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Backyard Camping for Frugal Summertime Fun
For those of you who don’t know, I have a mega family.
Yes, mega.
12 kids is not a large family.
It’s three large families rolled into one!
A mega family sure helps a person find a lot of frugal ways to enjoy the summer without spending a lot of money.
One of the things we enjoyed with our crew was simply camping in backyards.
It was usually our own backyard, but sometimes we would camp out at grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money at a camping site in order for your family to enjoy camping out.
Fancy Tents, Makeshift Tents, Campers, or RVs
Camping in the backyard also can save on camping equipment.
Over the years, we have set up actual tents in the backyard.
We have also made up our own type of tent out of ropes and tarps.
One year we slept in an aunt’s camper which was sitting in her yard.
Another year we slept in an RV that was parked in a driveway.
This year, Sarah has turned my little garden porch into her own personal summer camp.
The kids had a blast in every single ‘tent’ we slept in during our summertime campouts.
Volleyball, Softball, Horseshoes, and More
My kids have always been easy to entertain because if there isn’t a game to play, they would simply make one up!
I rarely spent money on games, other than buying balls.
If we didn’t have a net, they would run a piece of string, set up an old sheet, or simply draw a line in the sand.
Some of their favorite games to play have always been volleyball, softball, basketball, Texas horseshoes, regular horseshoes, and lately, corn hole.
Hide 'n Go Seek, Board Games, Cards, and More
Maybe it’s because my family is large enough to always have someone around to play with, but we are always playing games.
Fun in the Water
Whether you have little ones or adults, everyone has fun in the water.
We are within walking distance of the river and a small beach, but we also have a small pool in the backyard.
Having a pool is new to us though.
We spent many years filling up little kiddie pools, wash tubs, or even just dish pans for toddlers to play in during the hot weather.
Hoses and sprinklers can be a lot of fun too.
We have wet-down tarps and let the kids go sliding across them.
Of course, water guns and water balloons are always a big hit too.
Walks and Hikes
My family always enjoys walks down the road or hikes through the woods.
These are some free ways to have some great summertime fun and make some awesome memories.
Glowsticks, Headlamps, and Flashlights
Everyone loves glowsticks, headlamps, and flashlights while camping out.
I have found it easy to keep kids entertained as young as little ones under a year old with a small flashlight.
Kids think they are a big deal when you hand them their very own flashlight to use as they please.
I pick them up super cheap in the camping section at Walmart and with coupons at Harbor Freight.
CampfIres and S'mores
Campfires and s’mores just go hand and hand.
What would camping be without some gooey marshmallows and chocolate!?!
Campfire Singing
I love that all of my children are musically inclined.
Sitting around the campfire is so much fun when the guitars come out and everyone starts singing.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a singer, it is still fun to sing around a campfire.
Talking, Reminiscing, Storytelling, and Laughing
Our family never lacks for funny stories.
We love sitting around talking, reminiscing, storytelling, and laughing for hours.
Having fun and making great memories doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.
Moon Finding and Stargazing
Our family is definitely the kind of family that loves the moon and stars.
The first one to see the moon yells, Moon Finder!
There isn’t much better than being able to see a night sky full of stars.
Camping is a great time to have your family check out the nighttime sky.
Story Time
Maybe it’s the homeschool mom in me, but I think books can be worked into practically every occasion.
Camping and lazy days lying around reading books sound like a pretty good day to me.
Backyard Camping for Frugal Summertime Fun
Everyone agrees that finances are rough right now.
That’s not even debatable.
I am here to encourage you to make some wonderful memories while enjoying some frugal summertime fun.
Are you going to try some backyard camping this year?
How about camping in Grandma’s backyard?
Let me know about some of your frugal summertime fun plans in the comments.
Here are Some Camping Resources:
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