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What can you do camping when it rains? This question haunts every family who’s gone off in a tent or mobile home for the holidays. Good news: between dry activities inside the accommodation, the campsite’s covered facilities (pool, spa, games room) and nearby outings (caves, museums, aquariums), options are never in short supply. Our comparison site for cheap campsites lets you filter for sites equipped for rainy days.
Here’s our top 7 activities to enjoy camping in the rain without getting bored!
The classic fix for rainy days at the campsite: pull out the board games and cards. A game of Uno, Monopoly or Time’s Up can easily fill 1 to 2 hours and brings the whole family together around the table.
Favour games that pack well and that take under 30 minutes per round, to suit the age of your children. Skyjo, Dobble and 7 Wonders Duel remain safe bets from age 7. For the little ones, Memory and simple card games (War, Old Maid) are a hit from age 4. Slip a travel chess set in too for strategy-loving teenagers!
When the rain lasts at the campsite, the cooking workshop becomes a creative activity in its own right. Pancakes, a yoghurt cake or cookies turn a dreary afternoon into a shared, delicious family moment.
The yoghurt cake remains a must for kids: all the ingredients fit into a mobile home equipped with an oven, and the recipe is measured out with a single yoghurt pot. Also prepare pancake batter the night before for a spontaneous snack, or start a homemade pizza workshop with dough bought at the campsite shop. Children love rolling out the dough, adding toppings and choosing their own ingredients.
To stimulate children’s creativity during rain at the campsite, craft workshops need only a small amount of material. Drawing, origami, iron-on beads or collages: 1 to 2 hours of guaranteed entertainment without a screen or wifi.
Pack a few basic supplies: felt-tip pens, coloured pencils, paper, scissors and glue. For origami, video tutorials or children’s books guide you step by step. Nature workshops (making a herbarium, drawing damp leaves gathered around the campsite) combine a creative activity with discovering the local flora.
A perfect activity to make the rain useful at the campsite!
If your campsite has an indoor pool or a wellness area, rain becomes a non-issue. Most family-oriented 3- to 5-star campsites now offer these facilities on free access, from the covered slide to the sauna and hammam.
Check the opening hours (often 9am to 7pm) and any dedicated time slots: families in the morning, adults later in the day. Water slides, paddling pools and jacuzzis rank among the amenities children appreciate most in bad weather. The spa and hammam are generally reserved for over-16s, making it a special moment for parents.
Many campsites keep their entertainment programme going even in the rain, moving it under a marquee or into a communal room. Karaoke, face-painting workshops, magic shows, storytelling or sports tournaments keep the kids busy while parents catch their breath.
Kids’ clubs (ages 3-12) stay open indoors as soon as it rains, supervised by qualified activity leaders. For teens, junior clubs organise themed evenings: blind tests, table football, table tennis, billiards. As soon as you arrive at the campsite, ask about the day’s programme, usually posted at reception or available via a dedicated app. The programme adapts to the current weather.
Natural caves remain the ideal outing in rainy weather: at a steady 12-15°C year-round, they don’t depend on the weather outside. France has more than 50 caves open to the public, around ten of which are suitable for children from age 4.
In the Dordogne, the Lascaux IV cave reconstructs prehistoric cave paintings for a fun 1h30 visit. In the Ardèche, the Caverne du Pont-d’Arc traces 36,000 years of cave art through replicas of the Chauvet site. In the Lozère, the Aven Armand impresses with its forest of stalagmites. Expect to pay from €12 for an adult ticket, with free entry for under-5s depending on the site.
For a completely dry rainy day, an indoor water park or an aquarium remain safe bets. France has dozens of indoor water parks and around twenty major aquariums open year-round.
Among indoor water parks, sites like Aquaboulevard in Paris or municipal aquatic centres in major cities offer slides, artificial waves and indoor rivers. Among aquariums, Océanopolis in Brest, the Aquarium de La Rochelle and the Grand Aquarium de Touraine bring together thousands of marine species. Expect to pay from €18 for the aquarium and from €25 for the water park, with 3 to 4 hours to make the most of the visit.
Planning your next camping trip and looking for a well-equipped establishment to weather the rain without getting bored? Book your cheap mobile home quickly!
No, rain isn’t a cancellation reason recognised by campsites. Check the cancellation conditions when booking: an all-cause cancellation insurance policy may cover certain unforeseen events. Favour campsites with an indoor pool and indoor entertainment to limit the risk of a spoiled stay.
Yes, packing rain gear remains essential for camping. A raincoat, waterproof shoes and a poncho let you enjoy outdoor entertainment without missing out. Also pack a microfibre towel and a waterproof pouch for phones. The rain kit takes up just 1 kilogram of extra luggage.
