Short and simple: the easiest place to camp? Your own backyard.Â
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Camping Equipment
- Food and Snacks
- Games and Activities
- Personal Belongings
- Ground Rules
Step 1: Plan your camp out: As a parent, you should plan on either making a lot of trips outside to tend to everyone’s requests and needs, or an overnight with the kids in the tent. Might as well make it convenient for bathroom breaks. You should also plan your meals for the camp out to include any food that you plan on cooking outside, or just sandwiches and snacks to carry the kids through the evening. Let your kids be a part of the planning phase so they can get excited about it and add their own suggestions to make it fun.
Step 2: Set up your camp. You’ll want to select the perfect campsite location for your backyard set-up. Make sure it’s flat, dry and as convenient as possible. If you have a backdoor deck, it might be a more convenient option for really little ones who are camping, rather than the lawn even further below. Set up your tent with sleeping bags, cots or even an air mattress and set up pillows and blankets for everyone staying inside (it usually gets colder at night, even in the summertime, so be prepared for a temperature change!). Try other fun camping spots like atop a trampoline to change things up!
Step 3: Do fun activities with your campers. Between dinner time and bed time can be an antsy time for little ones looking for something to do. While it’s still light outside, encourage outdoor activities like playing on your swing set, jumping on your trampoline, riding bikes or doing something else outside the house.
Everything that your family needs to have a fun and educational backyard camping experience is to explore your own space from a new point of view, do it together and have fun.
