With the long weekend passed, many of us were left wishing we could go camping as we have so often in the past. Unfortunately, with the parks closed it is not as easy (as if getting the family organized and out to a park was ever ‘easy’) as it used to be to get out and enjoy the outdoors. However, we can still enjoy some of the staples of the camping experience without ever leaving the house! There are three main areas to focus on to recreate a camping experience at home.
The first is to create an environment that feels like a special experience for everyone to enjoy. There are many ways to do this, but one of the most important is to create either a fort or set up a tent indoors to make the evenings feel different than your normal week. This quickly makes the whole weekend feel like a trip without leaving the home. Another option is to work by natural light or use only a flashlight. While this can be a bit of a hassle, it can mimic some of the realities of being on a camping trip.
The second way to help recreate camping indoors is by eating like you would on a camping trip. This isn’t exactly replicable as we often don’t have a fire to cook by, but we can still imitate lots of the menu choices. This can be sandwiches for lunch, having hotdogs, smokies or burgers for dinner and, of course, s’mores for dessert! Whatever family staples you have during a camping trip, try to recreate them at home. There are many excellent recipes for camping foods from home, so check them out and get creative. You can find our recipe book here: https://www.nwtliteracy.ca/sites/default/files/resources/great_food_for_northern_cooks_new.pdf
Third, and one of the biggest for me personally, is to unplug from our technology. Now this is a personal choice and you of course do not have to do this. However, I find this to be one of my favourite things about camping, and definitely something I want to recreate from home. Unplugging allows us to have more direct communication, and once again separates us from a normal weekend. Go for walks outside, collect materials for crafts, play board games, read stories, or do whatever you would like while camping inside!
These are just a few suggestions on how to have an excellent camping trip without leaving your home, and there are so many more. Enjoying time with family is my favourite part of camping, and that can definitely be recreated from home!
Jeremy Mousseau
Family and Community Literacy Coordinator
