back yard camping - young kids

[Ashful]

Okay, so we have the tent and bags (see other thread)... now it's time to make plans.

Objective: Make sure a 4-yo boy has a good time.

Proposed plan: Setup camp (tent, bags, chairs) late afternoon, have a scavenger hunt, build fire, cook dinner, s'mores, catch bugs (he loves lightening bugs... spends half the winter asking when they'll come back), watch stars, sleep, cook breakfast. I'll be packing up camp on my own, I figure.

For "dinner", I'm figuring it can be simple as hot dogs (one of his favorite meals) on sticks and some Spaghettios in a pan on the coals. I can broil lobster, but he won't appreciate it any more. For breakfast, his favorites are sausage with pancakes or waffles, pancakes being the easier of the two on an open fire with a skillet on the coals.

Recommendations? With the tent, two sleeping bags, and my old liquid fuel lantern, I think I'm set well enough on equipment for this little outing. I'll just bring the cooking utensils I need out from the kitchen before we start (no cheating to run into the house later!). The only thing I need that I don't have is a water source, probably a 2 gallon jug of spring water from Walmart will do fine.

 

[BrotherBart]

A bush to pee behind.

 

[jatoxico]

Sounds like you got it covered Joful. Chutes and Ladders or Go Fish in the tent before bed?

 

[Ashful]

Maybe only for me, Bart. He has a habit of running out the front door and putting down right on the front walk in plain view of the neighbors, when he thinks we're not watching.

Chutes and Ladders or Go Fish in the tent before bed?

Good idea. Too young for any good ghost stories.

 

[jatoxico]

Maybe only for me, Bart. He has a habit of running out the front door and putting down right on the front walk in plain view of the neighbors, when he thinks we're not watching.



Good idea. Too young for any good ghost stories.

Or whittling with pocket knives.

 

[Ashful]

Or whittling with pocket knives.

Definitely. I got my first knife at age 8, and I was a terror with it, then!

 

[yooperdave]

Couldn't you hunt or fish for your meals??

 

[jharkin]

Sounds like you got it down. When I was like 6 or 8 we did this, my parents just setup a makeshift tent made of tarps We did dogs on the fire too.... It wasnt till I got to the scouts I had the luxury of a tent.

 

[semipro]

I'd recommend another light source rather than the white gas lantern.
Those things are noisy, overly bright, and get really hot. Many a piece of plastic camping gear, especially tents, have been damaged by these lamps, a stove, or campfire embers.

 

[Ashful]

No worries... Lantern outside the tent, one or two of my many Mag lights inside the tent!

 

[Woodman37]

Sounds like the makings of an awesome time! I bet he will never forget it.

 

[jharkin]

Dont forget the s'mores !

 

[Jags]

I have heard no mention of a cooler. You must have a properly stocked cooler.

 

[yooperdave]

I hope you have a real fire pit...and include the search for the firewood!!

 

[Ashful]

Hah... thanks, guys! Yep... got a packing list already started, for food:

dinner:
hot dogs
- buns
- relish, mustard, ketchup (AR - packets)
spaghettios
milk
guiness
s'mores
- chocolate, graham, marshmallow

breakfast:
coffee
juice
sausages
pancakes
- mix
- milk
- eggs
- oil
- butter
- syrup
berries

supplies:
matches
tinder / supercedar
kindling
hatchet

cups
plates
forks, knives
napkins

cooler
frozen water bottles
roasting sticks
sauce pan
serving spoon
coffee maker & filters
fry pan
pam
measuring cup
table spoon
mixing bowl
skillet
ladel
aluminum foil
spatula
oven mitt

Built the firepit last July 4 weekend: