Adventures in Backyard Camping

Being bored with young kids at home can be pretty miserable. They do not want to play with their toys. They are not interested in watching TV. And now they are whining, “Mommy, what are we going to do today?” I wanted to do something new, unexpected, and fun. After going through some Pinterest boards I had an idea. Backyard camping.

I brought out all of the things we would need. A tent, a fire pit, outdoor chairs, flashlights, an air mattress, a battery-powered lantern and fan, an extension cord, and most importantly, ingredients for making s’mores. When I explained to them what we were going to do, my girls were smiling so big and couldn’t wait to get started. We ran outside carrying all of our gear.

The Camping Prep

We started by preparing our fire pit for a campfire. We collected sticks, branches, and pine straw as we walked along the wooded areas in our neighborhood. Back in our yard, the girls made a pile of firewood. They also set up chairs in a circle around the fire pit. For fire safety, we connected a water hose to the spigot ready to use just in case the fire accidentally spread into the grass.

Then we pitched our tent. What I learned when purchasing a tent is that they start off really small. If it says “four-person tent,” it really does not mean that four adults would fit in there comfortably. Use the bed size as a guide for what the space would actually feel like inside. Our “six-person tent” has just enough room to fit two queen-size air mattresses. And that is with no floor space at all. I could not imagine having more than two adults and two kids in a tent that size.

My husband and I did most of the work setting up, but, the girls were able to help us rake the ground where the tent was going to go, clearing it of any rocks or sharp objects. They also liked helping unfold the tent flat on the ground. A good tip is to place inexpensive solar lights at each corner, that way at night you can easily see the ground stakes and will not trip on them.

Once the tent was set up, the girls helped hang up our battery-powered lantern. We also ran an extension cord from the house exterior outlet in order to blow up the air mattress inside the tent and also for our small portable fan for air circulation.

Time for Camping Fun!

This was the moment they had been waiting for! The campsite was set, and it was time to play. We all went into the tent and zipped the door closed leaving the screens open for fresh air. At first, one of my daughters was afraid; she did not understand why we were zipped inside the tent. Going over some camping basics such as how to keep bugs and dirt out of the tent helped ease her mind.

For dinner, we grilled burgers and corn on the cob. As the sun set, we stacked wood in our firepit and started our campfire. A platter with graham crackers, marshmallows, and pieces of a chocolate bar was perfect to make s’mores. The girls roasted marshmallows and really enjoyed their sticky treat.

While we did not actually sleep outdoors, our first backyard camping night was a big success. We hope to build up the kids’ confidence being outside after dark later for a chance to sleep overnight in the tent. They are really looking forward to doing this again!