Looking for a way to add a little excitement to your family weekend? Setting up a tent in the backyard is a great way to introduce camping to your kids and add a little adventure while staying close to home (and a bathroom.)

Here are some tips for making your backyard camping “trip” a blast.

Check the weather  

Just like you check the weather before you pack your backs for a weekend at your favorite campsite, you need to make sure conditions will be comfortable and conducive to outdoor fun for new campers.

Set up a tent

You may be tempted to build a makeshift tent out of sheets and sticks, but you want your kids to love camping, right? So invest in a cozy four-person tent that will help them feel cozy, secure, and excited about trying it in the wilderness one day. If your kids are old enough, get them involved in putting it together! Knowing how to set up a tent is a great accomplishment and life skill.

Make sure you have ‘necessary’ gear

Part of the fun of camping is the gear. That could include a tarp to cover the ground where you plan to set up your tent, headlamps ( for night hikes around the neighborhood), flashlights, two-way radios, a blue-tooth speaker, cozy blankets, comfy camp chairs, and sleeping bags.

Speaking of sleeping, don’t forget sleeping gear

You definitely need sleeping bags for the full camping experience. But if you want to make your “campsite” even more comfortable and conducive to sleep, use a sleeping pad, too. It will make your bedding more comfortable and insulate your campers from the cold, hard ground.

Remember to have fun

Set up some games — horseshoes, disc golf, or cornhole, for instance.  Put up a hammock. If you have a fire pit, roast marshmallows and make some smores. Or sing some camp songs and look for constellations in the sky. Most of all, just enjoy each other and the outdoors. Remember, you are planting the seeds for future adventures. 

Find what you need for your backyard camping adventure here! We want everyone to enjoy the outdoors, and we work to build loyalty one connection at a time. Visit our online store today! Now offering curbside pickup and next-day delivery within seven miles of our stores. #BeOutdoors