As I mentioned in my last article, the most basic fire layout is the Teepee. It’s one of the easiest to prepare and keep alive. However, it’s not the best for a rainstorm. The Teepee style makes the fire burn from top to bottom, and you will be adding firewood to the top. That means that the rain will just extinguish the fire. The layout that lasts longer for rainy-day camping is the Lean-to. In this one, the flames burn from the inside to the top, so the outer layer of firewood protects the fire underneath.

However, this won’t work forever. It just lets the fire withstand the rain a little bit longer. Another thing you can do is tie a tarp over the fire between a couple of trees, high enough so that the flames won’t burn the tarp. It’s best to do this before it actually starts raining. Make sure to give the tarp a bit of a slope, because tying it completely horizontal will turn it into a catch basin for the rain. This will cause the middle of the tarp to sink because of the weight of the water, and the flames may burn the tarp. Once you’ve set up a tarp properly, though, you won’t have any problem keeping the fire burning. This is important because it gets chilly when it rains!

Activities

Not having anything else to do after your plans get rained out would be a total bummer. It’s best to have a backup plan so you and your family can still enjoy your camping trip – even if it rains! Here is a list of some of the coolest camping activities you can do in the rain:

1. Hot chocolate and roasting marshmallows

If your overhead tarp is large enough, you’ll still be able to sit around the campfire. If not, you can still prepare treats for your kids while they sit in the tent – and the perfect treat for a rainy day is hot chocolate with marshmallows! Boil a couple of cups of water in a saucepan. Add dark chocolate and mix it until it melts. You can add the marshmallows to the hot chocolate, or you can roast the marshmallows and eat them separately. Either way, they’re a perfect pair!

2. Shower in the rain

Yes, you read that right! If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em! The whole point of camping is to spend more time outdoors, and showering in the rain is the ultimate outdoor experience! It’s simple, free, fun, and easy! Don’t be scared to get down and dirty. You’re already sleeping on the ground, so what else could go wrong? Just make sure to have another shower in the bathroom afterwards, complete with soap and shampoo, because mud can carry bacteria and viruses that may cause fever or colds.

3. Play board games

You can never go wrong with board games. Whether the players are all young, or all adults, or a mix of both, everyone is excited about board games. They’re easy to play, and the competition and the raging desire to win will surely make you forget all about the rain! Classics like Monopoly, Snakes, and Ladders, and Scrabble are best because everyone knows how to play them.

4. Measure the rain

This activity is super easy yet very educational! You can make a rain gauge using really simple materials. You will need a large plastic bottle, a permanent marker, and a ruler. That’s it! Cut the bottle into two parts: the head and the body. Cut the head about 2 inches from the bottle cap. Insert the head into the body with the mouth pointing toward the inside of the bottle. Insert it far enough that it doesn’t budge. (If you want, you can use tape to secure the edges, but usually, there’s no need to) Finally, get a ruler and measure 2-inch intervals, with 0 at the very bottom of the bottle. Place it in an area where it’s fully exposed to the rain and let it start to fill up. Now you’ll know exactly how rainy your camping trip ended up being!

5. Make paper boats

Another super easy craft! You only need paper and mad origami skills, and you’re good to go. If you don’t know how to fold a paper boat, here’s how:

Start by holding your paper in a portrait orientation. Fold it into two at the center so that the top and bottom edges meet. You should now have a half sheet of paper folded to look like it’s in landscape orientation. Mark its center by folding the top left and right edges, but don’t fold it all the way. Then make the upper edges (the ones that aren’t open) meet at the center line you just marked. You should now have a kind of triangle with a small extension at the bottom. The bottom part should have two flaps, one from the front and one from the back. Fold them upwards in the opposite direction, meaning that you should fold both flaps away from the paper. You should now have a triangle with an open mouth at the bottom, and a little bit of extra paper at the sides. Grab the centers of both sides of the triangle and pull them apart. Flatten it; you should have a square shape now. Fold the flap upward, turn your origami around, and then do the same with the other side. You should have a triangle again, but with an open mouth at the bottom. Pull the sides outwards and you’ll again get the square shape. Slowly pull the top parts, and you now have your paper boat! You can try making it sail on puddles for a fun, dirty time.

I hope this article helps you through your rain dilemma. Have fun camping, whether it rains or not! Let me know in the comments if you have other fun activities for camping in the rain!