I have a friend who absolutely detests camping. She can’t go a whole day without the comforts of home.
She loves her hair dryer, her walk-in closet and her big-screen TV too much to leave it behind and set off on a camping trip to a place that doesn’t have such amenities. The thought of camping out somewhere she might encounter such terrifying creatures as a raccoon or a scorpion makes her literally sick to her stomach.
Kids Love Camping
Her kids love camping and beg her to take them on camping trips during the summer. They enjoy sleeping in tents and being outdoors. They’re the exact polar opposite of their mother and they tend to be very vocal about wanting to head outdoors.
My husband and I have volunteered to take the kids with us on one of our yearly trips, but my friend isn’t too keen on sending her kids out into the great unknown. I suspect she thinks we allow our children to run around completely unsupervised while half-naked and painted with war paint on our family trips. To be fair, she’s never voiced this concern, but it’s written all over her face when she politely turns down our invitation.
A few years back, after countless arguments with her husband and children about the fun they were missing out on because she wouldn’t go camping, my friend stumbled across a solution to her problems: “backyard camping”.
Advantages of Backyard Camping with Kids
By camping out in her backyard, she could take the kids camping while staying close to the comforts of home. If she got tired of hanging out in the backyard, she could temporarily suspend the camping trip and head inside, where she could take a hot shower, make a cup of coffee and relax on the couch while catching up on her favorite shows.
By staying within walking distance of her back door, she was able to tolerate camping out while keeping the kids happy. All she had to buy was a tent, a couple cheap sleeping bags and an air mattress. She also bought a couple flashlights, so the kids could have fun exploring the backyard at night.
Now that the kids are older, she lets them camp in the yard while she gets a good night’s sleep in her bed, which is 20 feet from where the tents are set up. She sleeps with the window open and can hear everything the kids are up to on their “camping trip”.
Notify your Neighbors
Be sure to notify the neighbors of your plans, because flashlights flickering around backyards in urban areas in the middle of the night aren’t usually associated with backyard camping trips.
Imagine my friend’s surprise when 3 squad cars pulled up in front of her house expecting multiple burglars prowling around her yard. It ended well, with her and the kind officers having a good laugh about the 8-, 10- and 12-year old “burglars” they’d been sent out to apprehend. The officers laughed it off, but were sure to point out that things could have ended differently had they have been on edge and one of the kids jumped out at them from the dark.
You Make the Rules
“When it comes to backyard camping, you make the rules”.
Some people treat it like a real camping trip, where everything they need is in their “campsite” and they don’t allow themselves to go in the house during their camping trip, except for emergencies and to use the bathroom. Others keep the food in the fridge and go inside during the heat of the day to relax and shower.
During the day, you can head to a nearby park or nature area and go exploring and hiking like you would on a normal camping trip. Don’t forget the cameras and binoculars, so your kids will be able to experience nature close up and document their trip.
Backyard Camping is Fun
A backyard camping trip can be a fun way to keep the kids busy while they’re out of school. Pitch the tents or, if weather allows, let the kids sleep out under the stars. Most kids love backyard camping trips because they’re a break from the norm. We go on a handful of real camping trips every year and my kids still love to camp out in the backyard from time to time during the summer.
Backyard camping can also be a great way to take a dry run camping trip close to home. You can set everything up and spend the night in your yard to learn the ropes and make sure you know how to use all of your gear and it works correctly. If something doesn’t work right or you have a problem, the comfort of your own home is but a few short steps away.
The best part about backyard camping is it allows you time to bond with your family. While most families spend a good portion of the day doing their own thing while at home, a backyard camping trip creates a venue in which the entire family works together in order to ensure the campsite is prepped and all the daily chores and activities are completed.
Activites
Be sure to include fun stuff like roasting marshmallows around a campfire or nature hikes through the neighborhood or the camping experience won’t be a fun one for the children. You can also eliminate normal bedtimes and let the children stay up as late as they want, as long as they agree to stay in the tent. Let them invite a friend or two over for the camping trip and they’ll have even more fun.
Make sure young children know you’re just a step or two away if they get scared and want some comfort at night. Backyard camping is generally safe, but nighttime noises can be scary for younger children regardless of where they’re camping out at.
Do it right and a backyard camping trip can be every bit as memorable as a real camping trip—and you’ll never have to leave the comforts of home behind.
Things that You need to Make Backyard Camping Fun
Clean Space
The area where you propose to set up your camp, must be clean. And if your backyard is a junkyard then you have to clear it.
Setting up a tent around clutter is no fun at all. Besides that every time you have to be mindful of yours and your family’s safety. Remove all pieces of twigs, sticks or gravel sharp stones, pieces of glasses and check if not the home of any insects. Simply put the whole intended camping site should be neat and clean.
Food
Stock up the fridge for food, have a delicious fresh fruit basket, make food like sandwiches, hotdogs, pizzas or grilled food items.
Make a list of the most wanted food items, buy and prepare the snacks beforehand. You would want to rush to buy some item in the middle of the camping time or rush inside to prepare food.
This will spoil the camping fun and waste time too of togetherness and relaxation. Put all the food items in a large picnic hamper so all items are available as and when the need arises.
Do not forget the sweets and chocolates buy these and keep.
Drink
Purchase a large can of water sufficient for satisfying your drinking needs. A separate can be kept ready to wash hands normally so that if kids are there you do not have rush to the bathroom every second.
You can store soft drinks, juices, ice lollies in a cool box.
Disposables
Buy a stock of disposable plates, cups, spoons, straws so that will save you the task of washing up later. Keep an area away from the camp to dump the disposables and instruct your kids not to litter but to throw all used items in a bag. Keep a separate bag for this purpose.
Hygiene Essentials
Do remember to keep a few towels and hand washing liquid, tissue paper, flashlights, sunscreen, insect repellent.
Setting for a Picnic
You can have a table and some outdoor chairs set out for comfortable food eating in a relaxed and hassle free manner.
Tent
Tents are the basic item in camping.
Whenever you think camping whether it is on a mountain, in your backyard or anywhere else you have to have a tent.
So important item to buy is a nice comfortable tent.
Tents come in a variety of sizes depending on your family get the appropriate tent. Setting up a tent is easy as these come with a manual of instruction.
After you buy the tent check if all items needed to pitch the tent are included in it. Simple tents are easy to set.
More elaborately designed tents take time and patience. I have described how to set up a tent in the later chapter.
Pitch the tent beforehand and do check the weather report before setting up. Too much windy weather or rainfall forecast will not hold the tent. Bedding. Use old clean pillows, blankets old clean throws, rugs or cushions or soft toys to use as bedding inside the tent to make the inside area comfortable to sleep or relax for yourself and the kids.
Sleeping Bags or Folding Beds
You can buy sleeping bags or use folding beds as required and depending on the space inside the tent. Make bedding items light so that easy for anyone to carry from and to the house.