Custom Merch Wire
Outdoor & Leisure · 8 min read

Custom Outdoor Games for Camping and Caravan Shows: The Complete Brand Guide

Discover how Australian businesses can use custom outdoor games at camping and caravan shows to boost brand visibility and engage audiences.

Leo Fernandez

Written by

Leo Fernandez

Outdoor & Leisure

Kids enjoying a fun outdoor game with a colorful parachute and ball in a park setting.
Photo by RDNE Stock project via Pexels

Camping and caravan shows are among the most engaged, enthusiastic events on the Australian exhibition calendar. From the Sydney Caravan & Camping Show to the Melbourne Camping & Caravan Expo, tens of thousands of outdoor-loving Australians flood these events every year — and they come ready to interact, explore, and spend. For exhibitors and sponsors, that creates an extraordinary opportunity. But in a sea of booths filled with tents, trailers, and travel accessories, standing out requires more than a banner and a brochure. That’s where custom outdoor games for camping and caravan shows come in. Branded games don’t just attract foot traffic — they create memorable, shareable experiences that connect your brand to the adventurous, outdoor lifestyle your audience already loves.

Why Custom Outdoor Games Work So Well at Camping and Caravan Events

There’s a reason experiential marketing consistently outperforms passive displays. People remember what they do far more than what they see. At an outdoor and leisure show, where the entire vibe is built around freedom, fun, and exploration, interactive branded games fit perfectly into the atmosphere.

When a family stops at your booth to play a round of branded Giant Jenga, they’re not just passing time — they’re spending several minutes engaging directly with your brand. That’s dwell time you simply can’t buy with a static display. Their kids are excited, they’re relaxed, and your logo is front and centre the entire time. Compare that to someone glancing at a flyer as they walk past, and the difference is obvious.

Beyond engagement, custom outdoor games generate organic social media content. Attendees photograph and film themselves playing games at events constantly. If your game is well-branded and visually striking, you’re effectively earning free social exposure every time someone posts from your stand.

For caravan and camping show organisers themselves, branded games can also serve as interactive entertainment zones throughout the event — an excellent sponsorship activation opportunity for major brand partners.

The Best Custom Outdoor Games for Camping and Caravan Shows in Australia

Choosing the right game for your booth comes down to a few key factors: space availability, audience demographics, setup and pack-down ease, and how well the game can carry your branding. Here are the standout options for camping and caravan show environments.

Giant Jenga (Tumbling Tower)

Few games are as universally loved as Giant Jenga. The towering block format is visually striking from a distance, drawing curious attendees in before they even know what it is. Each block can be custom printed or laser engraved with your logo, tagline, social media handles, or even fun camping trivia questions.

For a 4WD accessories brand or a caravan manufacturer, you might engrave product facts, travel tips, or destination highlights on each block — turning a simple game into a genuinely informative brand experience. Typical custom Giant Jenga sets suitable for events start at around 20–30 pieces with branding options available through timber printing or engraving. Most event suppliers recommend natural hardwood with laser engraving for outdoor durability.

Giant Connect Four

Another crowd-pleaser, Giant Connect Four works brilliantly for family-heavy audiences — which is exactly who attends camping and caravan shows. The game is quick to play, easy to understand, and naturally competitive, which keeps energy levels high around your stand.

Branding options include printed discs in your brand’s PMS colours, a branded frame, or a custom game backdrop. For a brand targeting families with children, this is one of the strongest game formats available.

Cornhole (Bean Bag Toss)

Cornhole boards are a staple of outdoor events and festivals across Queensland, NSW, and Victoria. Custom cornhole sets can be fully branded via digital print or screen printing on the timber boards themselves, with bean bags available in your brand colours.

The portable, flat-pack nature of cornhole makes it especially practical for exhibitors who travel between multiple shows — from the Canberra Caravan & Camping Show to the Perth Camping & Outdoor Adventure Show. A pair of branded cornhole boards packs flat and sets up in minutes.

Giant Snakes and Ladders / Lawn Dice Games

Floor-format games like oversized Snakes and Ladders, printed on durable event matting, or large foam dice printed with your branding, create a highly visual presence. These work particularly well for brands targeting a fun, family-oriented or community audience.

Custom floor mats with game designs can be produced in sizes suitable for 3×3 metre booth spaces, with full-colour digital printing for vivid, on-brand designs. They’re reusable, easy to roll and transport, and create an immediate visual impact.

Branded Bocce Ball and Lawn Bowls Sets

For brands positioned at the premium end of the camping and caravanning market — think luxury RV manufacturers, high-end outdoor furniture labels, or caravan parks targeting the grey nomad demographic — branded bocce ball or lawn bowls sets align perfectly with the audience’s lifestyle.

Custom resin or metal bocce sets with laser-engraved branding, presented in a branded carry bag or timber box, also double as a compelling promotional giveaway or competition prize. This crossover between game and premium gift is a smart way to extend your brand reach beyond the show floor.

Decoration Methods for Custom Outdoor Games

Understanding your decoration options helps you specify your order correctly and budget accurately. For a detailed breakdown of popular methods, our guide to laser engraving vs pad printing for promotional products covers when to use each technique.

  • Laser engraving is ideal for timber and metal game components (Jenga blocks, bocce balls, timber boards). It’s durable, premium-looking, and weatherproof — essential for products used outdoors.
  • Digital printing suits flat surfaces like cornhole boards, floor mats, and foam pieces, where full-colour, high-resolution artwork needs to be reproduced accurately.
  • Screen printing works well for fabric components like bean bags, game bags, and carrying cases where PMS colour matching is important.
  • Sublimation is suitable for polyester game pieces and fabric components requiring full, edge-to-edge colour coverage.

Always request a digital proof before approving production on large branded game orders. With timber engraving in particular, grain variation can affect how fine detail reads — something worth discussing with your supplier early.

Planning Your Order: MOQs, Lead Times, and Budgets

Custom outdoor games aren’t impulse purchases — they require forward planning. Here’s what you need to know before placing an order.

Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs): Most custom game suppliers work on a per-set basis for larger items like Giant Jenga and cornhole. You may be able to order as few as one or two sets with full branding, though pricing typically improves significantly at three or more sets — useful if you’re exhibiting at multiple shows or want sets at different locations. For smaller components like branded bean bags or bocce balls, MOQs typically start at 10–50 units.

Lead Times: For custom branded outdoor games, allow a minimum of 3–4 weeks for standard production. If custom engraving, full-colour printing, or specialty packaging is involved, 5–6 weeks is a safer target. For major shows with fixed dates — particularly the large Sydney or Melbourne caravan expos — always add buffer time. We cover this topic in more detail in our guide to avoiding rush fees on promotional product orders.

Budgets: Entry-level branded cornhole sets start around $150–$300 per set with basic printing. Premium timber Giant Jenga sets with full laser engraving sit in the $250–$600 range. Custom bocce sets in presentation packaging can range from $80–$200+ depending on quantity and materials. For an event of this scale and profile, these costs are modest compared to the engagement and brand exposure they generate.

For broader advice on allocating your promotional product budget, our event merchandise budgeting guide is a useful reference.

Maximising Your Brand Impact at the Show

Ordering the games is only part of the strategy. How you deploy them matters just as much.

Create a dedicated games zone: Rather than placing a single game in the corner of your stand, design a defined activation space. Use branded signage, matching colour schemes, and consistent branding across every element — from game pieces to staff apparel.

Integrate games with lead capture: Offer a small prize or giveaway for completing a game, registering their details, or sharing a photo to social media. This turns passive entertainment into a genuine lead generation mechanism.

Brief your staff: A branded game sitting unattended rarely reaches its full potential. Having an enthusiastic team member inviting passers-by to play, and engaging them in conversation while they do, is the key to converting dwell time into real business conversations.

Consider complementary giveaways: Pair your game activation with relevant branded giveaways that connect to the outdoor and camping lifestyle. Our guide to branded drinkware for outdoor events and our overview of eco-friendly promotional products have strong ideas for complementary items that resonate with this audience.

You might also consider custom promotional caps and hats as staff uniforms or competition prizes — few items are more appropriate to an outdoor show environment. And if sustainability matters to your brand positioning, our guide to bamboo and recycled promotional products aligns well with the eco-conscious segment of the camping and caravanning market.

For events where your team needs to look the part outdoors, our guide to custom branded polo shirts for events and our overview of hi-vis and workwear branding are both worth reading if your staff will be working in an outdoor environment.

Finally, if you’re coordinating a larger event campaign, our guide to branded merchandise for trade shows and expos walks through the full process of planning, ordering, and activating promotional products across a multi-day exhibition.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways for Custom Outdoor Games at Camping and Caravan Shows

Custom outdoor games for camping and caravan shows represent one of the highest-engagement promotional product investments available to Australian exhibitors and event sponsors. When executed well, they transform your stand from a display into a destination. Here’s what to keep in mind as you plan:

  • Choose games that suit your audience and space — family-friendly options like Giant Connect Four or cornhole are safe bets for general camping show demographics, while premium bocce sets work for luxury or lifestyle-oriented brands
  • Invest in durable, quality branding — laser engraving and quality digital print on robust timber or weather-resistant materials will hold up across multiple shows and provide long-term value
  • Plan your order early — allow at least 4–6 weeks for production and factor in artwork approval, proof sign-off, and freight time, especially for interstate shows
  • Integrate games into a broader activation strategy — lead capture, complementary giveaways, branded staff apparel, and clear signage all amplify the impact of your game investment
  • Think multi-use — branded outdoor games used at caravan shows can also be used at company events, product launches, or staff days, making them a smart long-term brand asset