Plan A Fun Kid Camping Activity In The Backyard!

Before the frost and school begins, plan a fun kid camping activity right in your backyard. Invite some friends and neighbors to the backyard campout. A small group of kids, 6 to 8 school-age children, is recommended. Borrow several tents, at least one per 2-3 children (unless you have a large family size tent!), or set up flat sheets over a clothesline to make a tent.

Have the kids make tent-shaped announcements, which include information such as:

Date Backyard campout
Show time
What to bring, such as: sleeping bag, pillow, PJ, toothbrush
It's time to take the morning after
Chaperone Information

If children present a plan for the child's activities, camping with grilled sausage on a stick, french fries, vegetable sticks and dip, and nutritious beverages. Make cupcakes decorated with shredded coconut (dyed green with food coloring dye for "grass") and paper "curtains"top. Put the child's name on each "tent".

Before it gets dark, go over safety tips, where to locate the bathroom during the night, and even a place they can come inside to sleep if they need to. Issue each camper a flashlight or litestick. Have bug spray and a first aid kit available.

After it gets dark, play flashlight tag and finger shadow games. Gather the group into a circle (or semi-circle) and place a camping lantern in the center. Turn the light down low and tell "Scary Stories of stock." Or play a game of storytelling, where the guest of honor (the child, whose courtyard is used) will begin a "tall tale" and that any person around the circle, in order to add the story to the end again with the 'guest of honor. With a small group would make fun to the group several times before the end of the story.

If the night is clear and cloudless, all lying on your back and watching the night sky. Who is the North Star Polaris? Who canlocate the Big Dipper and Little Dipper? Look up the constellations in the summer sky for your area. See if they can locate any of them.

In the morning before the campers go home, serve breakfast and have everyone "pack up". If you want to send home little party favors, a whistle, a compass, and a litestick are popular with kids.