As we all find ways to keep the kids entertained closer to home this summer (all my kids were slated to head out to sleep away camp for two weeks next weekend) we’re trying to be creative and think outside of our usual activities.

Backyard camping!

My twins (11) came up with a great plan last week that reminded me of something my older son used to do with friends all the time - a backyard camp out!

The twins set up the tent with almost no help (word of warning, a few years ago the first time my kids tried to set up a tent alone there was a tent pole incident that required stitches - just be careful the first time they attempt to do this on their own) and got to stretch some of their independence and logic skills, which sounds like homeschooling to me!

Decorate and make it feel cozy

Twins got the main structure of the tent set up

They then spent a long time decorating the tent (my daughter strung up LED lights inside) and making sure it had all the comforts of home. There were blankets, stuffies and books, and my son even found an extension cord so they could bring their devices outside to watch some Youtube and listen to music as they fell asleep (something I thought was fine after all the time they spent working on setting up their outdoor quarters.)

Camp “fire”

If you’re doing a camp out with your kids or helping them, a real (or fake) campfire can be a fun option. Depending on where you live, bylaw may allow you to have a fire in the backyard - fire tables are super popular these days too! Roast marshmallows and make some s’mores, and then organize a good ol’ fashioned sing along. If fire is a no-go, you can still share some tasty snacks around a make believe fire pit. Most people remember some of their Guiding or Scouting days, or just Google a few songs to sing together. If you’re super musically inclined, bring your instruments outside as well!

My kids spent a couple of nights out there and I expect they will repeat this several times over the course of the summer.

So if you have some camping equipment sitting around, let the kids practice figuring out how to set up their campground on their own, see what they come up with in terms of decorating and camping activities and then you can decide if you’re ready to have them sleep out there overnight on their own. For older kids you can leave a back door unlocked (and a light on!) in case there are any problems overnight. Walkie Talkies are also great so that they can reach you if they need you. An option for younger kids is to let them fall asleep and then move them inside, sleeping in a room close to the backyard with the windows open so you can hear them (I did this when the kids were younger), you can camp out there with them, or pitch the tent in the living room or basement. All the ways can be be a fun activity for the kids as we stay closer to home this summer!

Edited to add: please use your personal judgement on when is a safe age to allow your kids to camp out in the backyard, with or without you joining them.