With the new laws around social distancing and isolation, a lot of families with young kids are looking for ways to keep their kids occupied this Easter long weekend. The good news is that if your family is one of many who spends this time of year camping – you still can! We’ve pulled together our ultimate guide to backyard camping to help your kids stay occupied, and keep things fun and exciting for your whole family while you adhere to Australia’s social distancing rules. 

1. Plan Your Campout

Start with a family meeting. Share the idea of going on a backyard campout, and get input from the rest of the family. Pick a day that works for everyone and talk about the different things you can do during your campout. Gather your camping gear: tent, tarp, sleeping bags, pillows, pajamas, sweatshirt, toothbrush and so on. Don’t forget the snacks!

2. Identify Cooking and Campfire Options

Do you have a built-in firepit in your yard, a fire pit table or another place where you could safely build a fire in your backyard? Do you have a barbecue or camp stove? Decide on how you want to cook your food – remembering that Easter is a time when lots of us are having Seafood, so if you don’t have any cooking options, there’s no fear. Try keeping some prawns chilled in an esky!

3. Plan Your Meals

 If you’ve got a fire pit, barbeque or camp stove, you can plan meals to cook outside. If you don’t have a fire, plan meals that don’t have to be cooked: sandwiches for dinner, a no-cook dessert and granola/cereal or muffins/bagels for breakfast.

Be sure to bring a large esky with ice to your backyard campout, so your food stays fresh.

4. Decide On Some Camp Rules 

Before the campout, decide when it is and is not okay to go into the house. For example:

• You can only go in the house to use the bathroom.
• If you don’t have a cooler, you can only go inside to take food that is already prepped for camping and sitting in the fridge.
• You can’t go in the house to replace something you forgot. If you forget to pack something (unless it’s something like a sweater and you’re really cold), you’ll have to make do.
• We’re camping – no electronics allowed. (That goes for you, too, parents!)

If you have older kids, give them different tasks: planning games, looking up song lyrics, deciding the menu and gathering gear. Young ones can team up with a sibling or a parent. Or do all tasks as a family.

5. Set Up Camp

Look around your backyard for the perfect campsite. It should be flat, free of rocks or sticks, open and easy to make camp. Clean it up if necessary.

Lay a tarp on the ground. This will help keep the tent bottom dry and clean.Then open up your tent and set it up. Don’t forget to stake it to the ground!

Always take off your shoes before going inside your tent. This will keep your tent nice and clean.

Roll out the sleeping bags and set up your pillows.

The key to a fun weekend of camping and adventure in your own backyards is the excitement. Get everyone excited from the planning phase, and you’re sure to have a wonderful camping adventure!