16 Fun Camping Crafts for Preschool Kids

Keeping preschoolers happy on a camping trip or during a camping-themed week can be tough. You want easy activities that don’t make a big mess and still feel exciting for little hands. This list brings simple, cute camping crafts that use common supplies and spark pretend play.

Each project ties to tents, campfires, animals, and night skies, so you can pick a few and get started right away.

Let’s jump into the fun ideas.

1. Paper Plate Campfire

This craft looks like a bright campfire made from a paper plate base with painted flames and tissue “fire,” plus craft stick logs crossed at the bottom. Kids love the warm colors and the pretend play—perfect for singing camp songs around their mini fire.

Materials Needed:

1. White paper plate (cut in half)
2. Red, orange, and yellow tissue paper
3. Brown craft sticks
4. Glue stick
5. Child-safe scissors

How to make it:

1. 1. Cut the paper plate in half to make the fire base.
2. 2. Glue craft sticks in an X shape at the bottom for logs.
3. 3. Tear tissue paper into flame shapes and glue in layers on the plate.
4. 4. Let dry, then stand it up for pretend camp stories.

2. Handprint Campfire Art

This artwork becomes a glowing campfire where each child’s painted handprints form the flames above simple stick “logs.” Kids enjoy the tickly paint on their hands and seeing their handprints turn into a roaring fire.

Materials Needed:

1. White cardstock
2. Washable paints (red, orange, yellow, brown)
3. Paintbrush
4. Wipes or damp cloth
5. Marker (optional for name/date)

How to make it:

1. 1. Paint two or three craft-stick-like brown lines near the bottom for logs.
2. 2. Paint a child’s hand and press red, then orange, then yellow handprints above the logs.
3. 3. Add small painted sparks or dots around the flames.
4. 4. Let dry and write the child’s name and date at the corner.

3. Paper Bag Bear Puppet

This looks like a friendly brown bear puppet, perfect for campsite stories and pretend animal walks. Preschoolers love making the face and moving the mouth flap to “growl” and talk.

Materials Needed:

1. Brown paper lunch bag
2. Brown and tan construction paper
3. Googly eyes
4. Glue stick
5. Black marker

How to make it:

1. 1. Place the paper bag flat with the flap facing up as the bear’s face.
2. 2. Cut and glue tan paper for a snout and inner ears; add googly eyes.
3. 3. Draw a nose and smile with black marker; cut small circles for cheeks if you like.
4. 4. Let glue set and then slip it on a hand for puppet fun.

4. Popsicle Stick Tent

This mini tent looks like an A-frame shelter made from craft sticks and a bright paper “canvas.” Kids enjoy arranging the sticks and choosing colors, then standing the tent up in a tiny campsite scene.

Materials Needed:

1. Jumbo popsicle sticks
2. Colored cardstock
3. Glue
4. Child-safe scissors
5. Stickers (optional)

How to make it:

1. 1. Glue two sticks into a triangle; repeat to make a second triangle.
2. 2. Connect triangles with two sticks as the base to form an A-frame.
3. 3. Cut cardstock into a triangle and glue it to one side as the tent wall; add stickers.
4. 4. Let dry and stand your tent on a shelf or play mat.

5. Leaf Rubbing Camp Trees

This artwork shows a row of “camp trees” by doing leaf rubbings in green and brown to look like a forest near a campsite. Kids love the magic of leaves appearing as they color over paper.

Materials Needed:

1. Assorted leaves (clean and dry)
2. White paper
3. Crayons (greens, browns)
4. Tape (optional)
5. Black marker (optional for tiny tents)

How to make it:

1. 1. Place leaves vein-side up on the table and lay paper on top.
2. 2. Rub crayons sideways to reveal leaf textures in green and brown.
3. 3. Add a small drawn tent or trail at the bottom with marker.
4. 4. Flatten and display your forest picture.

6. Toilet Roll Lantern

This lantern looks like a cozy camp lantern with a glowing “window” made from yellow paper and a handle for carrying. Kids enjoy pretending to guide the way on a dark trail.

Materials Needed:

1. Clean toilet paper roll
2. Yellow tissue paper
3. Construction paper (red or brown)
4. Glue stick
5. Hole punch and yarn (optional handle)

How to make it:

1. 1. Cut a rectangle window in the roll with adult help; cover inside with yellow tissue.
2. 2. Wrap the roll with colored paper and glue to cover edges.
3. 3. Add paper strips as a top and bottom band; draw a simple knob.
4. 4. Punch two holes and tie a yarn handle; let dry and play.

7. Nature Badge Necklace

This looks like a little “camp badge” medallion made from a cardboard circle with a simple picture like a tent, tree, or fish, hung on yarn. Kids feel proud wearing their camping badge.

Materials Needed:

1. Cardboard (cereal box)
2. Markers or crayons
3. Hole punch
4. Yarn
5. Stickers (optional)

How to make it:

1. 1. Cut a circle from cardboard; punch a hole near the top.
2. 2. Draw a camping symbol (tent, tree, campfire) and color it in.
3. 3. Add stickers or a border design.
4. 4. Thread yarn through the hole, tie, and wear as a necklace.

8. Fingerprint Starry Night Sky

This looks like a dark blue night sky with tiny fingerprint stars and a simple tent silhouette at the bottom. Kids enjoy pressing their fingers in paint to make stars and constellations.

Materials Needed:

1. Dark blue or black construction paper
2. Washable white and yellow paint
3. Paint tray
4. Black marker or black paper for tent
5. Glue stick (if using paper tent)

How to make it:

1. 1. Set out the dark paper as the sky background.
2. 2. Dip fingertips in white/yellow paint and press dots across the sky.
3. 3. Cut and glue a small black triangle tent, or draw one at the bottom.
4. 4. Let dry flat and hang up to “stargaze.”

9. Paper Plate S’more

This craft looks like a giant s’more with a tan “graham” top and bottom, a white “marshmallow,” and a brown “chocolate” center. Kids love the tasty theme and layering the pieces.

Materials Needed:

1. 2 small paper plates
2. Brown and tan paint or markers
3. White paper
4. Glue stick
5. Child-safe scissors

How to make it:

1. 1. Color the backs of both plates tan for graham crackers.
2. 2. Cut a white circle for marshmallow and a brown rectangle for chocolate.
3. 3. Glue chocolate and marshmallow between the two plates slightly offset.
4. 4. Press to set, then “pretend snack” time.

10. Campsite Shape Collage

This collage shows a full campsite made from simple shapes: triangles for tents, rectangles for logs, and circles for stones. Kids enjoy choosing colors and learning shapes while building a scene.

Materials Needed:

1. Assorted construction paper
2. Glue stick
3. Child-safe scissors
4. Large background paper
5. Crayons (optional)

How to make it:

1. 1. Cut basic shapes: triangles, rectangles, circles, and small strips.
2. 2. Arrange a tent, campfire ring, and tree shapes on the background.
3. 3. Glue pieces down and add crayon details like paths or stars.
4. 4. Smooth flat and display your campsite.

11. Egg Carton Fireflies

This craft makes tiny fireflies from egg carton cups with pipe cleaner antennae and a glowing yellow spot. Kids love the cute bugs and pretending they twinkle at night.

Materials Needed:

1. Egg carton cups
2. Washable paint (black or dark blue, yellow)
3. Pipe cleaners
4. Googly eyes
5. Glue

How to make it:

1. 1. Cut egg carton into single cups; paint them dark and let dry.
2. 2. Paint a yellow dot on the back as the glowing tail.
3. 3. Glue on googly eyes and poke a small hole to add pipe cleaner antennae.
4. 4. Dry and fly them around your “campsite.”

12. Pinecone Trail Markers

These look like colorful pinecones used as pretend trail markers with painted tips and little number flags. Kids enjoy gathering cones and painting them like real campers.

Materials Needed:

1. Pinecones (clean and dry)
2. Acrylic or tempera paint
3. Small paper flags (paper triangles on toothpicks)
4. Glue
5. Paper plate (for palette)

How to make it:

1. 1. Set pinecones on a covered surface.
2. 2. Paint the tips in bright colors; let dry a few minutes.
3. 3. Glue tiny paper flags with numbers or arrows into the cone scales.
4. 4. Place along a hallway or backyard as a play trail.

13. Foam Cup Mini Canoe

This looks like a small canoe made from a cut foam cup with a paper paddle. Kids love sailing it in a sink or just pretending on a blue paper “lake.”

Materials Needed:

1. Foam or paper cup
2. Colored paper
3. Craft stick
4. Glue or tape
5. Markers

How to make it:

1. 1. Cut the cup in half lengthwise to form a canoe shape (adult help).
2. 2. Decorate the sides with marker patterns or stripes.
3. 3. Glue a paper paddle shape onto a craft stick.
4. 4. Let dry and set it on blue paper waves for play.

14. Camp Map Sticker Story

This project looks like a simple map with paths, a tent spot, a lake, and trees, finished with fun stickers to tell a camping story. Kids enjoy placing stickers and drawing dotted trails to “find” the campsite.

Materials Needed:

1. Large sheet of paper
2. Crayons or markers
3. Camping or nature stickers
4. Ruler (optional for straight paths)
5. Alphabet stickers (optional for labels)

How to make it:

1. 1. Draw a big wavy path, a lake shape, and a tent symbol.
2. 2. Add sticker trees, animals, and a campfire along the route.
3. 3. Draw dotted lines to connect places and label them.
4. 4. Share the story of your map with a friend or class.

15. Marshmallow Print Trail Signs

This artwork shows round, stamped “trail signs” and circles made by dipping a clean marshmallow in paint, then adding simple arrows. Kids like the squishy stamp and watching clean circles appear.

Materials Needed:

1. Large marshmallow (for stamping)
2. Washable paint (brown, green)
3. White paper
4. Small paint tray
5. Black marker

How to make it:

1. 1. Pour paint onto a tray and lightly dip the marshmallow flat side down.
2. 2. Stamp circles across the paper like wood sign faces.
3. 3. After drying a bit, draw arrows or simple icons in each circle.
4. 4. Let dry fully and display your trail sign sheet.

16. Felt Campground Play Mat

This looks like a soft felt scene with a lake, trees, a path, and a triangle tent you can move around. Kids enjoy arranging the pieces and retelling camping adventures.

Materials Needed:

1. Sheet of stiff felt (base)
2. Assorted felt pieces (green, blue, brown, red)
3. Child-safe scissors
4. Fabric glue (optional; many felt pieces stick without glue)
5. Small buttons or pom-poms (optional for stones)

How to make it:

1. 1. Cut shapes: a blue lake, brown path, green tree tops, and a red triangle tent.
2. 2. Place the shapes on the base felt to build your campground.
3. 3. Add pom-pom “rocks” or button “campfire stones.”
4. 4. Glue pieces if you want it permanent, or leave loose for play.