5 min. read
Summer camp is loads of fun, but the right toys make it even better. Have you ever played checkers on a picnic blanket? Built a fort with glowsticks? Whether you’re a family member looking to donate or a director/owner set on improving the overall camp experience, here are the best toys for summer camp 2025:
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Fun to play on and super easy to store, this colossal games mat features a checkerboard on one side and Tic-Tac-Toe on the other. Use it both indoors and out. Ridiculously large red and black chips are included.
These soft balls with comet tails are extra safe to play with. Colorful and nearly two feet long, they’ll easily entertain children who enjoy throw and catch games. To level up the experience, place hula hoops on the ground and use them as targets for points.
Whatever standard balloons are to you, multiply that by at least three. Cool? Amusing? Nice to have around? 36-inch balloons are excitement multiplied. Campers can take turns bumping them into the air and squealing with joy. Just make sure to have a quality air pump on-hand.
Since these loops are 63 inches, there’s plenty of string to create shape after shape. Need a hand with directions? This book explains eight different strings games, and you can also pull directions up online no problem. Campers will have a blast doing Cat’s Cradle, Hand Catch, the Witch’s Broom, Parachute, and more.
Toss ‘n Catch has been popular since the ’90s. Campers can play this game anywhere outside—on concrete, on grass, in the pool or lake. Plus, the game boosts coordination skills. It’s a winner.
8. Chalk: It’s a classic because kids can draw pictures or games with it. Hopscotch, anyone? Super-duper 100-square made-up jumping game? Totally doable.
This surprisingly strong fort building kit will inspire hours of entertainment. 86 rods and 44 connector balls make building large fort structures easy. Campers can lay a blanket over the top if they have one. When they’re bored of the shape, it’s time to rebuild!
10. Beads Box
Of every summer camp activity listed here, this one gives you the most bang for your buck. 5,000 beautifully organized pieces include clay beads, charms, letter beads, pendants, stretchy string, scissors, and tweezers, all for crafting endlessly.
11. Balls and Pop-Up Goals
12. MagnaTiles
One of the coolest building sets to hit the market since Legos, MagnaTiles are great for various age groups. They’re easy to build with and to move from one room to another. They’re made of food grade plastic, and shaped smoothly to prevent injury. The magnets are also sealed inside.
13. Voice Changer
For a gift sure to elicit laughs, the voice changer is an excellent pick. This one (pictured) has four modes: alien, monster, ghost, and robot. Volume and echo can both be adjusted. Great for silly camp performances.
14. Ladder Toss
Ladder toss is definitely a classic. This set comes with two targets, score trackers, six bolos, a carrying case, and game rules. It’s easy to assemble and portable. On top of everything else, it’s indoors-friendly.
15. Stomp Rockets
Multiple air rockets and an adjustable launcher mean these toys can be launched up high, over and over and over—up to 200 feet! Foam tips make these safer than your average rocket. No fuses. No batteries. No cords. Simply run, jump, and kapow! Watch the rockets fly!
16. Modeling Muck
Making the popular playground game more concrete, The Floor is Lava is next-level fun. This indoor/outdoor game is a lava jumping adventure. It’s more than foam pads. There are 27 challenges campers will need to complete to win the game!
18. Ribbon Dancers
This set of ribbon dancers is made from silk and glass fiber, and will stand the test of time. Twelve colors give campers plenty of choices. Each camper can choose a favorite, then whirl and twirl and swirl away.
19. Paper Airplane Book
This book guides campers through the construction of 10 unique models, and includes 40 sheets of custom-designed paper. It’s won an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio award. When the paper runs out, the instructions will still be intact, and all you’ll need to keep the fun going is a fresh stack of construction paper.
20. Cards Games
21. Skip-It
No, don’t skip it. Skip-it! Campers can twirl their legs and hop around. This toy is like a hula hoop for their ankles. It’s made with non-toxic plastic and has motion-activated lights. Best of all, you can fold these up and pack them away easily.
22. Walkie Talkies
Used inside or out, walkie talkies are a classic camper favorite. There’s nothing like going on a secret mission and succeeding because you worked with a team. These ones (pictured) have connector straps and flashlights, plus they’re rechargeable.
This comprehensive set contains “10 rocks, 6 standard paints, 6 metallic paints, 5 glow in the dark paints, 2 glitter glue, 4 brushes, 8 Amusing Wiggly eyes, 2 sponges, 18 transfer stickers, 32 gems, and an instruction booklet.” Let’s be real, though. You are not limited to rocks in the box. Campers can give a small garden a “glow up.”
24. Legos
Campers of all ages can enjoy rainbow scratch-off art. Stencils add pizzazz and make adding specific shapes easier. No ink makes for limited mess, too. Hours of colorful creation await.
26. Guess in 10
Campers love this game, plain and simple. The animal version is wildly popular, but there’s also Disney, Marvel, Sports, Space, and so many more. This game even won a 2023 National Parenting Product Award. It’s a solid addition to any camp games basket.
Bonus: Come on and move it, move it!
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We hope you enjoyed Best Summer Camp Toys 2025!