BY Nick Bulanda
Published March 17, 2019
Planning for a trip with tweens is difficult. The expectations are high and they are not easy to please. Luckily, the right camping crafts can provide them with plenty of fun. All the while, you ease some of the stress attached to a camping trip. Now, this will not stop siblings from arguing with one another. But, these craft ideas are going to be some serious fun. Learn from the best. Then, go out and enjoy an absolutely pleasant camping trip with your family. Best of all, these ideas are relatively cheap and pretty easy to do. There are even Youtube videos available for any extra help!
Design Shoes
Find some white shoes for your tweens. Buy the right size and pack it away for the trip. No, these shoes are not for them to wear. At least not yet. Instead, these shoes are made for their crafts. Buy them some fabric paint markers too. Then, lay everything out for them at the campsite.
Let your tweens get creative. They can design their shoes in any way they want. Then, they have something to remember the trip by for the next few years. Not to mention that they can wear around some cool shoes that directly reflect their personality.
Paper Spin Wheels
This might be the simplest craft of them all. Basically, you need some toothpicks or small popsicle sticks and colored paper. In particular, the best paper might be colored origami paper. Also, pack some pencils and scissors for this craft as well. Most importantly, you need some pins. Every single component is intricate in the creation of the paper spin wheel!
Fold the paper square from corner to corner and then unfold. Mark the paper about a third of the way away from the center. After, simply cut through the folded lines. Each time, stop right at the mark. Bring the points together in the center and stick a pin right in the middle.
DIY Journal
Creating a do-it-yourself journal is super fun and might just spur a lifelong interest in writing. Buy a generical journal that features a completely blank design. Get some colored permanent markers and even some fabric. Then, decorate the journals. Let tweens do whatever they want. They will absolutely love the end result.
Journals are great for young tweens. In particular, it is great for a young girl. They can write about themselves and things that happen to them. That way, they have an outlet. In some cases, they even write about inner thoughts and self-reflect. There is so much to gain from providing them with camping crafts for tweens.
Tie-Dye Shirts
Tie-Dying is one of the most popular activities for tweens. Especially when it comes to camping. Why? Because tie-dying a shirt is not really hard. Also, it produces a new piece of clothing that they will absolutely love. There even some pretty inexpensive tie-dye kits available for purchase. So you can deliver high-quality fun at a very reasonable price.
Find some white t-shirts and bring them to the campsite. Check and make sure they are the proper size. Sometimes, kids want shirts bigger than their actual size. Buy them that size. Let them do as they please for once. They should be able to enjoy themselves every now and again.
DIY Bead Lizards
Do-it-yourself bead lizards are super cheap and super simple. Get some ribbon or string and find some beads. Both are very inexpensive and readily available just about anywhere. also, you need a keychain clasp too. Bring the string together and create a loop. Then, put the loop and run it across the bottom of the clasp.
Tape the top of the clasp and let the strings hand down. After, make the body and the head however you want. There are a lot of ways to do this. So we cannot go super into detail. Luckily, there are plenty of great examples online. We suggest looking up all kinds of options and finding one that best peaks your interests.
Paracord Bracelet
For this Paracord bracelet, you need 2 paracords, a buckle, scissors, a lighter, and maybe a bracelet jig. The jig will hold the center bracelet cords in place. That way, you can properly knot it together. This is highly recommended. Especially for teens. Unlike other tasks, making a paracord bracelet can be a bit complicated. It will take work. But, the end results are totally worth it. Paracord bracelets are cool and also pretty fashionable. At the very least, it serves as a memorable moment that lives on forever in a physical form. Look for directions online for help.
God’s Eye
Think about this as a dream weaver. It is one of the camping crafts for tweens that is a whole lot of fun. Simply put, the God’s Eye is a yarn pattern put onto a wooden cross. Nothing more, nothing less. But, the crafting process is really enjoyable. Find all kinds of directions and help online.
Watercolor Painting
We saved the simplest activity for last. Find some canvas material and find some paint. More often than not, you can even just use regular white paper. The best part of watercolor painting is the safety aspect. It is not dangerous at all. Plus, watercolor paint is easy to transport. This takes some of the stress and hassle away from packing and traveling.
Final Advice On Camping Crafts For Tweens
You do not need to struggle through a camping trip with teens. Yes, they complain and bicker amongst siblings. But, they can easily be enteratined and swayed by fun activities. Especially if that fun activity creates a fun item like a new pair of shoes or a tie-dye shirt. Both are so much fun and pretty cheap. You do not need to empty out the bank account to enjoy some crafts with your teen while camping. Instead, stick to our great recommendations above and find something great today.