Picture this: your meticulously planned family holiday is in shambles. Maybe it’s due to inclement weather, a national park or campground closure, or some other unforeseen emergency.
That doesn’t have to mean your getaway is cancelled; why not take your holiday to the backyard?
At the end of the day, kids often love the experience more than the location, so get them out and about in a different way. Backyard camping requires only a portion of the organisation and planning that a trip away from home does – plus, there are no travel times!
The best part about backyard camping? No long car rides! Image: Nikki Fotheringham
Setting Up Your Shelter
Any tent will do. Let’s face it, if things go pear-shaped you can just go inside!
If you don’t already have a tent, pick one up at an affordable price; it will more than suffice for backyard campouts (we recommend the Quick Dome 4P Dome Tent by Coleman). Or, set up a full campsite with a family tent, mats, sleeping bags – plus all the extras like a table, chairs, and a camp kitchen. You’ll still achieve the outdoor experience, and it’s easy to throw in the odd luxury from the house if you like too.
Backyard camping also means you don’t have to be a minimalist, given there’s no need to squeeze everything into the boot of your car! Setting up and packing down your campsite is as easy as transporting your gear from inside your shed and house to your own outdoor space.
For a cosy atmosphere too, fill your tent with all the creature comforts you usually wouldn’t bother dragging out to the campsite. This could include plush cushions, pillows, doonas, and blankets.
Have Fun with Your Setup!
Get creative with your backyard setup to really ‘transport’ everyone to a different place. With some help from the kids, create a fort using tarps, blankets, sheets, and rope, and bring in the furniture from the playroom to turn it into a fun space to hang out in.
Pick a theme, or raid your shed for all those seasonal decorations! Have fun with it – remember, you’re on holiday!
Create a nice, mellow vibe in your yard. Image: Lillie Farrow
Atmospheric Lighting and Music
Now is the perfect time to use your solar lanterns, fairy lights, or other string lighting to add a warm glow to your backyard. Grab your speaker to play some tunes or, if you really want to escape, the sounds of nature will do the trick too!
Try Camp Cooking at Home
If it’s safe and considerate to do so, stoke up a campfire in your backyard or use a cooker like the Ozpig to refine your camp cooking skills in the backyard. Or, for more on campfire cooking gear, check out Episode 103 of The Snowys Camping Show:
Damper is an easy recipe to master. It can be made to just about any savoury or sweet variation, and we’re yet to meet a kid who doesn’t like hot damper soaked in butter or golden syrup! Don’t forget to brew some hot chocolate and toast marshamallows on the fire too.
Toast some marshmallows at home in a firepit. Image: Suburble
You could also try your hand at smoking food. This adds a whole new flavour to the food you already love, but may be better suited to the more mature palates in the family.
For an easy and fun backyard dinner, try Cam’s Home-Made Baked Beans with Chorizo, as seen on our YouTube channel Camp Cooking with Cam. For more recipes, see here.
Stay Outside and Disconnect
Depending on how strict you want to be, maybe set a rule that inside the house is out of bounds once the camp out starts!
Plus, if you truly want to get back to nature and move the teens away from the screens, you could even temporarily change the Wi-Fi password. Or, keep the phones in the house so that everyone can disconnect and spend time together, as you would when camping.
Relax and unwind without modern technology. Image: Ellie DeLano
Stargaze
This is a great opportunity to see what you can spot in the skies from your house at night. If you already have one, grab your telescope (or some binoculars), download a free map of the sky, and have some fun examining the heavens and all the constellations you can see.
Admire the constellations from your yard. Image: Gary Seronik
Discover Your Own Backyard
Create a mystery to solve or a treasure hunt for your kids utilising the space at the front of the house, around the sides, and in the backyard. Draw out a map, give them a compass, and even have prizes at the end to keep them occupied and entertained. Maybe the winner gets to pick the movie for the night!
Organise outdoor activities for the kids. Image: Amanda Morin
Have a Movie Night!
Relaxing in your own outdoor movie theatre is a real treat for the whole family, especially if you have a home projector setup. If not, you could cheat by bringing the TV out onto your patio. Either way, stream a classic film while you unwind and enjoy the serenity of your own backyard.
Watching a movie is a great way to unwind. Image: Stacey Leasca
Enjoy What You Have
In times of crisis or when things don’t go to plan, all you can do is make the most of what you have and enjoy time with your loved ones. There’s no need for a fancy, over-engineered setup – what matters is the much needed downtime with your family.
For tips on camping with kids beyond the backyard, check out Episode 97 of The Snowys Camping Show. Happy camping, everyone!
Have you ever gone camping in your backyard? Let us know in the comments.
When it comes to camping, hiking, travel and adventure – the Snowys team have all the expert advice, guides, and tips on everything outdoors.
There have been so many “Camp Out Now At Home While You’re Waiting!” articles all over the campernet, since lockdown really took hold, and they all make it sound so appealing! If only I didn’t live on the top floor of a subdivided house…we have no backyard. 🙁
We do have a small deck on the balcony, but it’s not even enough space to fit my seasonal tent onto.
My buddy, whom I’ve been planning a trip with once this all over since before it all began (if that sentence makes sense), must be getting tired of my bellyaching, because he’s invited me to come pitch up in his massive backyard, and he’ll do the same, and “We can sit across the fire from each other and shout.” ? When he first suggested it a month or so ago, I was embarrassed at even the thought, but that feels like a long time ago now.
And I *do* have some nice new Snowy’s gear I admittedly need to trial… ?
Oh yes, Pamela! Trialling out your new gear with a spot of backyard camping is the perfect way to make sure it’s all working the way it should before heading off on a trip, and even better if you get to hang out with your buddy in his backyard. Here’s hoping we can all get back to planning our trips sooner rather than later! Cheers
I regularly camp out in the backyard. Allows me to test gear, practice cooking and disconnect for a few hours.
You’ll be a pro at it then Andrew! Cheers 🙂