Bring the camp experience home
Camping can be an exciting adventure . The fresh air , warm sunshine and waking to the sounds of nature can be a soul strengthening experience . If you are the one responsible for the planning , however , it can become stressful trying to remember everything : shopping for ‘ camp food ’, booking the campsite and ensuring the camping supplies are clean , ready and packed . If the thought of planning for such an excursion makes you want to give up before you start , here are some ideas for a ‘ camp at home ’ experience your family will surely enjoy ! Unplug and connect with your family , fill your soul , enjoy nature , without the stress of planning a traditional camping experience !
Set aside a weekend with your family : two full days without electronics or scheduled activities . Grab some blankets from the closet and create forts in your living room . Bring out the family games and have a weekend long tournament . Teach your children how to play cards ! When is the last time you played Crazy 8 ’ s , Go Fish or Hearts ? Or maybe grab a flashlight and sit in the dark , taking turns telling scary stories .
If you are fortunate to have a backyard , this can be a great place to camp and connect with nature , without the planning . If you don ’ t own a tent , see if there ’ s someone who can lend you one . If you don ’ t own sleeping bags , use your extra blankets and pillows to create a cozy sleeping space for you and your family . Bring some flashlights along and go on a scavenger hunt in the dark ! You ’ ll be creating wonderful memories for your children ! If you want to make a campfire but are not permitted an open flame , gather together several battery operated candles and place them in a circle on the lawn . You can now sing campfire songs without having an actual fire !
If you have a relatively sheltered patio attached to your home , create a sleeping area for your family . Again , bring extra blankets and pillows outside to create a soft , cozy sleeping area . Have you ever star-gazed with your children ? Lay out on the grass on a warm summer evening , contemplate the vastness of the universe or perhaps try to name the planets and constellations that are visible with the naked eye . If you happen to own a telescope , even better ! Providing quiet , uninterrupted time for your children to open up , ask questions and share their secrets can be an eye-opening experience for a parent . Be sure , however , to listen without judgement and criticism to what they have to say .
In whatever way you choose to camp , be sure and keep it as low-stress as you can . Have different members of your family be responsible for different things . Maybe your four-year-old can gather the pillows ; your sevenyear-old can gather the blankets and your spouse can be responsible for the tent / fort / patio preparation , or the food / snack shopping ( don ’ t forget the marshmallows and hotdogs !)
Happy camping !
Contributed by Jodi Quibell - Word to the Wise Editing Services . www . wordtothewiseservices . com
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