Planning to camp-out with the kids?  Camping is a fun way to get kids excited about being outdoors - so grab your tent and those marshmallows for a night under the stars!

Get Ready for a Night Outdoors

If you plan to spend the whole night outside, you'll need a tent and some sleeping bags or air mattresses & blankets.  Some families may decide to put up a 'temporary' tent for evening fun and then spend the rest of the night camping out in the living room.  Whatever you choose, plan for some type of tent - kids love tents!

Flashlights are also a must!  First, they are practical for getting around the yard (and back to the house for bathroom breaks) once it gets dark.  Second, they are also tons of fun with some of the activities we've suggested below.

Don't forget some of the other necessities:  bug spray, a sweatshirt, snacks -- try to pack what you need and pretend the house isn't there since your goal is to spend the time outside.  And, of course, don't forget your camera!

Oh yeah, did we say make sure to have wipes!!

Fun Activities

Play flashlight tag!

So much fun for kids to run around in the dark with flashlights! 

Connect with Nature

All kinds of things change when the sun sets!  Sit around and ask the kids what they see and hear as it gets dark.  Fireflies?  Constellations? An owl?  Maybe other neighbors camping out too?!

Create Your Own S'mores

Yes, everyone loves the chocolate/marshmallow/graham cracker version -- but what would you use to build the ultimate s'mores?!  Ask your kids what they think should be included - sliced bananas?  peanut butter?  jellybeans instead of chocolate?

Have a Nighttime Scavenger Hunt

Buy a pack of glow-in-the-dark stickers and place them around the yard during the day.  Once it gets dark, use your flashlight to hunt down the stickers!

Snuggle up for a Story

Here's a fun list of books about camping that you can read around the fire or snuggled up in the tent! (again, those flashlights will come in handy!)

Create a Photo Journal

Have the kids take a picture of something each hour of your camp-out.  Print out each photo on it's own page and let the kids write their own story about what they did during the evening.  (p.s. Make sure you take a picture of the kids asleep after lights out!)

Keep the Fun Going

Don't just run back in the house in the morning - plan for breakfast outside too!  Some easy ideas would be bagels & fruit or small cereal boxes that you can pour milk right into for a portable meal.

Have a wonderful family camp-out!