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20 Harmless Camping Pranks To Play On Friends

Going on a camping holiday and looking for some prank inspiration? You've come to the right place!

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Beano Team
Last Updated:  May 24th 2022

Camping is awesome. Provided you've brought the right equipment, it's a chance to get back to nature in a comfortable way and enjoy some fresh air. If you're a prankster, it's also the perfect time to unleash some awesome pranks on your family or friends! Remember to only play pranks if you're sure they won't upset anyone or cause any harm or damage. Pranking is supposed to be fun for everyone – not just you!

1. The Sleeping Bag Surprise Prank!

After a long day of hiking, start to talk about different types of snakes. When your grown up isn't looking, sneak a rubber snake into their sleeping bag and wait for a huge scream when they settle down for a good night's sleep!

2. The Balloon Prank!

You'll need a balloon, some string and a pen to draw a face. When people are asleep in their tent, set up the balloon at their tent's entrance (or 'tentrance', if you like), so they're greeted by a floating face the moment they wake up!

3. The Campsite Bear Prank!

Record some growling bear sounds onto a smartphone and turn the volume up! When people are relaxing in their tents, play the sound effects and pretend a big bear is wandering around the campsite!

4. The Shoe Prank!

For this prank, you'll need a pair of small boots. Simply swap the boots over with your grown up's hiking footwear – they'll think their feet have grown overnight!

5. The Rubber Snake Prank!

For this one, grab the rubber snake from the earlier practical joke and simply leave next to someone while they're reading a book and generally relaxing. They'll get a fright, that's for sure!

6. The Backpack Prank!

If you're camping with your grown ups and they're always saying how strong you have to be to carry a backpack like theirs, sneak a couple of rocks in there to make their bag a little heavier. Don't over do it, as it might be impossible to move.

7. The Paper Clip Prank!

Use a normal paper clip to act as a temporary lock on someone's tent – just fasten the zips together and try not to laugh as they attempt to work out why their tent flap won't open properly. Don't forget to remove it or they'll be in there all week!

8. The Copycat Prank!

If you go on a country walk, keep looking up and saying 'wow' to yourself. Pretty soon, everyone will be looking up to see what's so interesting. When they do, just say whatever you were looking at has gone. But remember to start doing it again a little later!

9. The Animal Poo Prank!

All you need for this one is a chocolate bar that you don't mind using for a practical joke. Let it melt and make it a bit poo-shaped. Leave it somewhere near the front of someone's tent. Disgusting, but not really. Don't forget to remember where you left it!

10. The Gummy Worm Prank!

If someone's making pasta for a tasty campsite lunch, drop a couple of gummy worms into someone's bowl! They'll think their food has been infested by an actual, colourful worm!

11. The Tree Scare Prank!

This one is a classic. Just hide behind a tree and jump out to scare someone you know! They'll be so scared, they'll do a slow motion dance moves while their brain begins to realise it's you!

12. The Fake Snake Trick!

For this campsite howler, place a small piece of rope in someone's sleeping bag. Before they go to bed, mention you saw a snake earlier but you're pretty sure that it's gone away. Wait for the scream before they realise it was a bit of rope and not a poisonous snake!

13. The Early Morning Alarm Prank!

An alarm clock

Get an alarm clock and set it to go off early in the morning – don't do this if you share the tent with your intended prankee!

14. The Picnic Spider Prank!

Everyone loves a picnic. But a picnic with what appears to be a massive, dangerous spider? Not so much. Go on your camping holiday with a big rubber spider in your bag. Choose your moment wisely, before introducing your creepy crawly pal. Patience is a good pranking quality!

15. The Pine Cone Prank!

A handful of pine cones

Collect some pine cones in a bag and hide them. When the time is right, hide them all in someone's coat pockets! They'll think their anorak has been used by squirrels as some sort of waterproof base!

16. The Sandy Boot Prank!

If you're camping near a beach, get a small bucket of sand. Fill someone's boots when they're not looking and they'll wonder what on earth is going on, especially if they didn't wear them in the first place. A campsite prank classic!

17. The Spider Toilet Roll Prank!

Everyone has to carry their own loo roll to the campsite loo at one time or another. Unroll some of the toilet paper and draw some insects or a realistic looking spider (see above). When they go to use the toilet paper, they'll think they've come face to face with something Grizzly Griller would run a mile from!

18. The Bear Prank!

This prank requires forward planning and the help of a grown up! If you've got a bear costume at home, bring it on holiday with you. When everyone is having a nap, get the outfit on and stomp around the campsite and growl something like, 'Give me your picnics!' Works every time.

19. The Crunchy Pillow Prank!

Crisps prank

For this prank, hide a bag of crisps under someone's pillow. When they go to sleep, they'll hear a loud crunch. They might think a tiger is roaming outside of the tent. Remember to use a crisp flavour you don't like, because that would be a waste!

20. The Seeds Prank!

Sprinkle a load of bird seeds around the tent. Your family will be woken up by loads of birds flying in for this all-you-can-eat buffet! When it comes to pranks, this one is a real tweet!