Camping can be a lot of fun, but sometimes when the weather is cold or rainy, it makes it impossible to do it outside. A nice alternative for children is a camping trip indoors, with all the activities and fun that one would have under the stars.
Steps
Part 1
Planning The Indoor Camping Trip
1
Invite some friends over. Camping could be more fun with friends, so it might be a good idea to invite some of them over. Having friends to play with can make you happier,[1] but camping alone can also be a blast. Try to think of people that you would want to hang out with all night, and then give them a call to see if they can sleep over.
Make sure to ask your parents if it’s okay for you to invite people over for indoor camping.
Ask your siblings if they want to camp.
Only invite people that will get along with each other. Camping is about having fun, and arguing ruins that.
If you have your friend’s phone number, call or text them and give them an invitation to camping. If you don’t have their phone number, you can ask if they want to come camping at school or when you see them in person.
2
Get beverages and snacks. Your campers are going to be hungry and thirsty, so you’ll need to prepare snacks and some drinks for when they get there. Hot chocolate in a thermos is a great way to make it feel like you’re camping outdoors. There are also snacks that you can prepare beforehand like "ants on a log," so that when your friends get there they are already made.
To make "ants on a log," cut a celery stick so you have a 4 inch piece. Fill the inside with peanut butter, then add raisins on top of the peanut butter.[2] Repeat this until you have enough "ants on a log" for everyone to eat.
You can also replace
You can buy fruit punch concentrate or powder at the store and then add water in a large pitcher to provide enough for everyone there.
3
Choose a campsite. Even though it may not be as hard as locating a campsite in the wilderness, it’s still important to find a place in your house that’s big enough for camping. You want a wide open space so your friends have the ability to spread out and enjoy themselves. You also need enough room to set up a tent and to have enough space for all of the sleeping bags. A good place to have your indoor campsite would be in the living room, finished basement, or your own bedroom.
If you are camping out in a room with a TV, put a sheet over the television so that no one is tempted to turn it on. You can watch TV any day, this is supposed to be camping!
Ask a parent or guardian to help you move furniture out of the way if there is not enough room at your campsite to fit everything.
4
Make a list of fun things to do. Think of some creative things you can do while you camp that don't use the TV or computer. Treasure hunts, card games, reading books out loud, or telling stories are all really fun things you can do that don't require any electricity. Make sure to set things up beforehand, and put your cards and other games in a place where you can find them. Write down some of your planned activities so that if you get bored through out the night, you have something to do.
If you are camping out with friends or family, go over the list with them to see if they have anything they want to add.
You don't have to stick to the list, but it's a good idea to have some ideas handy if people are getting bored.
Part 2
Setting Up The Campsite
1
Get an outdoor tent or use sheets and chairs to make your own tent. If you have an outdoor tent and a big enough space, you can set your tent up on your campsite. Be sure to ask your parents for help when setting up an outdoor tent. If you don’t have an outdoor tent, you can make a tent using a large sheet and chairs or a sofa. Get creative and figure out different ways to make your tent more sturdy!
To make a tent out of sheets and four chairs, arrange your four heavy chairs in a square and place a large bed sheet over them. Place a heavy object, like 2-4 books, over the sheet and on the seat of the chair to prevent the tent from slipping. Add pillows underneath and you've made a makeshift indoor tent.
If you don’t own a large enough sheet, you can connect smaller sheets with bobby pins to make a larger sheet for the tent.
2
Use flashlights and turn out the lights. Even though you’ll be inside, you can still get the spooky feeling of camping outdoors. Turn out all the lights and use flashlights to replicate the feeling of being outside. Using smaller hand-held flashlights are the best because they aren't too bright but still illuminate the area. Make sure that the batteries in your flashlights still have power.
Get replacement batteries in case they die while you're camping.
This is especially useful when telling scary stories!
If there is a parent around, lighting a couple of candles can replace flashlights.
3
Sleep in sleeping bags. To really get the feeling of camping, you should be going to sleep in a sleeping bag, just like you would do outdoors. Unroll and unzip the sleeping bag and make sure that there is enough room for everyone to lay down when you go to sleep.
If you don’t have any sleeping bags, you can make some with a large pillowy comforter. To do this, just lay down the comforter on the ground and roll it three times on the long end, so it forms a tube. Fold the bottom part of the blanket down, under your feet, and you can sleep inside, just like you would in a sleeping bag.
Use a lot of pillows to make it more comfortable since you’ll be sleeping on the floor.
4
Create the outdoor ambiance. To make it feel like your camping outdoors, you can put up glow in the dark stars on your ceiling or create a campfire out of multicolored tissue paper, construction paper, and a portable light. To make a fake campfire, create the logs with the construction paper by rolling them up into tubes, or you can use paper towel or toilet tissue rolls as an easy alternative. Tape them to the outside of your light-source, then tape red, yellow, and orange tissue paper to the rolls. This will look like a real fire, and create the intended effect!
The best light source to use is a low wattage, round, portable light you can pick up at a department store.
Make sure that the light-bulb you use for the light source does not get hot and is not a high wattage. Check with your parent's first so you can avoid causing a real fire!
If your house has gas fireplace, ask your parents if they can turn it on.
Getting a candle with the camp fire scent to replicate the smell of a fire with help you create a better ambiance.
Part 3
Having Fun With Your Friends
1
Make and eat s'mores with your friends. S’mores are classic snacks during camping trips, and though you don’t have an open campfire, you can still make s'mores in the microwave.
Get a piece of chocolate, a marshmallow, and two graham crackers. Stack them into a sandwich with the graham crackers on the top and bottom. Place on a microwavable plate and microwave for only 5-7 seconds.[3]
You don’t need to keep it in the microwave for a long time!
Make sure you get enough ingredients so that everyone camping can eat at least one s’more.
2
Tell each other scary stories. A fun thing to do while you are camping out indoors is to tell spooky stories to one another. Telling stories to one another is good for social relationships, engage our brain, and trigger our imagination.[4] If you don’t know of any scary stories, try looking online, just make sure that there is a parent with you when you are doing it.
You can also ask your parents to take you to a bookstore to find a book with scary stories in them.
Make sure to not make anyone feel uncomfortable. If someone is really scared, you can turn the lights back on and play a game instead.
You can read comic books as an alternative to scary stories.
3
Play games and activities. Plan out the games and activities you plan on doing beforehand. Since you’re inside you can now play a bunch of different types of board games. You can also play games that don't require any pieces like never have I ever, truth or dare, or hide and seek.
You should try to limit the amount that you use technology since this is camping, but if you want, you can look up spooky videos online with parental supervision.
Try to not watch TV or a movie or else it will be just like any other night.
4
Laugh and have a good time. The main point of camping is to have fun, so make sure that you’re laughing and enjoying your friends’ company. Always try to keep the mood lighthearted and make sure that everyone you invite is also having a great time.
Laughing makes us feel better, and can improve social relationships.[5]
If the mood is too serious, lighten it up by telling a joke or challenge a friend to a game.
You can find jokes online, just make sure they are appropriate and not offensive.
