8 Ideas for a Fun Family Backyard Camping Adventure

Camping
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Family backyard camping is a fun way to adventure together without packing the car, hopping on a flight, or spending a lot of money.  It’s also a great way to introduce your kids to camping adventures.  Adventure doesn’t have to be grand y’all…it's about the memories you make with your family.

Benefits of Backyard Camping:

  • Skip the long road trip to the campground.
  • Smell good! You won't have to build up the 3-days-without-a-shower stank.
  • Indoor plumbing. Enough said.
  • No need to sacrifice your fancy coffee machine.
  • Skip the hours prepping and packing the car.

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE camping at campgrounds with my family. It's just nice to have another option.  Plus, you likely already have everything you need to pull off this fun family backyard camping adventure this weekend!  Bring all the good stuff to your own backyard and leave the not-so-pleasant parts in the wild (vault toilet, I'm talking to you).      

Turn your Backyard into a Camping Adventure:

These eight ideas will turn your backyard into the ultimate easy & fun family backyard camping adventure guaranteed to give you lasting memories and maybe even a new family summer tradition! 

1. Pitch a Tent in the Backyard

...and let the kids help!  Setting up a tent is a magical experience for a kid. I mean, it starts as a bag and turns into a “house”?!  Whaaa?! If you don’t have a tent, you can rent one fairly inexpensively from REI, borrow from a neighbor, or bite the bullet and buy one so you have the motivation to camp at campgrounds too!  We upgraded from our 4 person tent to this one last summer and LOVE it.

2. Get Campy Crafty

Level up your camping experience with an easy camp craft.  If you don’t have a fire pit in your backyard, you do now with this cute craft!

3. Play DIY Yard Games

Get the whole family involved in making AND playing this DIY yard game.  All you need are paper plates, a marker, and beanbags (or balled up socks!). Give each plate a point value, line ‘em up and start tossing. Boom. Easy Peasy!  

4. Go on a Scavenger Hunt

Nothing screams backyard adventure like a Scavenger Hunt.  Add a kid-approved Dinosaur activity as the “prize” at the end of this scavenger hunt  and you’ll have happy, busy kids for at least 30 minutes. Go relax at “camp”, Momma!

5. Play Board Games in the Tent

Our favorite new game to play cozied in the tent is Bellz.  It’s fun for the whole fam (seriously, adults like playing this one too!) and packs up small. 

6. Grill Out

Camping food should be easy peasy, yummy, and fun.  Enter camping pizza.  Get the whole family involved with this easy recipe.

7. S'mores Gone Wild

Let’s be honest. This is the real reason why kids wanna camp.  Show the kids just how crazy you can get with this new s’mores Fudge Stripes variation! Or... Ice cream cone s’more? Done.  Make these fun s’mores on the grill, fire pit, or roast over a bunch of candles for a DIY “campfire”!

8. Glow Stick Shennanigans

Glow sticks are magical and limitless. Connect them into circles and play ring toss. Hang them inside the tent for a fun night light. Line them outside the tent to create a fun lit pathway...helpful for middle of the night potty trips inside!

Cheers to the camping experience ANY family can pull off!  Remember, if it starts raining, your sleeping bag just ain’t cutting it, or the campfire stories got a bit too scary and the kids think BigFoot will show up in your backyard at any moment, you can always walk the 20 feet to your backdoor and crawl into a real bed with real sheets. Family camping is all about being present with the people you love, enjoying nature, and making memories…and it can all happen with a backyard camping adventure!  I hope these fun ideas help you start planning your family backyard camping adventure!  Happy Camping!

Backyard Family Camping Supplies List

Whether you're starting from scratch, or needing to beef up your camping supplies, use this list to help you get ready for your backyard family camping adventure!

Ready to actually pack up and head to a campground? Start here:

Family Packing Tips and Hacks Part 1: Clothes Packing System

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