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Camping is a great family activity which can be enjoyed by all ages in almost any kind of weather and at a minimal cost. There is an abundance of things to do in the out-of-doors once the tent is pitched. Here are some ideas for activities your family might enjoy.
Most families enjoy exploring their camping area, walking the trails and observing nature. Whether your family is on its first camping trip or frequently camps, you will want to remember each new place you visit. One good way I have found is to make a collage. Before leaving home, cover a medium to large square or rectangle of cardboard with a piece of tightly stretched cloth. This will be your 'canvas'. Keeping that in mind the type of cloth, color, pattern, and size of your cardboard is up to you.
Pack your canvas, a good strong all purpose glue, and some twine with the rest of your gear. On your hikes and around your campsite collect little momentos to include in your collage. Things you might include are small pieces of moss covered bark, feathers, small, colorful pebbles, small pieces of driftwood, anything not too heavy which catches your eye. Some more unusual items I have encluded in my collages are shed snake skins, rattlers, and arrowheads. As the items are collected arrange them on the canvas in a manner pleasing to your eye, and when satisfied with the arrangement, glue in place. I usually leave a few blank areas to attach photos of the trip after my film is processesed. Next, collect a few fallen branches which can be broken to fit, then lashed together with the twine and attatched to the borders of your canvas as a frame. Once your photos are attached your collage is finished and can be hung in a child's room, family room, office, or anywhere you like to remember your family outings. I have hung several of these in my family room. They are unique, and never fail to inspire conversation when guests see them.
Another time-honored camping activity is story telling. There is nothing more fun than sitting about the campfire enjoying a good story or two. Here is a 'twist' to conventional story telling which my family has enjoyed. Ghost stories are always a favorite. To make them more exciting consider telling the story with a partner. Some prior planning is needed but the extra effort is worth it. The aim is for one partner to tell the story and the other partner is to supply sound effects. So a collaboration is needed before hand to decide on the sounds needed, and where in the story they will be performed. Sound effects can be used to make a ghost story creepier, or to add a touch of silliness and humor. It all depends on you the story tellers. This technique can be used with all kinds of stories and is not limited to ghost stories.
Star gazing is also a fun activity for families. It is sometimes difficult to tell which star is what, and which constellation is where. But star gazing can still be fun. Many of the stars, and most of the constellations have ancient names representing stories the Greeks and Romans told about their gods. So, while it would be wonderful to be able to point out all those constellations and tell their stories, you can still have fun with them even if you are completely lost when looking at the night skies. Look at the night sky and find a pattern of stars that interests you. Point it out to your family, and then give it a name and weave your own story about it. This type of star gazing can even be enjoyed by very young children. For instance, one of my preschoolers pointed out a group of stars making a circular pattern. He named it 'The Big Jelly Bean', and told a simple story about it.
Hiking, story telling, star gazing, and memories recorded with your own created art will bring your family hours of entertainment on your next family camping trip, and the next, and the next, and the next.
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