Backyard Camp Out

Many parents of young children are scared or reluctant to take their children camping. It seems like a lot of work, the kids might not like it, and there just isn't enough time in today's busy schedule.

Why not try camping in your own backyard? It is easy, safe, and a lot of fun. This past weekend my family was relaxing around the house since we had gone camping the weekend before and had a lot of things to catch up on.

On Friday evening we invited the neighbors over for a little camp fire. We roasted marshmallows and enjoyed each others company. The kids were reminded of recent camping trips and asked me if we could sleep outside. Of course my initial reaction was no way, but really it was just a matter of setting up the tent, so why not.

My daughter and I set up the tent in the backyard and had a nice little camp out all within a few hundred feet of working toilets. We read bedtime stories around the lantern and enjoyed a quick camp out without any of the work or stress of actually taking the family on a trip.

This is a great way to do something fun as a family without leaving home. It is also a good way to test out your family's ability to sleep all night in a tent. If something goes wrong you can just run inside. It is a great test run to make sure everyone is ready for a real camping trip and is a great way to test out all of your old equipment that maybe you haven't used in a few years.

You may just discover that the family loves camping and soon you'll be planning a real trip for more family fun.