Every year the NWF (National Wildlife Federation) sponsors the Great American Backyard Campout, encouraging families to get out in nature…even if it is only in their backyards.

You don’t have to go to a campground to have a good time camping.

This year the official date for the backyard campout is June 27th. I’ve signed my family up and we’re going to have a camp fire and cook out and make s’mores and tell campfire stories. It’s a lot of fun and we try to do it every year.

My kids absolutely love this, even the little guy. Of course he probably won’t stay in the tent all night- he’ll want to go in the house to sleep but that’s the good thing about camping in your backyard if someone gets scared or the weather acts up the house is right there. Plus you still have easy access to indoor plumbing. That’s always a big plus for me.

I love nature but the whole no water thing drives me nuts.

I have the perfect backyard to camp out in. We live right in front of a large wooded area so we can set the tent up and actually be almost in the woods. There are trails to go hiking on and lots of birds and wildlife to look at then we can set up our campfire and do all the campfire fun things. Everyone’s looking forward to hot dogs and s’mores.

Now I just need to brush up on spooky campfire stories that won’t scare everyone…too much.

Plus I want to find other things for the kids to do, maybe stargazing and locating constellations, nature watch, and flashlight tag. The NWF website is full of games, crafts, recipes, and camping guides to help you plan your night.

It’s a fun and cheap way to get your family having fun together in nature.

So pitch a tent and join in. You can sign up for the fun at http://www.nwf.org/backyardcampout

[This post was written by Wenona Napolitano.]