Camping is the Ultimate Father’s Day Gift
We all need a healing dose of Mother Nature during this season of pandemic isolation. Father’s Day is just around the corner, and if you’re looking for a fun family bonding activity, a Father’s Day camping trip may be just what you need. Spending days surrounded by only nature, leaving behind your electronic gadgets, and sleeping under the stars is not only fun, but it’s also therapeutic. And by camping in June, you’ll enjoy the summer season before the heatwave hits. In short, a June camping trip is a fun way to celebrate Father’s Day.
If you can’t get out of town, just put up a tent in the backyard and enjoy the laughter, connection, and sleeping under the stars.
3 Fun Ideas for a Father’s Day Camping Trip
- Have fun recipes on hand
Go beyond sandwiches and soup for your campfire meals. With the right tools, you can enjoy campfire nachos, mac ‘n’ cheese, and barbecue chicken and veggies. For dessert, you can stick to the classic s’mores or try something healthier such as campfire pies or campfire-baked apples—apples stuffed with nuts, dried fruit, cinnamon, butter, and nutmeg, wrapped in tinfoil, and baked by the fire. Letting the kids get involved with the cooking process will create lasting memories for you and the children.
- Plan some nature adventures
There is so much you can do during the day—from hiking and bird watching to fishing and canoeing. Camping is a perfect opportunity for your children to learn new skills such as map reading. For your younger kids, you can create nature scavenger hunt worksheets, so you and the kids can go exploring and mark off the animals, insects, birds, and plants that you spot together. You can also check to see if there are any geocaching opportunities near your campsite.
- Create campsite activities for the kids
After a long day of enjoying nature activities, you’ll need games to keep the kids entertained after dark. When the sun sets you, and your kids can take out an amateur astronomy book and examine the stars. You can tell campfire stories, sing campfire songs, or play shadow puppets. You can also play flashlight tag together or create games such as glow in the dark ring toss.
Bonus
Looking for more camping tips, such as where to go and what to pack? Check out this park article from last year’s Mindful Travel Series. It will give you a few quick ideas on how to make the most of your outdoor adventure.