Backyard Camping: The Easiest Way to Start
Before we ever drove to a campground we spent three nights in a tent fifteen feet from the back door. Here's why that was the right call.
Our first camping trip was fifteen feet from the back door. Our second one was too. The third one we made it almost to midnight before someone needed his own bed, and I counted that as a win.
If you’ve got a small kid and you’re thinking about camping, start in the yard. Here’s the case for it.
It takes the stakes out
The first time a kid sleeps in a tent, a lot of things are new at once: the dark, the sounds, the sleeping bag, no walls. In the backyard, if any one of those things goes sideways, you walk inside. No two-hour drive home at 1 a.m. No ruined weekend. Nobody develops a story about how camping is scary.
You find out what’s wrong with your gear
The first night, I learned the sleeping pad I’d been using for ten years had a slow leak. The second night, I learned our tent’s rainfly was on backward. I’d rather learn both of those things forty steps from a dry couch.
It’s a full dress rehearsal
We did everything the real way:
- Set up the tent together. He “helped” with the stakes.
- Ate dinner outside, cooked on the camp stove.
- Headlamps on at dusk, flashlights off in the tent.
- Brushed teeth with a water bottle.
- Told one story, then lights out.
By the time we drove to an actual campground he knew the whole routine. The only new part was the place.
What worked
A headlamp of his own. Red mode, so he’s not blinding everyone. It was the single most exciting part of the night. He slept with it on his head.
His regular pillow and stuffed animal. Don’t get clever here. Bring the real ones from his bed.
Going to bed later than usual. Fighting a kid to sleep at his normal bedtime when it’s still light out is a losing battle. We waited for actual dark.
What didn’t
Trying to sleep in. The sun comes up. The tent gets bright. He’s awake at 6:10 and ready to tell you about it.
The campfire. We did a small one in the fire pit. It was great, right up until he wanted to be in charge of it. Pick your battles. We moved on to s’mores early.
When to graduate
Our rule was simple: three nights in the yard without going inside before bedtime, then we’d try a real campground. Took us about a month of weekends. Worth every one.
If you’re on the fence, set the tent up Saturday afternoon and see what happens. Worst case you’ve got a very large fort for a day.
