Looking to bring a bit of the outdoors into your classroom? We have all the inspiration you will need to transform your classroom into a campsite. Your students will get a kick out of roasting pretend marshmallows, floating down a tablecloth river, or stepping into a real tent. Check out these adorable props, bulletin boards, books, and more to set up your classroom camping theme!
(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)
1. Go from classroom to campground
Check out how Melanie Ralbusky, elementary school teacher and creator of Schoolgirl Style, transformed a storage closet into a totally decked-out camping-themed classroom!
Buy it: Pop-Up Camper Tent at Amazon, Kids Camping Chair at Amazon, String Lights Banner at Amazon
2. Start a glowing campfire
This classroom campfire idea from The Teacher Wife Lindsey Erickson actually glows when you turn off the lights thanks to some purple holiday lights.
Buy it: Purple Holiday Lights at Amazon
3. Get creative with forest-themed play dough
This forest-themed sensory activity from Pocket of Preschool would be perfect for a camping-themed classroom. You can make your own green and blue play dough or buy some premade.
Buy it: Blue Plastic Sorting Tray at Amazon, Plastic Bugs at Amazon, Nautical Sea Glass at Amazon
4. Re-create this campfire craft for kids
You’ll need battery-operated tea lights, tissue paper, construction paper, a Popsicle stick, and a cotton ball to re-create this fun and simple DIY campfire from Chelsey, a former teacher and creator of Buggy and Buddy.
Buy it: Tissue Paper at Amazon, Battery-Operated Tea Lights at Amazon
5. Try an inflatable campfire …
Not crafty? Try an inflatable campfire like this one at The Kindergarten Smorgasboard.
Buy it: Inflatable Campfire at Amazon
6. Or cuddle up to a plush campfire
Try a plush campfire like the one shown here at Teacher’s Brain. Kids will enjoy incorporating it into their pretend play as well.
Buy it: Plush Campfire at Amazon
7. Make a Classroom Chores chart using camping Imagery
Create an adorable camping-themed bulletin board like this one from the Foreman Teaches blog to signal who is responsible for what in your classroom.
Buy it: Camping-Themed Bulletin Board Decor at Amazon
8. Make this DIY classroom tent
Take a cue from Teach Junkie and hang a couple of inexpensive plastic tablecloths from a door frame, and voilà! You’ve got a tent!
Buy it: Brown Tablecloths at Amazon
9. Trap pretend bugs in a jar
First grade teacher April of Monkey Fun in First Grade had her class create these fun and colorful bug jars where they got to trap a creature of their choosing. Cheap and easy to re-create, all you need is art supplies and a clothesline and clothespins.
Buy it: Bright-Colored Poster Board at Amazon, Clothesline and Rainbow Clothespins at Amazon
10. Hang this fun camping tapestry
Hang this affordable yet sturdy tapestry for the perfect backdrop to any camping-themed classroom.
Buy it: Camping Tapestry at Amazon
11. Create camping words with rocks
Try this fun camping-themed literacy center from Pocket of Preschool.
Buy it: Large Rocks for Painting at Amazon
12. Hold story time on a campfire rug
Make your morning meeting or story time feel like a real campout with a camping-themed rug.
Buy it: Campfire Rug at Amazon, Camping-Themed Rug at Amazon
13. Read in a Camp Corner
The red in this reading corner from Mrs. McDonald’s Classroom Ideas makes the whole thing pop! My kids would be lining up for a turn with the sleeping bag inside the tent. (Psst: We’ve got even more reading corner ideas.)
Buy it: Affordable red camping chair at Amazon, Kids Sleeping Bag at Amazon
14. Set up a pretend river to run through your classroom camp
Trena Henley’s Pinterest shows an easy and affordable way to create a river or stream in your classroom.
Buy it: Multi-Pack Blue Tablecloths at Amazon
15. Let students climb into a real tent
Give your classroom campsite an authentic feel with a real yet affordable tent for the kids to climb inside. This example from Just Teachy is cozy and easy to re-create.
Buy it: Shark or Unicorn Tent at Walmart
16. Create tree stump seating
Look at this cute seating arrangement from the Teacher’s Corner of Chaylor & Mads. What a fun spot to hold a morning meeting!
Buy it: Tree Stump Cushions at Amazon
17. Explore a woodland hallway
The owls and other woodland creatures in this adorable hallway by Cara Carroll really bring it to life.
Buy it: Removable Adhesive Tape at Amazon
18. Add some camping flair to your art supplies
This camping-themed pencil holder will make art time more fun!
Buy it: Vintage Camper Pencil Holder at Amazon
19. Set up a cozy bulletin board
We love that this multimedia board from Mrs. Wills Kindergarten has real fabric on the tent!
Buy it: Burlap Banner at Amazon
20. Welcome curious campers
Students can help make fantastic campers like these from Buzzing About Second Grade. They can practice looking through their own binoculars as well!
Buy it: Kids Binoculars at Amazon
21. Bring in an inflatable canoe for pretend play
Inspire dramatic play with this fun river setup.
Buy it: Inflatable Raft at Amazon, Stepping Stones at Amazon
22. Light up camping lanterns
Take a cue from Lucky Little Learners and let students read by lantern light.
Buy it: Lanterns at Amazon
23. Grab a fishing pole
This fishing game from Pinterest/MelissaTraber fits the classroom camping theme perfectly. Make one or buy one already made.
Buy it: Fishing Play Set at Amazon
24. Read camping-themed books
Set up a camping-themed library like Kayla of K’s Classroom Kreations.
Buy it: A Camping Spree With Mr. Magee at Amazon, Pete the Cat Goes Camping at Amazon, Froggy Goes to Camp at Amazon
25. Head to the bear cave
Create a bear-themed bulletin board like this one from The Barefoot Teacher. You can make one little bear face for each of your students!
Buy it: Enhance your bulletin board with these cute paw prints at Amazon.
26. Read together under the stars
Hang some stars from the ceiling to create a reading area under the stars like this cute setup from Bee-ing Mommy.
Buy it: Hanging Stars at Amazon
27. Enter your camping classroom through a S’Mores Door
Create a cute s’mores-themed entrance to your classroom like this one from Nicole Ingenbrandt’s Pinterest. All the fun of s’mores without all the stickiness!
Buy it: Colorful Bulletin Board Letters at Amazon, Black Letters at Amazon
28. Create Camp Read-a-Lot
Create little reading pods like these from Lucky Little Learners. They are functional and adorable!
Buy it: Camping-Themed Pillow Covers at Amazon
29. Escape to a log cabin
Not feeling tents? Go for a log cabin like this one from Pinterest/binged.it. Not crafty? Try a premade log cabin playhouse.
Buy it: Log Cabin Tent at Amazon
30. Find your happy place
Create a happy place like this one from Chalkboard Chatterbox, and you’ll have happy campers in your classroom!
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