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Backyard Family Camping – The Ultimate Guide

Posted on September 21, 2020September 21, 2020 by Matthew Swales

Looking for something fun to do with your family this weekend? Turn your backyard into the ultimate backyard campsite! Backyard camping is perfect if you don’t want to drive to a campground or don’t have reservations at campground! Also, there is no hassle planning or packing for the trip. It’s especially good for if you want to practice camping for young children. It doesn’t matter if this is your first time camping or you have camped all over the world, backyard camping is fun for everyone! Also, did I mention you won’t have to spend any money on a campsite because it is your backyard? (Yeah, I think I mentioned it)

Backyard camping is also a great birthday party option. When I was younger my parents once a year would set up the tent in the backyard for my birthday party with all my friends. Everyone always loved it! It got all my friends outside and allowed us to enjoy the beauty of nature together as a group.

Setting Up Your Backyard Campsite:

One of the nice things about camping in your backyard is that you will not need to pack much or make a big backyard camping list! Some things you will need to set up your backyard campsite:

  • Tent – Grab your tent, find a nice spot in your backyard, and set it up!
  • Something to sleep on – It could be just the ground and a sleeping bag, a cot, or even an air mattress (If you want to be fancy!!).
  • Blankets – You might want to grab some extra blankets, so you don’t get cold in the middle of the night!

If You Want to Make Backyard Camping Extra Cozy:

  • Lights – Take some lights and hang them up in your backyard or by the tent!
  • Chairs and table – Set up outdoor table and chairs to give it the real feel of an actual campsite!
  • Fire-pit – If you have a fire-pit, start a fire and enjoy some backyard camping sitting by the fire!

Backyard Camping Activities:

If you are going to go through the effort to go backyard camping, you might as well set up some fun camping activities to give it the real feel of camping (You want everyone to be entertained, don’t you!?)! Here are some awesome backyard camping activities that the whole family will enjoy:

Flashlight Tag

Flashlight tag is the perfect game to play at night and the kids will love it! Flashlight tag combines hide and seek, and tag. Make sure you have your flashlights ready to go! Check out the rules at http://www.gameskidsplay.net/games/chasing_games/tag/tag_flashlight.htm

Stargazing

Another activity the whole family can do is stargaze! There is nothing more beautiful than the way the shinning stars look in the moonlight! Also, you can make a game out of it, see who can find the most constellations. For a list of some constellations, check out https://stardate.org/nightsky/constellations

Manhunt

If your backyard is big and you have lots of places to hide, manhunt could be the perfect game to add to your backyard camping activities. Grab your family and friends, and see who can be the last to be captured! Check out the official rules at https://www.thecampfirecollective.com/blog/6-ultimate-outdoor-summer-games/

Board/Card games

There are tons of board/card games to pick from, but one that my family and I love is a board game called Trekking The National Parks. If you and your family love national parks then you will love this game! Take a journey through the United States to see who can get the most points by stopping at the national parks along the way! Other awesome board/card games to play would be:

  • Yahtzee (And if you are really into camping and national parks, there is also a Yahtzee National Parks Edition!)
  • Uno (And yes there is a wilderness version!)
  • Connect 4
  • Jenga

Lawn Games

My personal favorite is lawn games! I’ve composed a list of the best lawn games out there that you will love! (Yes, that is a guarantee! There is no list better than mine!)

  • Cornhole – My personal favorite!!
  • Kan Jam
  • Polish Horseshoes
  • Ladder toss
  • Spikeball

Start a campfire

Sit by the campfire and roast some marshmallows! And if you want to be real “fancy”, roast some hot dogs and make some delicious s’mores! Campfires are also perfect for sitting around and telling stories. Share your favorite family stories or if you are feeling adventurous tell some scary stories (But not too scary or else everyone might want to go back inside!).

Set The Rules

It’s your backyard, so the nice thing is that you get to set the backyard camping rules! The one rule I would suggest having is NO going inside! (Unless you have to go the bathroom of course!) You are backyard camping for a reason, you shouldn’t have too many reasons to go inside. Stay outside and enjoy nature like you are supposed to be doing while your camping!

Another rule you could set is no technology! Most campgrounds do not have the best cell service, so pretend you are at the campground and get off the phone! Most importantly, have fun! Backyard camping is meant to be something fun to do on your own time, so you might as well enjoy it!

Like I said before, the nice thing about backyard camping is that you can make your own rules and you don’t really have to plan too much. You can also set up your backyard camp however you like. You can put lots of effort into it or it can simply be just a tent in the backyard!

In times like the present with COVID-19 going around, backyard camping is a safe option that allows you and your family to get out of the house for a little bit! Stay safe out there outdoor enthusiasts!

Comment below and let us know how your backyard camping experiences have gone! Also, like or share this article with your friends and family 🙂

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