Planning a Backyard Campout: What You Need to Know

If you are planning a backyard campout, you are not alone. Each year, millions of campers head out to their local state parks or other public campgrounds. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to enjoy this type of camping.  Instead, many individuals and families make the decision to have a backyard campout.  

One of the many benefits to backyard camping is being close to home.  Despite this closeness, you may want to avoid your home. This will help to make your backyard camping experience seem more lifelike.  To prevent your backyard campout from being interrupted, due to multiple trips inside the house, you are advised to devise a plan. That plan should not only include camping equipment, but toys, snacks, food, and drinks. The best way to develop this plan is to pretend that you aren’t camping in your own backyard. By imagining that you will not have access to your home, you can better develop a camping plan.

When it comes to camping, whether it be backyard camping or not, one of the first things that you need to consider is your sleeping materials.  Many campers use tents, while others use nothing, but a blanket. If you are planning on sleeping in a tent, you will want to make sure that your tent has all of the needed pieces and equipment. It may also be a good idea to setup your tent in advance. This may help to ensure that you can repair your tent or purchase a replacement, if needed.

If you are interested in sleeping under the stars, instead of using a tent, you will want to keep a close eye on the weather. Despite the fact that you will be camping in your own backyard, you will still want to make sure the weather is appropriate for sleeping without a tent.  Regardless of whether or not you are sleeping with a tent, you will need a sleeping bag or blanket.  Additional sleeping equipment may include pillows or an air mattress.  In the event that you do not have these supplies, you can purchase them from most sports stores or department stores.

After you have decided how and where you will sleep, you will then want to prepare for other aspects of your backyard campout. What many campers enjoy about camping is eating outdoors. If you wish, you may also want to incorporate a backyard barbeque into your camping adventure. Simply by moving your cooking grill near your other camping supplies, you should be able to create the illusion of a campground.  The type of food you cook should all depend on your preference and the preference of the other campers. If a backyard cookout is not possible, a pre-made picnic can be used as an alternative.

In addition to a full dinner meal, you may also want to think about having snacks on hand. There are a large number of snacks that are ideal for campers. These snacks may include, dry fruit, chips, pretzels, cookies, and other dry foods. If you are able to start a small fire, don’t forget the most important camping snack, smores.  Although it may be easier to keep your food, drinks, and snacks inside your home, you may want to store them in outside ice coolers. This will not only help to keep your food fresh, but it may also reduce the number of camping interruptions.  

Finally, depending on the length of your backyard campout, you may want to consider brining along outdoor toys. These toys may include water guns, water balloons, a kickball, a Frisbee, baseball equipment, or other similar items.  Even if these items do not get used, they are still nice to have on hand.  At times, even in your own backyard, camping can be a little boring. Having a fairly large selection of outdoor activities to choose from will help to ensure that boredom is a thing of camping past.

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