Camp Nerd Games - Summer 2026

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Captain)]

Welcome to the Nerd Games!

Runs July 1, 2026 - September 30, 2026

This is a craftalong where nerdy crafters all over the world can share our projects and give each other encouragement - that’s really all there is to it! If you feel you might be a nerd, or enjoy some nerdy things of any kind, or if you’re just nerdy about crafting, you’re more than welcome here!

This season, we’re back at CAMP NERD GAMES!

STUFF TO DO

• Check out the Camp Calendar and Link Hub to see all the things there are to do this season.

HOW TO JOIN

Simply make any craft, take photos of it, and post them in this thread with the following header, which is explained below:

Prompt:
Team:
Project Name:
Project Link:
Brief Description:
Project Photo(s):

Prompt: (Write the name of the prompt you are entering your craft for here. Don’t forget to include the month!)
Team: (Choose one of three, listed below)
Project Name: (Name your craft anything you like; fanciful titles or simple labels/descriptions are all fine)
Project Link: (Paste the link to your community post for the bonus points)
Brief Description: (Tell us anything you’d like to about the craft, such as how you made it, and why it fits the prompt.)
Project Photo(s): (Post photos of your awesome craft here, so we can ooh and aah over it!)

FAQs

Have more specific questions about the Nerd Games? You can find FAQs here!

THE TEAMS

There are three teams to choose from, and no requirements for joining any of them; simply choose one that speaks to you, put the team name in your first project header, and presto - you’re a member! You will remain on the same team for the entire season. You may change teams in future seasons.

• Cabin Finger Painters
• Cabin Stargazers
• Cabin Trailblazers

THE PROMPTS

Most Prompts are posted on a monthly basis. Monthly Prompts and Battles are posted on the first of the month.

Monthly prompts are based on themes. There are five Monthly Prompts posted each month. Monthly prompts can be submitted any time during the season.

Battles are the only time sensitive Prompts in the Games. There is one Battle per month, due by 11:59 pm Central on the last day of the associated month.

There are other Season Prompts based on time it takes you to craft a project. See THE POINTS section below for point values and to learn about Season Prompts.

You can craft specifically to fit Prompts, or you can craft first and then find Prompts to fit your projects into. We’re pretty lax about interpretations of the Prompts and love creativity; just explain in your description how it fits!

BONUS POINTS

There is one type of Bonus Points available. COMMUNITY BONUS POINTS are awarded when you submit a project and share a link to a post you’ve made about the project in a Lettuce Craft board. You will earn 20 bonus points for each project you submit with a community link. Please be sure to participate in the entire community and not just in the craftalong!

THE POINTS

This competition is just for fun and the points are for nothing more than motivation and bragging rights, but go ahead and rack up points by posting projects for your Team! Points are assigned as follows:

• Monthly Battles and Prompts: 20 points each (must take at least 30 minutes of crafting time and fit the Prompt directive.)
• Free Range: 20 points each (must take at least 30 minutes of crafting time. Up to six allowed per season. Free Range is for any project that doesn’t fit an available Prompt.)
• Big Time projects: 50 points each (A project that takes at least 5 hours of crafting time. Up to three allowed per season.)
• Zaps: 10 points each (Any craft that takes fewer than 30 minutes to make. Up to five allowed per season.)
• Research Projects: 100 points each (A project that takes at least 20 hours of crafting time. Up to two allowed per season.)
• Community Bonus Points: 20 points each (Awarded to each project submission that includes a link to the LC project post.)

Special Note:
All prompts are supposed to be crafted within the current season. However, we have decided to make an exception to this rule. Let’s say you craft something for a swap near the end of the Summer season. You’ve sent the swap package, but it hasn’t been received yet. Fall season begins, your partner has received their swap item, and you are ready to post. You may go ahead and post your project from the previous season for the current season.

THE RULES

• Players must be 18+ years old, and each player must have and post from their own LC account.
• Players must craft to the best of their abilities and have a minimum of 30 minutes of crafting time per submission, unless otherwise noted.
• A project can only be submitted for one Prompt or crafting opportunity.
• A project does NOT have to be "nerdy,” it only has to fulfill the prompt as you see fit.
• Submitted projects must be started and completed during the current season, unless otherwise noted.
• There is SO MUCH to do in the Nerd Games. Do not feel like you have to craft everything. Do what inspires you.
• We welcome all players from the Nerdyverse, no matter their Geekdom. We even welcome non-nerds!
• We are never mean.
• We never exclude someone.
• We will keep it clean-ish (PG-13).
• Never hesitate in contacting the gamemakers with your questions, concerns, or ideas.

DISCUSSION

Be sure to watch the Nerd Games Discussion Thread to stay up-to-date with announcements and other chit-chat.

Previous Seasons:

Winter 2026	Spring 2026	[Summer 2026]	[Fall 2026]
Winter 2025	Spring 2025	Summer 2025	Fall 2025
Winter 2024	Spring 2024	Summer 2024	Fall 2024
Winter 2023	Spring 2023	Summer 2023	Fall 2023
Winter 2022	Spring 2022	Summer 2022	Fall 2022
Winter 2021	Spring 2021	Summer 2021	Fall 2021
Winter 2020	Spring 2020	Summer 2020	Fall 2020

[storerboughtcreation (Jamie Storer - Nerd Games Tracker)]

Cabins and Campers

If you click on your cabins graphic, you will be taken straight to your cabins specific Discussion Thread post.

storerboughtcreation (Cabin Counselor)
Tapestry
Bunny1kenobi
megwell
Nightlight
MistressJennie

Smeddley (Cabin Counselor)

LovelyMiss (Cabin Counselor)
HeroicHatchling
saintcady
LindyBlues
Mountains_and_Clouds
stirlingarts
gozer

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Captain)]

July

There is a weird vibe as you arrive at camp this year. The smell of moss is thick in the air, fog rolls off the lake, and no matter where you stand, a chill seems to follow. You feel jumpy, set on edge. Though you’re surrounded by friends and so glad to be back, you can’t help but scan the treeline. For what, you’re not totally sure.

Everything is fine, though. First day jitters are all. It’s been a whole year since this place was last occupied. Once the cobwebs are cleared and everyone decorates their bunks, the nerves will settle and things will be normal.

So get to your cabin, unpack, and meet your fellow campers around the fire pit. (Head to the Discussion Thread to view the different Cabins (Teams) available and start working on decorating your bunk.)
_ _

After a long, exciting day, and an evening full of laughter and campfire stories, you retire to your bunk for the night. As you walk back to your cabin, the sound of a twig snapping in the woods sends your head spinning around and your hands rustling for your flashlight. You pick up the pace and are soon crossing the threshold, taking a breath as you quickly close the door behind you. That wasn’t a growl you just heard, was it? What animals even live around here? What used to be on these campgrounds? It might be interesting to find out and share the information with your fellow campers.

---

August

Though the first few weeks of Camp were a little unnerving, everyone settles in and the days float by, filled with fun, friendship, and creativity.

Cabin Trailblazers invites everyone on a hike in the neighboring mountains. As you make your way along the path, you can’t shake the feeling that something is nearby. And the worst part is, you think you know what it is. You catch some movement out of the corner of your eye, but when you turn to look, it’s just trees swaying in the wind. As you get back to the campgrounds, your friend approaches and shares that they also have some ideas about the weird vibes and want to see what else they can find out. You gather some other campers and hatch a plan to search the woods.

The next day, you clomp through the forest with your friends, looking for anything interesting. It’s a quiet walk, mostly trees and rocks. The camper out front finds a random pile of glitter, but says it’s probably from the cabin pride signs everyone made last week. A while later another camper finds a patch of fun fur. Your friend mentions their bunkmate lost a work-in-progress stuffie on the first day of camp, so it’s likely just from that.

You approach the bridge that leads across the lake to the adjacent campground, but you heard in town that it collapsed a week before camp started. You can’t go any farther. As you walk back to Camp, you stumble on, what looks to be, a rummaged-through backpack, strewn about and abandoned.

Your mind flashes back to something you saw at the Visitor’s Center.

Have a theory about what’s going on? PM your theory to LovelyMiss by Sunday, August 30.

---

September

[Smeddley (* Nerd Games Lieutenant *)]

Post your projects with the following header:

Prompt: (Write the name of the prompt you are entering your craft for here. Don’t forget to include the month!)
Team: (Choose one of three, listed below)
Project Name: (Name your craft anything you like; fanciful titles or simple labels/descriptions are all fine)
Project Link: (Paste the link to your community post for the bonus points)
Brief Description: (Tell us anything you’d like to about the craft, such as how you made it, and why it fits the prompt.)
Project Photo(s): (Post photos of your awesome craft here, so we can ooh and aah over it!)

PLEASE NOTE - for each month, you will select ONE set of the 5 prompts, the battle is the same for everyone!

JULY - Choice One: How Will You Investigate? (Search Online OR Search Around Town)

July Battle: Nature vs. Technology (CLOSED)

Search Online

You boot up the ancient computer in the activity building and try to connect to the internet, hoping to research the local wildlife. Instead of taking you to the URL you’re entering, other websites keep loading. Odd websites. Almost like you’re connected to an old version of the internet. What is happening?

1. Geocities. A weird fanpage for obscure media hangs like you’re on a 56k dial-up modem. Craft an item that is from a fandom you like, uses a website to help you make (tutorial or pattern), is brightly colored, or uses bits of old electronics to make.
2. Pets .com. Like an echo of the dot com crash, the website flashes on the screen and briefly loads before you get a [404]. Craft an item for a pet, that is fuzzy (or scaly or feathery), is a puppet or a sock or made from a sock (remember the Pets .com sock puppet?), or is white/black/brown.
3. Napster. It’s uncertain if that download that started is actually “Werewolves of London” or a computer virus, but it doesn’t matter because the computer crashes before it can finish. Craft something inspired by your favorite song, is blue or green, or is slightly shady…
4. Yahoo Groups. Even the juiciest message board drama had nothing on Yahoo Groups, and your heart rate increases significantly as a knitting group opens and the first words you see are “UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE.” Craft an item that you make with a friend/group, is involved in some sort of drama (either the pattern or pattern creator or item it makes), or is red.
5. Ask Jeeves. Nine minutes later, the page finally loads. At least it’s a search engine! You try to type in “local wildlife” but the screen flickers three times before finally loading the URL you were trying all along. The internet starts working normally, as if nothing happened. Craft an item you got help with, that is for the house/garden, is striped, or is black/white.

You learned about birds, bears, bugs, and beasts of all kinds. But nothing that seems like it would growl like that.

Search Around Town

You head into town to see if anyone there knows anything about the history of the campgrounds. You can’t find many folks to talk to, but the server at the local diner suggests you check out the visitor’s center around the block. You must have taken a wrong turn, though, because you end up at an empty mini mall. You decide to look around anyway.

1. Blockbuster. It smells like moth balls and nostalgia here! The walls are lined with empty movie cases and dusty posters. Craft something inspired by your favorite movie, that you had to check out/borrow something to make (book from the library, items from a friend), or that is blue.
2. Borders. Man, you wish these shelves were still filled with books! You’d be set for summer reading. But instead they’re just filled with uncanny vibes. Craft something based on your favorite book, that is made of paper or uses words, or is black.
3. Sports Authority. There’s a jersey on the floor for a player you’ve never heard of, and a lone life-sized cardboard cutout in the corner trying to jump scare you. Craft something based on your favorite sport, that is to be used outside, is made of natural materials, or is green.
4. RadioShack. The dare devil in you wants to shimmy through the broken window, just to see what’s inside, but the last thing you need is a trip to the infirmary. Plus the radio static that sounds like it’s coming from the backroom is unsettling enough to get you scurrying on your way. Craft something that uses electronics/technology to make, uses a small, obscure, hard-to-find supply, is for the house, or is red.
5. ToysRUs. This place is so big! You were shorter than the counter the last time you remember stepping foot in a toy store like this. Too bad it looks like some kids have raided the place and the only things left are boxes, leaves, and graffiti. Craft something for a kid (or a kid at heart), that doesn’t serve a purpose (other than fun/play), is new to you to make, or is multi-colored.

After splunking through the abandoned mall you eventually find your way to the visitor center. [Take a look around]

AUGUST - Choice Two: How will you investigate? (Consult the Mystical OR Consult the Practical)

August Battle: Over Prepare vs. Totally Wing It

Consult the Mystical

You’re a little skeptical of the mystical, but whatever is going on feels more and more out of the realm of normal anyway. You’re willing to try anything.

1. Astrology. Maybe what’s happening has more cosmic origins? Craft something that is inspired by space, the stars, or a star sign, is star-shaped, is spotted, or is deep blue.
2. Psychic. You visit the psychic in town and see where your shared intuition can lead you. Craft something that is mysterious, that you get instructions from another person, has a wavy pattern, or is gray.
3. Seance. Are the campgrounds haunted? Who knows! Might as well see if anything comes through. Craft something that requires help from someone else, is connected to another thing, is round, or is white/clear.
4. Tarot. Your bunkmate has a deck and you do a spread together as you chat about all the weird things you’ve noticed. Craft something that has many pieces, is made of paper, has two sides, or is multi-colored.
5. Tea leaves. The hot tea energizes enough for more exploration, and the leaves show there’s definitely a strong energy moving through the area. Craft something that is edible, uses heat to make, has a bunch of small parts, or is brown.

After consulting the mystical, you’re feeling more certain you’re on the right track.

Consult the Practical

You’ve already been busy investigating the area this season, but there are still a few more practical ways you can poke around.

1. Maps. Double check the Local maps and see if there are other ways around the broken bridge. In order to learn more, you really need to get deeper into that area. Craft something that is made of paper, gives guidance/directions, is foldable, or is beige.
2. Ranger. You find the Ranger camped out in their Nest, a little treehouse that gives them a good view of the surrounding area, and ask if they’ve seen anything strange. They say they’re focused on trying to figure out how to get the bridge repaired. Craft something that you need someone else’s help with, is made of wood, is to be used outside, or is green.
3. Guidebook. All those things you found on the hike were easily explained, and have nothing to do with the weirdness, right? Right?! Craft something that has words on it, that you use thread or glue to make, that is made of cloth, is square, or is brown.
4. Zoologist. Maybe you should get them checked out by a scientist, just in case. When you do, they’re not so sure that fun fur is actually fun fur. Craft something that is inspired by your favorite animal, is plush or furry, has teeth or claws, or is black or white.
5. Townsfolk. There are always folks coming and going around the area; maybe they noticed something. You catch one who tells you they saw something red and glowing around the bridge a few days before it fell. Craft something that is for someone else, that you make in a group setting, is based on your favorite bit o hearsay/hot gossip, or is red.

After consulting the practical, you’re feeling more certain you’re on the right track.

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Captain)]

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Captain)]

Arts and Crafts Club

Instructions

1. Identify the craft supply for the month.

• July - Cookie Cutter
• August - Wood Plank
• September - Fat Quarter

2. Use the supply to make any project you want. Projects may be as simple or elaborate as you’d like and will require the use of your own additional supplies.

3. Post your project by the end of the designated month using a prompt (or as a standalone project if you don’t have a prompt available). Include clear, well-lit photos.

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Captain)]

Postcard Club

Instructions

1. Identify the postcard labeled for the month and spend at least 20 minutes decorating it however you want. There is no maximum time limit, but 20 minutes is the minimum.

2. On the back, share one thing you’re enjoying about your summer (e.g., “I read a great book!”) and sign it with your name and/or username.

3. Address it to the indicated player and mail between the 1st and the 15th of each month. (Add a stamp if you are sending from outside of the USA.)

4. Post your cards using an appropriate prompt (or as a standalone project if you don’t have a prompt available). Include clear, well-lit photos.

Ensure your cards stay flat, everything is securely attached, and they remain within the postcard stamp weight of limit of 1 oz.

You do not need to submit your postcards in this thread in the month they are sent, but all of them do need to be posted before the end of the season.

SENDING LIST

July Check-In: Send between Jul 1 - Jul 15

Did you send your JULY postcard?

• Yes

Did you receive your JULY postcard?

• Yes

August Check-In: Send between Aug 1 - Aug 15

Did you send your AUGUST postcard?

• Yes

Did you receive your AUGUST postcard?

• Yes

September Check-In: Send between Sep 1 - Sep 15

Did you send your SEPTEMBER postcard?

• Yes

Did you receive your SEPTEMBER postcard?

• Yes

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Captain)]

Summer Prank

Instructions

1. Use the big googly eyes to take 10 clear, well-lit photos that represent or are inspired by the “Photo Words” below. Each Word needs it’s own photo, and you must take a photo for each Word. Get creative! All photos are due by Monday, August 31.

2. Between July 1 - August 31, post your Prank photos in the Camp Nerd Games thread. Be sure to clearly label each photo with the corresponding Word. You may post them on a rolling basis, or all at once, as long as they are all posted by August 31.

3. In September, polls will be released showcasing all the Summer Prank photos. Vote on your favorite photos as the polls are posted.

TIP: DO NOT remove the protective paper or use the adhesive on the back of the eyes. It is strong and will likely not continue to stick well for all photos. Use tape, poster tack, or other temporary adhesive, if needed.

Photo Words

1. Big
2. Little
3. Lazy
4. Sweet
5. Abstract
6. Rare
7. Jolly
8. Silly
9. Fancy
10. Mighty

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Captain)]

Events

These Events require to you craft a specific project, however they are NOT prompts. You will use an appropriate Monthly or Season Prompt to submit these projects. Events will be released throughout the season.

Visit the Haunted House: July 1 - September 30

Some campers want to lean into the kinda weird vibes at camp this year and decide to take a little field trip to the supposedly Haunted House at the edge of town. You go along and…it’s just a house. But it’s definitely creaky, drafty, and creepy. Craft an item that would fit right in at a haunted house, based on whatever criteria you want to use to define that. Submit the project using an appropriate prompt. Include the words “Haunted House Event” somewhere in your post. Due by the end of the season. Completing this Event will earn ONE Camp Token, and allow you the opportunity to purchase a special enamel pin at the Trading Post at the end of the season.

Fix the Bridge: August 1 - September 30

The broken bridge is inconvenient and dangerous and Camp Nerd Games campers have decided to take action! If we work together, we can fix it! Craft an item that involves mending or recycling. Submit the project using an appropriate prompt. Include the words “Fix the Bridge Event” somewhere in your post. Due by the end of the season. Completing this Event will earn ONE Camp Token.

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Captain)]

Reserved for other things

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Captain)]

Repository

–Someone dropped a piece of paper that says, “Move Over 2 make room under the oak tree.” What could that mean? You don’t know, but you pick it up and put it in your pocket.

–On a trip into town, you pass a playground where a few kids are singing the alphabet and counting puddles. Oh, to have such simple fun!

– You can just take a look. Sometimes letters are first and words are placed right in plain sight!

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Captain)]

Trading Post

This season, instead of earning random prizes, you will earn Camp Tokens for submitting projects and doing activities, and spend those Tokens at the Trading Post. Completing certain events will unlock the ability to trade Camp Tokens for special items like pins.

The Trading Post will open for viewing the last week of the season, and the Trading Post will be open for trading October 1 - October 5, 2026.

Earn Tokens

By Submitting Projects:

• You will earn 1 Camp Token for every points-earning project you submit this season. That means you can earn up to 34 Tokens by submitting projects.

By Completing Clubs and Pranks:

• You will earn 2 Camp Tokens if you are part of the Arts and Crafts Club and submit all of your projects.
• You will earn 2 Camp Tokens if you are part of the Postcard Club and send all of your postcards.
• You will earn 2 Camp Tokens if you are part of the Summer Prank and submit all of your photos and vote in all the polls.

By Completing Special Events:

• You will earn 1 Camp Token per Event.

The maximum number of Camp Tokens anyone can earn this season is 45.

Spend Tokens

Trading Post link and instructions will be available the last week of the season.

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Captain)]

Campfire Hangouts

Get together with your fellow campers for fun and games.

Craft and Chat - Zoom

Saturday, July 25, 2:00 - 3:00 pm central
Bring a project to work on, meet your fellow campers, and chit chat as you craft.

Please RSVP in the poll below. The link will only be sent to those who RSVP. The link will be shared approximately 30 minutes before the meeting via PM.

Are you planning to attend the Craft and Chat Campfire Hangout on July 25?

• Yes

Game Night - Skribbl

Thursday, August 27, 8:00 - 9:00 pm central
We’re getting together to play Skribbl, an online game similar to Pictionary. It’s free to play. A link to the private game will be posted here approximately 30 minutes before the game starts. You can join anytime during the game window. Please use your LC username as your name in the game.

Game Night - Skribbl

Sunday, September 6, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm central
We’re getting together to play Skribbl, an online game similar to Pictionary. It’s free to play. A link to the private game will be posted here approximately 30 minutes before the game starts. You can join anytime during the game window. Please use your LC username as your name in the game.

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Captain)]

Camp Schedule & Link Hub

July

July 1: Summer Prank Starts
July 1: Haunted House Event Starts
July 1 - 15: Postcard Club Due - Complete Poll when you Send & Receive
July 25: Campfire Hangout - Craft and Chat
July 31: Arts & Crafts Club Due
July 31: Prompts - July Battle Due

August

August 1: Fix the Bridge Event Starts
August 1 - 15: Postcard Club Due - Complete Poll when you Send & Receive
August 27: Campfire Hangout - Game Night
August 31: Arts & Crafts Club Due
August 31: Prompts - August Battle Due
August 31: Summer Prank - All Photos Due

September

September 1: TBA* Event Starts
September 1 - 15: Postcard Club Due - Complete Poll when you Send & Receive
September 4-25: Summer Prank Voting
September 6: Campfire Hangout - Game Night
September 30: Fix the Bridge Event Due
September 30: Arts & Crafts Club Due
Septmeber 30: TBA* Event Due
September 30: Haunted House Event Due
September 30: Prompts - September Battle Due
September 30: Prompts - All Monthly and Additional Prompts Due

October

October 1-4: Visit the Trading Post to spend your Camp Tokens

*TBA = To Be Announced

[LovelyMiss (Ashley - Nerd Games Captain)]

Reserved

[Smeddley (* Nerd Games Lieutenant *)]

Mistakenly reserved, ooop!

[Mountains_and_Clouds (SaRa :) [they/her])]

I was hoping to get a strong start right away, but honestly, today I’m feeling L A Z Y

[storerboughtcreation (Jamie Storer - Nerd Games Tracker)]

Monkey is feeling MIGHTY today. Don’t worry. He’s just yawning because I ambushed him while he was sleeping. He’s not angry, just an adorable goofball.

[Tapestry (Jenn)]

I would have said abject horror rather than anger .

Awesome pictures, @storerboughtcreation & @Mountains_and_Clouds!

[HeroicHatchling (Kailey)]

Well, Zim (our foster kitten) is still quite LITTLE but I’m sure he will grow into these googly eyes.