Skip the mosquito swatting and scarey sounds – try indoor camping with the Camp Olson Loft Bed.
Spread out your sleeping bags under the loft. Play some of the usual campfire games.
Storytelling is a fun “do-anywhere” activity, notes Cindy Ross, co-author of Kids in the Wild: A Family Guide to Outdoor Recreation (Mountaineer Books). “Start with one line that sets a scene, and then take turns adding to the story,” she says. “The more tangents you go off on, the more fun it is!” For example, try “I think I saw a mermaid when I was swimming this morning. I opened my eyes underwater and….” And, of course, set some ground rules about not scaring your siblings. Oh, sure.
Turn off the lights, tell ghost stories, then point a flashlight towards the ceiling and slowly make a hand shadow that looks like a giant’s hand about to grab the little people that are indoor camping.
Sing some camp songs like:
-
She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain
- Down By the Bay
- An Austrian Went Yodeling
- The Other Day I saw a Bear
- Rounds-such as Row Your Boat, Sarrasponda and Kookaburra
- Kum Ba Yah
- Michael Row the Boat Ashore
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Kick it up a notch in the fun department with a Marshmallow Shooter that uses the small size marshmallow.
Did someone say marshmallows? Gotta make S’mores!
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Don’t reserve these for campfires–they’re easy to do in the oven.
Ingredients:
16- graham cracker squares
4- milk chocolate bars
1- cup mini marshmallows (un-used, not from marshmallow shooter misses)
Preparation:
- Preheat broiler.
- Arrange half of graham crackers on baking sheet. Top each cracker with 1 piece of the chocolate bars. Broil until chocolate is softened but not melted.
- Arrange 2 tablespoons marshmallows on each cracker. Broil until lightly toasted.
- Top with remaining crackers and serve.
I love the idea of the add a line story. I think my oldest would love that.