This coming Saturday, June 25, is the Great American Backyard Campout. Organized by the National Wildlife Federation, the idea of the Campout is to get kids enjoying the outdoors -- where they feel safe and comfortable.I think it's genius!
(Not to mention, I know plenty of grown-ups who would say yes to camping in their own backyard over a wilderness area. Any month of the year.)
If you ask me, June isn't exactly the right time for tent camping in Florida (The heat! The oppressive humidity! The disease-carrying mosquitoes!), but my family is going to try it this year. Ever since we went camping in the Everglades over New Year's weekend, my preschooler has been asking to go "tenting" again. If we get miserable, we'll just go inside and say we gave it a try.
I think that's what's so appealing about the Great American Backyard Campout: There's little risk and little commitment, but a big chance of fun.
If you want to camp in your yard or a local park that offers camping, check out the Great American Backyard Campout's site for tips, games, recipes and more. You can sign up to say you are planning to camp out and also make an optional donation to the National Wildlife Federation to support its programs for kids.
And then we can swap Campout stories....
