Let’s Do Backyard Camping This Summer

This is Barb of A Life in Balance, excited to be guest posting today for Megan. I’m a mom of 5 kids, just like Megan. We are not a camping family which is something we’ll be changing this summer.

My husband and I went camping as kids – he did Cub Scout camping and I did a few Girl Scout camps. However, we haven’t done any camping with our kids until my daughter and I did Camporee last spring with my Girl Scout troop. True, we were sleeping indoors, not in the tents I remember from Girl Scout camp. Or on the ground like my oldest son did for Venturing.

But, I still call it camping.

This summer, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law want to take my kids camping. We decided to start with backyard camping before camping in the woods with the bugs and the wild animals. I know one of our kids who wouldn’t get within 10 feet of bug unless the house was on fire will have a tough enough time with backyard camping. I think the other younger kids will embrace it. Me, I’ll be in the tent with the air mattress.

Camping Projects

One way to get kids into camping is to involve them in making needed items for the event.

Tin Can Lanterns – Repurpose tin cans in your recycling bin into these colorful lanterns. The kids can come up with the sample pattern and fill the cans with water for freezing. Adults handle making the patterns in the metal with a hammer and nail.

Homemade Camping Shower – Now if we really want to emphasize living outside, my husband could rig up this outdoor shower with a hose. I think this is a fantastic idea if your kids spend time playing in creeks and mud piles. Have them rinse off before coming into the house.

15 Ways to Make Tents – Since we don’t have a tent, we’ll have to borrow one or two, probably quite a few, or we could make some. I think Mom and Dad should get the big tent.

Sit Upon – It’s no fun sitting on the bare ground, especially for adults. Time to make some personalized sit upons!

Camping Recipes

Of course we’ll make foil packet meals on the grill for dinner followed by a yummy banana Nutella dessert also done on the grill. How about offering S’mores made in a terracotta pot? Fire contained in a pot with the satisfying gooey taste of chocolate and marshmallow – sounds like the perfect kid dessert. If we decide to branch out to campfire cooking, Coleman has a nifty app for the smartphone to help us plan our meals.

Camping Resources

Ghost stories are a must for camping! After all, we can head inside the house if it gets too scary outside. It should be less buggy, too.

After ghost stories, comes the stargazing. Starwalk is an app for the iPhone that shows you what you’re looking at, or Star Gazer which helps beginning astronomers. Or, simply just look at the sky and come up with your own constellations.

Are you joining us in the backyard this summer with your tent and sleeping bag?

More Camping Resources

Emergency Kit

Carefree RV Camping: Making Family Memories

Barb is a mom of 5 kids who spends her day keeping track of socks, stuffed animals, library books, and Legos when she isn’t writing about all the frugality, gardening, cooking, and reading she manages to fit in between the chaotic moments. She can be found at A Life in Balance.

“I believe moms need to know motherhood is messy, inspiring, and challenging, and there is a community for them to be inspired, encouraged, and real.”