Plan a backyard campout

(Jul 16, 2008) Our children are putting at least five hours a day in front of electronic screens but only 15 minutes a day outside. Get the kids communing with nature with an outdoor sleepover party.

The basics
Like any indoor sleepover, there are some key points to consider:

A good rule of thumb is to limit the guests to the age of the child. Even numbers seem to work best.

Get your kids to plan activities beforehand so you are prepared.

Establish a bedtime to prevent exhaustion.

Send out a checklist with the invitations reminding them to bring their sleeping bags and air mattresses

Put the drop off and pick up times on the invitation.

Planning important
You want to stimulate camping so limit multiple trips back and forth into the house. Get all the equipment, food and drink ready and then pretend you’re far away from the conveniences of home.

Location
If you've got a big backyard then pitch your tent and away you go! Smaller yards may need a bit of planning to see if everything will fit. Don’t worry about lack of grass, you can pitch a tent anywhere including on concrete, wood or brick as long as you have plenty of air mattresses!

Once the spot has been chosen do a quick cleanup by raking or sweeping the area.

Under the stars or under canvas?
Do your kids want to sleep under the stars? You’ll need to keep an eye on the weather and be prepared to move inside if there is a sudden down pour. Gazebos make the perfect choice since they keep the bugs away.

If you’re using a tent, it’s a good idea to set it up ahead of time to air it out or make sure there are no broken or missing parts. Clean up any mildew with vinegar mixed with water. If you’re borrowing a tent, pick it up before the party and do a dry-run for setting it up. Gazebo can be turned into an instant tent with some sheets and clothespins.

The menu
Eating outdoors is part of the fun. If you’re using a bonfire then kept the menu basic with veggie dogs or sausages the kids can cook themselves (with some supervision). Potato salad, chips and veggies with dip can round out the meal. For dessert: roasted marshmallows or smores. If you can`t do a fire, then a BBQ is the next best thing.

Make sure you have plenty of healthy snacks on hand as well. If you put all the drinks in a cooler neat the tent you’ll reduce traffic into the house.

Fire pit safety
You don’t want the sleepover to go up in flames so follow these tips:

Always use an outdoor fireplace, fire pit or fire bowl for your backyard campfire.

Keep the fire far enough away from the tents.

Start with a small fire and never use chemicals fire starters, especially gasoline or charcoal.

Forget the fire if there is any wind.

Keep a hose, bucket of water, sand or fire extinguisher within easy reach.

Never leave the fire or children unattended.

Make sure the fire is out completely before going to bed.

Activities
Unplug the game boys, turn off the cell phones and get the kids ready for some campfire fun:

Storytelling. Get everyone to bring their favourite ghost story.

Singing. Who doesn’t like those corny campfire songs. Kumbaya anyone?

Stargazing. Get some star charts and find some stellar constellations.

Shadow puppets. Bring out the flashlights and teach the kids some finger magic.

Security
Here are some tips for a safe and secure sleepover:

Consider joining the younger children. Sleeping in a separate tent can give the kids some security with their independence.

Make sure all gates have motion detection lights.

Let the family dog join the sleepover.

Make sure all walkways inside to the toilet are well lit. Solar lights are good choices since they can be moved around easily.

Arrange with parents for emergency pick-ups in the middle of the night should any guests not last the night.

Have a first aid kit on hand.

Anne Colvey is a regular contributor to Green Living Online. She has fond memories of her outdoor sleepover party for her 10th birthday.


Tags: activities, camping, nature defecit disordertag cloud.