The school year is back and in full swing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep the family time going! Shake up your family’s routines with a fun and easy at-home camping adventure. Check out these tips for planning your backyard adventure! Although these tips are suited for the backyard, you can always do a quick pivot to indoor camping if the weather isn’t conducive.
What to Bring
If your kids have never been camping this is the perfect opportunity to introduce them to it. Start with finding a tent–if you don’t already have one, pop-up tents may be the easiest type to assemble. The next step is deciding what to pack. The best part about backyard camping is you’re only a few steps away from your house, so you don’t need a lot: flashlights or camping lights, pillows, sleeping bags or favorite blankets, bug spray, and comfy pjs. Check the weather ahead of time to see if it’s going to be chilly and pack extra blankets, accordingly.
Set Up Camp Together
Setting up the family camp is a great way to kick off the family bonding activity! Give your kids a job like picking out spots for games, food, tent, etc. Have everyone help assemble the tent as a family. Perhaps the kids can put the tent pieces together while the adults place the stakes in the ground (make sure you follow all directions that come with your tent). This is a great way to show your kids how working together in a group can be fun.
Plan Activities
Once you’ve set up your camp, it’s time to have some fun! While the sun is up you can play classic camp games like tag, duck, duck, goose, and red light, green light. You can also set up a scavenger hunt, color walk or a game of capture-the-flag. Keep the fun going when the sun goes down by handing out glow sticks to the kids or shine the flashlight and have your kids make shadow puppets or tell spooky stories. Last, but not least, it wouldn’t be camp if you didn’t have some delicious s’mores! Simply bake them in your oven and enjoy them in your backyard or if you have a firepit make them the traditional way.
Time for Bed
Make the inside of your tent a cozy, inviting space that they feel comfortable in. Although it’s a new bedtime setting, following normal bedtime routines, like reading before bed will help your little ones feel more comfortable. You can also bring a favorite stuffed animal or blanket for them to curl up with once it’s time for bed. Now you’re ready to give your kids plenty of fun memories and maybe start a new family tradition!