed birthdaysare a hit! Whether you actually go camping, or just have some great themed camping decorations, food, and games, there’s guaranteed to be lots of fun for the party guests. A camping birthday brings the excitement of the outdoors to any celebration.
love this camping theme for boys and girls who are getting a little older and don’t necessarily want party themes for TV or movie characters anymore. It’s great fun for any adults at the party, too, making it a versatile birthday theme.
When my son Donte turned 9, threw a camping-themed birthday party. I can’t wait to share our ideas with you! Donte had a blast, and I hope you find inspiration in these photos and lots of camping party ideas from his big day.
Donte's Camping Themed 9th Birthday Party!
For Donte’s camp-out themed birthday party, we decided to let him camp in our backyard with a few of his closest friends. It was his first sleepover and, boy, was he excited! This backyard camping birthday party was a memorable adventure for him.
They camped in a tent we set up in our yard, and they had a campfire dinner with snags on bread, toasted marshmallows over the fire, and played spotlight with torches. It was the perfect blend of camping, campfire, and food fun for everyone.
If your birthday boy or girl isn’t quite old enough for a sleepover or to camp out alone, no worries! You can still have a tent and bonfire for the Kids to Enjoy during a kids to enjoy during a camping-themed birthday. Understandably, you might not want a real campfire, either. In that case, many camping foods are also perfect on the barbecue! Or, you can just offer little camping treats and snacks.
Here’s a picture of Donte with his closest friends celebrating at his camp-out birthday. They’re all smiles and looking forward to their sleepover in the tent! It was a camping birthday to remember.
You can see that we chose a lot of green for Donte’s party supplies and decorations. It perfectly complements a camp-out theme because it reminds almost everyone of nature, like the grass, trees, and other wildlife that you’d encounter while camping.
Similar to many of my Parties, I used our Theme Colour for the tablecloths, supplies like plates and napkins, and the decorations. This is a foolproof way to keep everything matching the camping party theme!
Camping Birthday Cake
For Donte’s Camping Themed Birthday Cake, I crafted a camping-themed cake that resembled a bonfire! It was Delicious and Easy. This cake, delicious and easy to make, was similar to many of my other Cake Hacks. They’re Simple, Tasty, and don’t even require a lot of fancy ingredients.
Donte's cake was cleverly made from stacking two Coles Mud Cakes and covering them with a rich chocolate icing, a convenient find that's also available pre-made at the store, making it a delightful food hack.
We added Maltesers around the Bottom of the cake in a border that looked like the stones around the perimeter of a Bonfire. Next, I placed a Tea Light Candle in the centre of the cake and piled a combination of Wafer Sticks and Twirls around it to look like Fire Logs.We encircled the base of the cake with Maltesers to mimic the stones around a bonfire. A tea light candle was placed at the center, surrounded by wafer sticks and twirls to represent fire logs, enhancing the campfire theme
The bonfire-themed cake looked stunning when we lit the candle, and Donte along with his friends were eager to dive in, making it a highlight of the camping birthday celebration.
Below, you'll find a photo of this fantastic cake, alongside a snapshot of our birthday boy and the whole family gathered for the camping birthday party.
Camping Party Food
Matching the party food with the camping theme was an extra treat! It was a joy to be creative and devise camping-themed food ideas for Donte's memorable birthday.
Here are the Foods we put out for the Guests to Enjoy:
- "Trail Mix" - Mixed Nuts and Sultanas
- "Bear Poo" - Maltesers
- "Twigs" - Wafer Sticks
- "Logs" Twirls
- "Grizzly Bears" - Tiny Teddys
- "Bait" - Sour Worms
These treats, requiring no cooking or preparation, were simply clever adaptations of the camping theme using delicious foods easily found at the store.
We also had some pre-made cupcakes with Camping Themed toppers, including a Bonfire, Tree, and Tent. Check out these Fun and Easy Treats:
If you're onthe look out for other easy party foods that can be made for any theme with just a few ingredients, check out my Party Foods! For a Camping Themed Party, it would be so easy to make my Wafers Dipped in Sprinkles with Chocolate and Green Spinkles, or my Rainbow Jelly in Shades of Green and Blue.
Camping Pinata
Since Donte was turning 9, he felt like he was growing a bit too old for the usual games, yet the birthday celebration was still filled with joy and excitement. He was going to have a camp out with his friends in our yard, after all.
But he did decide that he wanted a camping themed Pinata. Truly, you’re never too old to hit a pinata to try to get some Candy!
I made his camping themed Pinata myself using my DIY Cardboard Pinata hack. For Instructions, Click Here. Basically, you need a big cardboard box, some wrapping paper, string, and yummy candy or other treats to pack inside. For Donte’s Pinata, I used brown wrapping paper and a picture of a Tent to tie it right with his Camp Out Party theme.
Here’s a Great Action Photo of Donte hitting his Pinata. And in some of the other photographs below you can see the guests running to collect their prizes, a highlight of any camping birthday party.
If you’re interested in a few other Ideas for camping party games, you might want to consider:
- Musical Chairs Around the Bonfire
- Pin the Tail on the Bear
- A Camping or Outdoor Themed Scavenger Hunt
- Outdoor Races and Relays
- Water Balloons or other Water Games
Camping Party Decorations
Make sure you head over to Katie J Design and Events and Check out our Fun range of Boys Camp Out themed Party Decorations. They are Perfect for a Camping or Sleepover themed Birthday Party with Tents and Tween Boys toasting marshmallows by the fire. There is much fun and creativity to be had with the party theme, especially with camping at the heart of it!
Plus, you can Personalise most of these Decorations and Supplies with the Name of the Boy and his Age. You’ll find Banners, Bunting, Posters, Stickers and Labels, Treat Bags, and Invitations. They are all in high-quality print, durable, and waterproof, so they’ll last all the way through your camping party!
Girls Camping Party Decorations
Why should the boys have all of the fun? We even have a Fun Camp Out Party theme for the Girls with Pink Tents and Trims, perfect for a camping theme birthday. Our Girls Camp Out Party Theme has everything you need to create a Fun Sleepover Party in your own backyard.
You can also customise these amazing Camp Out Themed supplies and decorations so your Birthday Girl will feel extra special on her big day, making her camping birthday unforgettable!
Looking for more Party Ideas or Inspiration? Parties by Katie J is where you will find Helpful Advice on How to Throw a Great Party that Everyone Loves! We will be Sharing Easy and Delicious Party Recipes along with some Amazing DIY tips for Creating a Fun Celebration. Subscribe to our Newsletter to get Updates and Special Offers.
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