Camping with kids is so much fun, but it’s also so much work! If you’re intimidated by venturing out for a camping trip with your kids or just want a fun way to spend a few more hours outside together, why not give backyard camping a try! Today, Creative Team member Meghan Garriott, Illinois mom of 3 is here with us sharing some brilliant and creative tips and tricks to make your backyard camping with kids adventure a success!
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Backyard camping with kids
Camping is a great way to get outside, enjoy nature, and spend some quality time unplugged. Camping with children can be tough and intimidating, though. Especially if you’re new to camping. Trying to remember to bring everything they need, keeping them entertained, and cooking food they like to eat can be stressful and overwhelming.
Camping with kids is worth it, but it is a lot of work. If you have multiple children the amount of work and difficulty level can multiply quickly. However, we have a great solution that will be less work, less hassle, super fun, and get you and your kids prepared and excited about a camping adventure!
Let me introduce you to backyard camping. Backyard camping is just that…camping in the backyard. It’s a great way to ease into real camping or just a great way to get outside and enjoy nighttime nature without the hassle of packing up everyone and everything. If you’re just getting started with camping, want to see how your kids will handle it or just want to spend an evening under the stars (with all the amenities of home nearby), backyard camping is going to be perfect for you!
Image credit: @meghangarriott
How to pick your backyard campsite
When setting up your campsite in your backyard, there are a few things to consider:
- Cooking and eating (campfire and table/chairs)
- Sleeping arrangements (tent or other)
- Activities or games (enough space to play)
You don’t need a ton of space for backyard camping, but you’ll want to have a designated space for each of these things, if possible. All three of these designated areas can vary greatly depending on where you live, the size of your yard, and what you plan to use for each.
Eating, sleeping and spending time outside are the quintessential elements needed for a camping trip. You don’t have to get fancy with any of them, but try to incorporate them to give yourself and your kids a genuine camping experience. Below are some ideas you can use to plan your camping trip in the backyard.
Image credit: @sara_mccarty
Backyard camping food
A big part of the camping experience is the food. The great part about backyard camping is you don’t have to pack up all that food first and haul it to your campsite. You don’t have to worry about coolers and ice and bring everything you need to cook. You can be a little more creative with your camping food with your refrigerator so close.
If you have a place in your backyard for a campfire or a small fire pit, we highly encourage you to use it for your camping meals! That will help give you an authentic camping experience and help you gain confidence in what you’ll need to cook when you’re on a camping trip away from home. Plus, it’s super fun for the kids! It’s definitely not every day they get to cook over a fire! If you don’t have a fireplace or a fire pit using, the grill at home is another good option.
Some of our family’s favorite campfire foods include the classics like s’mores and hotdogs. We also love some more creative creations like grilled jelly and cream cheese sandwiches, “cinnamon bears”, and campfire pizzas. Foil packet dinners are always fun. I’ve included some kid-friendly camping recipes below!
We have a great article about involving kids in the fire-making process. And another on tips for outdoor cooking with kids, which will tell you how to get your kids involved in food prep and meal planning for your camping trip.
Image credit: @meghangarriott
Creative campfire recipes
Here are a few of our family’s favorite campfire recipes and treats. None of these are too complicated and you can get as creative with them as you want and to your family’s taste. I hope you’ll try a few of these recipes out at your next backyard camping adventure!
Grilled jelly and cream cheese sandwiches
To make grilled jelly and cream cheese sandwiches we use a campfire pie iron. Use two slices of buttered bread. On the inside of one slice use about 2 tablespoons of whipped cream cheese, on the other slice use your favorite fruit jelly or jam. Use the pie iron to cook them just like you would a regular grilled cheese about a minute or so for each side.
Then enjoy a delicious and easy grilled jelly and cream cheese sandwich. This can be a great breakfast option or a dessert option. This can also be made over your backyard grill if you are not using a firepit.
Cinnamon bears
“Cinnamon bears” are a family favorite that I made with my family camping while growing up. These use a loaf of French bread, butter, cinnamon, sugar, and a roasting stick. Cut the French bread into thick slices. Dip the sides into butter then into a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Put it on the stick and roast over the fire till the sugar caramelizes. This was always our go-to breakfast growing up!
Cast-iron skillet pizza
The last creative camping dish you should try during your backyard camping trip is cast-iron skillet pizza. A cast-iron skillet is a great Multi-use tool for camping and for in the kitchen. Check out this recipe for the cast iron skillet pizza. If pizza isn’t your thing check out this list for a ton of fun cast iron camping recipes.
Foil-packet meals
Foil packet meals can be anything you want them to be! These can be made ahead of time and placed on/in the fire to cook. We usually do some combination of meat and veggies, tossed in seasoning and maybe a dab of olive oil. We’ve done everything from steak strips with Brussel sprouts to freshly caught trout with lemon and broccoli.
Image credit: @sara_mccarty
Backyard camping sleeping arrangements
The great thing about sleeping outside in your backyard versus a traditional campsite is it probably has less wildlife (and fewer bugs), so your outdoor sleeping options are a little broader. When considering the different sleeping arrangements for backyard camping don’t overthink it. Kids will likely be excited to sleep with whatever you give them because it is fun and exciting just to be sleeping outside!
And while you may have fewer bugs in the backyard than out in the wilderness, it’s still a good idea to spray whatever you plan to sleep in with some bug spray or permethrin to keep mosquitoes and ticks away.
Image credit: @sara_mccarty
Backyard tent camping
Tents range in size, rooms, and difficulty to set up. If you are camping in your backyard to prepare for a larger camping trip it’s a good idea to set up your tent at home first. And even sleep in it! This way, you know what you are doing once you get to an actual campsite, and you know all the tools and gadgets you will need once you are away from home, how much space you have inside and the way you want to set everything up. This step is great for helping build your confidence if you’re a new camper.
If you aren’t preparing for a camping trip away from home and are just backyard camping for fun, any kind of tent will do. Homemade tents built out of sheets or tarps can be a fun activity and learning opportunity for kids. Or you can even set up camp in the kids’ clubhouse or make some kind of fort.
Image credit: @thimbleandtwig
Hammocks
Tents are not the only way to sleep outside! If you have some trees or poles to use, hammocks are a super fun and comfortable option for backyard camping and really allow you to enjoy the night. We recommend the hammocks with mosquito netting so you don’t get eaten alive overnight!
If opting for hammocks, you’ll want to make sure the kids using them overnight are older and are able to get in and out of them easily on their own. Hammocks may not be an appropriate option for young kids to sleep in overnight.
Image credit: @wonderclubexplorers
Sleeping bags
Don’t have a tent or a clubhouse or a hammock? Never fear! Sleeping bags can be used alone on the ground – they’re not just for use inside a tent. If you live in the county or in a smaller town with minimal light pollution, sleeping in a sleeping bag underneath a full sky of stars is magical. If you lay long enough and pay attention to the sky on a clear night you will likely even see a few shooting stars!
Sleeping bags come in lots of fun options, with different thicknesses, and tend to roll up and pack up nicely and easily for kiddos. We recommend a lightweight sleeping bag if you’re camping in the summer months. If you don’t have sleeping bags though no worries. You are just steps away from the house when backyard camping, so it is easy enough to throw some blankets and pillows outside to use as well.
Another perk to being in your backyard is having easy assess to electricity. So if you want to be extra comfy while sleeping outside you can blow up a nice big air mattress to put in your tent. This is often what my husband does when camping in the yard with my kids. You can also use a blow-up pool raft.
Image credit: @sara_mccarty
Set the mood for backyard camping
A tent and a campfire are probably enough to really make it feel like camping! But if you want to get extra creative and really set the mood, stringing lights, setting out tiki torches, or just using some lanterns is a fun way to bring light to your backyard campsite. Since you’re just at home perfection can go out the window. You can string up some old Christmas lights or some rope lights. If you don’t have those, tiki torches are a great way to keep bugs away and give off some added campfire glow (you can even get citronella torch fuel).
While you’re putting up lights or lanterns, don’t forget about the playset or tree house if you have them! Even though the children may play on these playsets every day, playing on them in the dark with some fun lighting will bring new life to them and give them something fun to do after the sun sets.
Image credit: @meghangarriott
Backyard camping games and activities
And speaking of fun things to do when you’re backyard camping, now is the time to break out the slackline, glow sticks, sparklers, and flashlights for some fun games!
Slackline
During daylight hours, one of our kids’ favorite things to do on a camping trip is to play on the slackline. We always bring our slackline on camping trips and set it up for the kids to play on. Sometimes they’ll spend hours walking on it, bouncing, playing games, challenging each other. It’s a great screen-free way to keep them entertained.
Glow sticks
Glow sticks are fun, but when kids are decked out in glow bracelets and necklaces, they are also a great way to be able to see your children as they run around in the dark! Last summer we found a glow stick ring toss game that entertained the kids outside for quite some time. You could easily make your own glow stick ring toss by making rings out of some sticks and sticking a few straight in the ground.
Flashlight tag
Another fun and classic evening game is flashlight tag! Every house I’ve ever stayed at has had different flashlight tag rules. So grab your flashlights (or headlamps) and your running shoes, make up your own rules, and get out and play!
Catching fireflies
Here in the Midwest, our favorite backyard activity is catching fireflies. This activity can be reserved for dusk, before you break out your glow sticks, sparklers, and flashlights. If using a mason jar to collect and observe, try turning it upside down to better see them, as the lightning bugs like to fly upwards. Try to make sure you release them after 15 minutes so they can find their mate and continue making more lightning bugs for future fun!
For more on lightning bugs, we’ve got a whole post dedicated to Fun with Fireflies.
Image credit: @meghangarriott
Backyard camping freedom
Taking kids on the road for a camping trip can sometimes be stressful and overwhelming. But, when you bring camping to your own backyard a whole new world can open up. Your options for food, fun, and sleep are so much greater, which can allow the whole family a little more fun with a lot less stress. Backyard camping is a great way to gauge your family’s interest and ability to go on another camping trip a little further from home. Happy camping!
What are your favorite backyard camping tips?
About the author
Meghan is a country living, mom of 2 boys in rural central Illinois (with a baby girl on the way). She is a Physical Therapist Assistant by trade but spends most of her time outside with her family. At home, she has large flower, herb, and vegetable gardens to tend to and 3 large dogs to play with. As a family, they enjoy hiking, camping, boating, fishing, and helping her in-laws show and raise livestock. Photography became a hobby while in isolation after her oldest son’s bone marrow transplant. It has since become a passion to capture her family’s daily life. Throughout her family’s journey with rare disease and transplant, the outdoors have been a safe space for the whole family to grow, learn, and thrive.
You can find more from Meghan online in the following locations:
Instagram: @meghangarriott
RWMC posts: Meghan Garriott
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