Exploring the great outdoors is always a great idea since communing with nature gives people a unique feeling that they cannot find anywhere else. But the current situation may not be ideal for families who want to go out camping in some of the country’s state and national parks.
Despite this, it doesn’t mean that the family cannot go camping and sleep under the stars at night. And they can do this safely, right in the comfort of their backyard. Backyard camping offers a lot of benefits for a family that likes the outdoors. It is easy to organize and manage. And if the family has made the necessary mosquito control measures in the home, they can safely enjoy sleeping in their tents outside the house.
Backyard Camping
Backyard camping is a good activity for the whole family. It is fun for both kids and adults, which can help reduce stress. The adults can ask the kids to help set up the tent on a flat surface in the backyard. After pitching the tent, they can lone the tent floor with yoga mats, sleeping bags, or bedrolls. This will make it comfortable to sleep on at night. The parents can also bring out an air mattress to make it more comfortable.
But if there’s no tent in the house, the family can make a makeshift shelter using a rope and a tarp or a large blanket. They can set up a triangular-shaped tent using these items. Then, they can put a waterproof tarp on the ground before adding sleeping bags, yoga mats, or bedrolls to make sure everyone sleeps comfortably at night.
The family can also hang stringing lights or lamps around the camp to make things look magical. It can also add a little light to the campground and make everyone feel as if they’re camping somewhere far from home.
Making the Experience Authentic
To make the experience authentic, the family can make a rule that no one will go back inside the house once they set up the tent. So, they should make sure they have everything they need before pitching the tent. These items will include the sleeping bags, yoga mats, bedrolls, pillows, stuffed animals, bug spray, games, cooking implements, and food to cook.
Additionally, they should not bring any electronics unless they’ll use them for the games. Everyone should also sleep outside ad can only go in for bathroom breaks.
Camping Cuisine
One of the best parts of camping is eating food around a campfire. But before building a campfire, the parents should make sure the local laws allow them to make a fire pit in their backyard. If there’s no problem, then they can have one at home.
They have the option of building a fire pit at home or buying one at an outdoor furnishing store. If they’re planning to build one, they should look for an area in the backyard that at least 15 feet away from the house and tent. They should also remove any flammable objects within 12 feet of the fire pit before digging a 12-inch hole and bordering it with rocks.
They can roast hot dogs and marshmallows on the fire put. They can even cook vegetables and meat using foil. The family can also use a small coal grill for cooking. These grills allow them to make pocket pies.
They can also make sandwiches, desserts, and juice ahead of time, so they won’t go hungry while waiting for the hotdogs and meat to cook.
Camping Games
There are a lot of camping games the family can play. For instance, they can explore the backyard and see what plants, flowers, trees, insects, and animals they can see. They can also take out a book about insects and animals or plants to help the young ones identify what they found in the backyard.
For the older kids, a Boy Scout handbook can come in handy. They can practice their scouting skills and try to perform some of the activities that can earn them a merit badge. The activity is a great learning experience for the kids and allows them to bond with their parents.
If the sky is clear, the whole family can go stargazing. They can spread a blanket and put some pillows down before looking at the stars together. Having a picture of the constellations can also help in identifying the constellations from the formation of stars that they see. They can also use their imagination and creativity to come up with their constellations.
One of the reasons why some families go camping together is it will allow them to bond. Even if they cannot camp at a state or national park, they can still have a family bonding activity in the comfort of their backyard.
