Hot Topics     Home and Family    

Spend a night out with your kids – in the backyard!



Camping…long-lasting memories with these family fun activities

camp, night, kids, parents, fun, outdoors

With the concerns with the pandemic, sometimes we forget that we can actually stay close to home and have a blast.

Most of the activities listed can be done in your own backyard or in your neighborhood…no backyard required.

Camping, in any form, provides families with a fun alternative for creating long-lasting memories, new traditions, while saving time and money. Plus, it helps foster a healthy development of family bonds. With summer here, the temperatures will be perfect for a day or nighttime adventure. Remember, the camping adventure can come to a halt at a specified time…it doesn’t always mean sleeping outside all night.  Some kids enjoy the adventure for a few hours and return to their familiar bedroom for sleeping.

Here’s just a sampling of some of the benefits:

  • Not as time consuming - Camping in your backyard is not time consuming. Preparing for your ''trip'' and getting to your campsite takes less time than traveling to a campsite away from home. It’s also easy to social distance.
  • Money-saving - In terms of family finances, it is a less expensive option than your usual camping trip, as you don't have to purchase all the additional travel supplies, because you are staying close to your home.
  • Proximity to home - You can enjoy full benefits of stocked fridge and indoor plumbing. Being relatively close to your clean bathroom is particularly handy, especially for small kids.
  • Security - Your kids may feel more secure staying in your neighborhood versus the unknown area and wildlife of a strange camping place.

With these activities, every camp out will be a winner whether you use your own backyard or explore your neighborhood:

1. Set up a play tent or a real one if you own one

Supply the kids with a tent to retreat to with items such as books, stuffed animals and games. A deck of cards and a board game will keep the kids entertained, while at the same time teach them some basic skills such as counting, colors and letters. 

2. Build a Fort outside or indoors

Create an outdoor fort with cushions, blankets and sheets, clothesline, branches or other items. Use your imagination. Your fantasy fort can be a tree house, a blanket fort, a cushion castle, a fairy house or a teepee. Children are all about creating these tiny little private getaways. Such activities will teach younger children about construction, engineering and sustainability.


3. Explore your yard or your neighborhood

Go on an "exploration" of the area to discover the many different types of insects, plants, flowers and trees in the yard. An age appropriate book on birds, insects, plants or animals will surely excite any tiny explorer. A magnifying glass or binoculars are sure to add an element of fun to your adventure. One mom went on a neighborhood community walk and gave the kids specific things to find.

4. Make a nature collage

Give each child a bag or bucket. During the exploration of your backyard or neighborhood, encourage the kids to collect interesting and odd things. When the exploration is over, engage the kids in an art activity involving the collection. Use glue to adhere items to a piece of cardboard or paper. Use the items to create different animals and creatures using additional supplies such as pipe cleaners, google eyes, pebbles, sticks, pine cones and feathers. This can be a map of your family adventure.

5. Organize a treasure hunt

It is important to plan ahead for activities such as this one. Create a treasure hunt for the children with clues that will lead them around the yard and to a final payoff. Each clue can be geared to a nature reference, family activity reference (swing set, garage, flowerbed, etc.), or possibly as a treasure map complete with numbered paces, geographical direction, and an "X" to mark the spot! (You can download treasure maps from the Internet.) Search on Google for treasure maps for kids. You can download blank ones to use. Check out Pinterest. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/128000814389018435/

6. Play backyard bingo

Create or print out outdoor themed bingo cards from the internet. Engage the family to travel or look around the yard to find the objects on their cards. The first camper to find all of the items on their card wins a prize. This activity can be adjusted for younger campers with the use of pictures in place of or in addition to the written words. https://myfreebingocards.com/

7. Tell Campfire Stories

Before you call it a night, either create campfire using a fire pit, or even battery-operated candles and tell some scary – but not too scary – stories.  One family member can start the story, and then go around so that each person adds content to the story.

http://www.froddo.com/camping-at-home-12-fun-ideas-for-camping-in-your-backyard



Other articles by HVP News Reporters


  • Get Hooked on Fishing, Not Drugs

    Third Annual Orange County District Attorney’s Office Youth Fishing Derby

    The Third District Attorney’s Office Youth Fishing Derby will run from April 1 through Sept. 4, 2023. The event is open to young people between the ages of 4 and 18 who are children or grandchildren of Orange County residents. read more »
  • Kids aren't eating fruits and veggies

    Happiest Baby's Dr. Harvey Karp has tips to change that

    A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that approximately 32% of 1- to 5-year-olds did not eat a single piece of fruit a day and nearly one half (~49%) didn't eat any vegetables a day. Roughly 51% drank a sugar-sweetened beverage, like fruit drinks or soda, at least once a week. read more »
  • 5 sleep habits essential for heart health

    Make sure you get your zzz's with these tips

    In the days following a time change due to daylight saving time, research shows a marked increase in heart attacks and strokes. However, losing sleep anytime can be a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. read more »
  • Take these 6 steps to manage your blood pressure

    Hypertension can be dangerous

    High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects nearly half of adults in the United States, and only about 1 in 4 with this condition have it under control, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). read more »
  • Make your St. Patrick's Day spread green with envy

    These open-faced noshes can be perfect for lunch, snack time or an appetizer

    Freshen up your St. Patrick’s Day menu with easy, light sandwiches inspired by the traditional color of the festivities. These open-faced noshes can be perfect for lunch, snack time or even as an appetizer for get-togethers with friends and family. read more »
  • Lucky mint brownie perfection

    A twisted combination of mint and sweet chocolate

    How lucky you must be to come across this recipe just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. This one is a twisted combination of mint and sweet chocolate that’s sure to have almost anyone’s taste buds screaming “yum.” This dessert might just be the pot of gold at the end of your rainbow this year. read more »
  • 3 ways parents can encourage social emotional learning in children

    Parents focus on social emotional skills, mental health, kindness and understanding differences

    Most parents would agree the quality of their children’s education plays a key role in their overall development. While parents are optimistic about the future of education, they also recognize children have educational needs beyond what is considered the standard. read more »
  • Selecting a health care provider

    Resources to guide your selection

    Getting health care for yourself or a loved one is a big responsibility, especially if you’re just getting started with Medicare or have changes in your life, such as a new diagnosis of a condition or disease. It can be overwhelming if you need services like nursing home care, have to find a new doctor or get home health care. read more »
  • 5 simple solutions for proper nasal hygiene

    Keep your nasal passages clean, clear and moisturized

    Your nose is essential for conditioning the air you breathe and serves as the first line of defense against dust, pollution, bacteria, viruses and more. The presence of these substances in your nasal passages can trigger infections, disease and illness. read more »
  • Have a bump on your foot?

    Don’t ignore it

    Have a lump or bump on your foot? Whether it’s painful or not, it could potentially signal a serious condition. Foot and ankle surgeons warn it’s important to have it checked out, no matter its size or location on your foot. read more »