Introduce Kids to the Outdoors with Backyard Camping

Backyard camping isn’t generally at the top of anyone’s list when you think about the outdoors. But staying close to home isn’t as crazy as it might sound.

As I mentioned in the Hammock Campers Ultimate Guide to Camping, any time you buy new gear you need to try it out before you reach your campsite. Your backyard is an excellent place to practice new gear setup for the first time.

It’s fast, free, and as nearby campsites go, there’s nothing closer than your backyard.

But what about kids? When it comes to the outdoors, many parents overlook their backyard as an option.

Trust me, I know from experience. Every parent should introduce kids to the outdoors with backyard camping.

It’s easy, stress-free, and I guarantee it’s the only method where you won’t lose sleep.

Everything is an Adventure for a Child

Kids love being outside. The world is a big place, and everything is an adventure for a child. When Mom and Dad get to join the fun, it’s even better.

I have a 14-year-old son and two daughters aged 12 and 4. All are experienced campers — even the four-year-old.

The problem that parents face with young kids and camping is overwhelming them with a bunch of changes all at once.

New Experiences Can Be Terrifying in the Dark

Traveling to a new place with lots of interesting sights, sounds, and smells can be an exciting experience for a one, two, or three-year-old. Unfortunately, at bedtime, those new experiences can be terrifying in the dark.

And if you live in Pennsylvania, Ohio or West Virginia, then you understand how loud it gets at night in May and June when the Cicada populations peak.

Those same noises that adults have heard every Summer since childhood are extremely scary when you’re just a few years old.

Toss the Kid in a Tent and Hope

My wife and I knew we wanted our son to love camping as much as we do. We also didn’t want to scare him senseless while we introduced him to the outdoors.

I know many parents that choose that route. Toss the kid in a tent and hope for the best. Mom and Dad are in there too. Eventually, the kid stops crying and passes out — emphasis on eventually.

Great idea. What’s next? Teach your kid to swim by dropping him in a pool?

As crappy plans go, both of these ideas qualify.

Backyard Camping is Better Than a Screaming Child

I honestly have so many questions for people that tell me they plan on taking their child camping and hope for the best.

Do you draw straws to choose which parent stays up all night with a screaming kid?

Or is it more of a tag team effort? Like each parent is on duty for a few hours while the other gets to sleep?

And where does that happen? Does one parent stay with the screaming meanie while the other goes to sleep in the car?

More importantly, can the parent on reprieve drive away if the screaming gets too loud?

And what do you do about infuriating nearby campers with all the screaming?

These are essential questions to get answered before you embark on this adventure. I know backyard camping is better than a screaming child any way you try to spin it.

Just follow my advice and introduce kids to the outdoors with backyard camping. Ease into it. Enjoy yourself. And if a meltdown happens, let your distraught child sleep in their bed.

Camping in the Wilderness Can Be Terrifying for Kids

My wife and I preferred to make the introduction to the outdoors slowly and let our son acclimate on his terms.

So when he was around 18-months-old, I set up one of our tents in our backyard to clean it. Once it was dry, we let him explore and hang out inside the tent.

Then we grabbed sleeping bags, a lantern, some snacks, and hung out in the tent with him as it started to get dark.

I started a small fire in our fire pit, and we roasted marshmallows.

We both tried our best, and he eventually did fall asleep. But it only lasted a few hours before he woke up and started crying for his bed. Fortunately, we were backyard camping. So his bed was a quick walk across the backyard to the house.

We backyard camped several more times in the tent before my son slept through the night.

Six months later we decided to go camping for real, and our now two-year-old was a camping pro. He slept through the night like a champ.

Camping in the outdoors can be terrifying for kids if they aren’t familiar with the environment. Backyard camping is a stress-free way to fix the scary part.

When your child knows their bed is close by it adds a significant level of comfort to the experience.

We did this with all three of our kids, and it worked every time.

Fun Backyard Camping Activities for Kids

Here’s another tip. Backyard camping works better if your kids remember how much fun they had. Try some of these fun camping activities for kids and let them decide which they like better.

Fun Backyard Camping Activities for Kids

• Roast marshmallows over the fire pit.
• Make s’mores.
• Bring lots of snacks that your kids actually enjoy. Healthy is good, but mix it up with some treats that they don’t get to eat often.
• Try backyard animal watching. You probably have squirrels, rabbits or other backyard visitors. It will get your children used to the idea of looking for animals.
• Tell stories by the firepit. It may not be a big campfire, but it will have a similar impact.
• Play cards and board games, especially inside your tent, so they get used to it.
• Play flashlight tag.
• Make leaf prints.
• Find smooth rocks to paint and decorate with glitter glue.
• Sparklers are always fun (with adult supervision).
• Relax and have fun. Eventually, your kids will love the idea of camping, no matter where you decide to go.

Introduce Kids to the Outdoors with Backyard Camping

Hopefully, this helps make your camping with kids experience easier. If you do it right, your children will love the outdoors as much as you.

Don’t force the issue. Some kids might take to camping immediately. Others might need several short attempts before they grow to like it.

Either way, you reduce their fear of the unknown by making sure your child knows they are in your backyard and they can sleep in their own bed if they so choose. Once I explained that to our kids, I could see them relax right in front of me.

It might seem like extra work, but once you introduce kids to the outdoors with backyard camping, you might just decide that you like it.

Backyard camping can be a lot of fun. It’s free, closer than any other campsite, and if you’re short on time it’s a perfect place to relax and hang out away from the rest of the world.

And your backyard might not be the perfect place to disconnect, but there’s nothing wrong with shutting off the phones, leaving all the electronic devices inside the house, and spending time getting to know your family.