Backyard camping can be a great introduction to the joys of camping without leaving the convenience of your kitchen, bathroom and, if it all gets too much for the little ones (or you!), your very own bed.

It’s a fun way to play and engage with the natural world, and can include some fun games.

What you need:

• Tent
• Camp stretchers or bedrolls
• Sleeping bags & pillows
• Torches
• Optional: Bug catcher, brazier, marshmallow forks

Find a flat spot on the lawn and set up your tent, camp stretchers or bedrolls, and sleeping bags. Set up your brazier for later.

Once it starts to get dark, go on a hunt around the backyard with your torches, seeing what you can find. For younger children who may be afraid of the dark, use the time around sunset to go on your hunt when there’s still some natural light. Collect leaves, flowers and twigs and bring them back to your tent for observation. Only collect bugs if you have a bug catcher and can let them go once you’ve finished observations.

Older kids may like to play some nighttime games in the garden. Try a game or two from our games to play in the dark guide.

Using the forks, toast some marshmallows over the brazier or make smores. Tell old family stories around the brazier or play a game of Going on a trip.

Once you’re all in your sleeping bags, you can use the torches for shadow play against the tent walls.

Notes:

• Backyard camping gives you the best of both worlds – the great outdoors, close to the convenience of an indoor bathroom and a well-stocked kitchen.
• You could cook some camp food on a barbecue or make damper.
• One of the real joys of camping is the traditional storytelling. If you don’t want to light a brazier in your backyard to tell stories around, wait until bedtime and then snuggle down and take turns making up stories.