Whether you’re new to the camping scene or you’ve been roughing it outdoors for years, backyard camping in the summertime is always a thrill. You’re able to immerse yourself in nature without all the travel, planning, or time spent packing up all your gear. That and having access to plenty of snacks and a clean bathroom isn’t too shabby either. Be sure to plan your next outdoor adventure for a backyard getaway—complete with lots of s’mores and these helpful campout tips.
Create a Cozy Campsite
The first step is to set up a makeshift campsite in your yard. Bring your tent outside and find a nice even surface to rest your head for the night. Setting up the tent is the quintessential camping chore that everyone dreads the most, but it’s all part of the outdoor experience.
It’s something everyone can pitch in to help with, whether it’s laying down a tarp of blankets, or putting together the poles. Make sure it’s plenty cozy inside by lining the bottom of your tent with sleeping bags, comforters, yoga mats, or anything else you like to lay on for comfort and support. If you’re worried about sacrificing a good night’s sleep, you can even opt for an inflatable air mattress with extra cushioning. It’s not cheating—in backyard camping, you make your own rules.
Once your sleep space is all put together, add a little ambiance, and set the scene with lamps or string lighting around the tent. They’ll help illuminate your homemade campsite with a peaceful glow and will make everyone feel more at ease while spending the night outdoors.
Camp Chow
The best part about backyard camping is enjoying a fun meal around the fire. If you have a fire pit, it’s quick and easy to roast hot dogs, marshmallows for s’mores, heat up a can of baked beans, and even cook foil-wrapped meats and veggies for a more well-balanced meal. Get inspired and make your own culinary campout creations with anything you have in your kitchen. If you don’t have a fire pit, you can prepare campout cuisine with a small charcoal grill. It still needs a flame and it’s still plenty messy; sounds like camping to me! When your tummy starts to rumble, what’s better than grilling under the stars?
If wind or other bad spells of weather are a factor, you don’t need a campfire to eat like a true camper. Pack sandwiches, trail mix, granola, cheese slices, beverages, and lots of sweets in a cooler to grab when your appetite strikes. And because s’mores are a cozy backyard campout necessity even when there’s no campfire in sight, don’t forget to bring along all the supplies to construct a flame-free dessert in your tent.
Games and Activities
There’s an endless amount of excitement and adventure to be had outdoors! Whether you play classic backyard games, take a “hike” around the block, or stay up all night and tell flashlight ghost stories, there are plenty of games and activities to keep the entire family entertained day or night.
It’s a good idea to start with the classic games—tag, frisbee, three-legged races, and hide and seek are fun games for all ages that don’t require any additional packing. This is where the lamps and string lights will come in handy after dark—no one wants to get hit in the head with a frisbee.
A fun activity for the kids is to go on a neighborhood nature hunt. Make a list of all the plants and animals you can spot in your backyard or around your neighborhood. Pack a journal and a camera and set out on your neighborhood “hike.” Point out anything you can find from the list, take a photo, and record it in your nature journal. You can make note of how things look and feel and collect smaller objects like rocks and stones into small bags to begin creating your own nature collection.
Of course, you don’t need a scavenger hunt to have a cozy backyard campout experience, you can still chill out around the campfire and tell stories. You can tell the classic spooky stories with an eerie flashlight glowing around your face. The suspense is already too much to bear! Or go around the circle and take turns building a story as you go. Each person gets a chance to be creative and put their own unique spin on the story as it goes. Be prepared for lots of laughs.
Lastly, if it’s a clear and calm night, there’s nothing better than hours spent stargazing. Roll out a big blanket, place some pillows alongside, and cozy up for a night spent watching the stars. You can bring pictures of constellations to try to discover your favorite ones or use your imagination to dream up your own starry shapes.
Stay Outdoors
The most important element of backyard camping is fully committing and making sure everyone stays outdoors through the night. Prepare everything you need ahead of time so the event feels like a real campsite. Dashing back in the house every few minutes takes away from the experience you’re trying to replicate. Have everything you’ll need for an overnight excursion, including your tent, snacks, games, bug spray, flashlight, pillows, books, or anything else you might need.
Once you’ve gathered up all your essential items, try to avoid going inside other than emergency bathroom breaks. And that also means no sneaking off to check phones and electronic devices. A cozy backyard campout means taking a moment to unwind and unplug from all technology and distractions. Even if you’re not completely off the grid, it helps to turn everything off and lose reception for a night.
No matter if this is your first introduction to camping or simply an overnight escape without the hassle, make your backyard camping experience feel like a real rustic getaway by following this helpful guide. Adventure can be right outside your door; all you need to do is go out back and find it.
Now that you’re ready for your next cozy backyard campout, give us a call or visit our store to shop our entire catalog of outdoor furniture and accessories. If you’re going to camp, you might as well do so in complete comfort. Contact us today.