1. Pitch A Tent!
Round up your mini mountaineers and teach the kids how to pitch a tent, work together as a team and construct a base camp. Setting up a tent is a must-do for an authentic camping experience and provides the perfect base for days of fun and plenty of action. Kit the tent with sleeping bags and pillows, hang a torch (aka, night light) from the roof and stash some Anzac biscuits under the pillow. For a very cool glamping experience, try pitching a tee pee style tent and lay rubber faux timber flooring down.
2. Gather Around A Campfire
There’s nothing quite like huddling the family around a campfire to get you in the ‘great outdoors’ spirit. (Don’t panic, you can always use an outdoor fire pit or terracotta pot if you’re not prepared to ruin your lawn!).
Get the kids involved by sending them on a garden search for twigs and kindling, then light up the night with camping stories and adventures while toasting marshmallows and singing tunes.
3. Tuck Into The Bush Tucker
Whether it’s a Billy tea, damper or good old Aussie BBQ, nothing beats outdoor grub! Pick fresh tomatoes, herbs and veggies from your garden for tucker, teach the kids how to mix up a damper, sizzle the sausages together, and twirl melting marshmallows on a stick. The kids will love this cool culinary expedition. And don’t worry about the kids traipsing in and out of the house from the garden to the kitchen leaving the back door open (and pesky insects getting in)!
4. Keep The Bugs At Bay
Don’t let creepy crawlies and mosquitoes ruin your backyard staycation. Keep children’s arms and legs covered with long sleeve tops and pants, particularly at dusk when mozzies hit hardest, and keep a great fly spray containing natural ingredients on hand.
5. Let The Games Begin!
You might not have a lake to go fishing in, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have awesome daytime fun on your backyard camp! Engage with the kids’ imaginations and keep them active with these games! Play hide and seek, scavenger hunt and go wildlife spotting! Have water gun fights, slip ‘n slide in the backyard, set up a paddling pool and do pretend fishing!
6. Have A Plan B!
We all know that sometimes things don’t go according to plan, so if the kids get scared or rain and thunder strikes suddenly, have a plan B in place – indoor action! Gather the family and tell spooky ghost stories in the dark, complete with torches lighting up faces, or play celebrity head with an animal theme. Leave the back door open to maintain the camping feel, with nature’s finest storm as a backdrop – minus the pelting!
