6 Reasons to Go Camping in Your Backyard When You Have Kids

Do you enjoy the idea of camping, but also all the conveniences of your own home? Why not blend the two and take a camping trip in your own backyard? We did just that over Memorial Day Weekend. With two kids under two, we wouldn’t have been brave enough to venture to a campground. We love camping, and now we love it even more in our backyard. Here are my top 6 reasons to go camping in your backyard when you have kids:

1. Save Money

Who doesn’t like to save money? We had an awesome camping weekend at home, and didn’t spend money on anything other than the groceries for our cookout and usual meals. We already had everything, and didn’t have to drive anywhere or pay any campground fees. Camping is probably the cheapest way to travel anyway, but if you are really on a budget and don’t want to spend anything but still want to create a special experience, camping in the backyard is the way to go!

2. You Don’t Have to Pack the Car

Fitting everything to go camping in the car can be a challenge, especially if you have a little car like us (we have a Chevy Volt). And there is a lot of hustle and bustle involved in getting the car packed for a weekend getaway, especially for a camping trip when you need to remember everything to take care of the family while at the campground. It was so stress-free to go back and forth between the garage and the backyard and easily set everything up without the car ride in between. And we didn’t have to worry about forgetting anything!

3. Beat the Crowds

Memorial Day Weekend is a busy weekend for camping. The last time we backyard camped I had waited too long to book a campsite and we couldn’t get in to the campground we wanted. When you camp in your backyard, there is virtually no planning involved and no need to contend with busy campgrounds on big holiday weekends or during busy camping seasons.

4. Running Water and Electricity

I like camping, but I also like the running water and electricity. We found a great campground in the Flagstaff area that has both of these (and nice bathrooms), so that’s our favorite place to go. But when you stay home, you get all this and the front row spot by the nicest bathroom at the campground (with no line)!

5. Enjoy the AC During the Day

One of the downsides of camping can be that it gets hot during the day and there aren’t many places to escape to during the day to relax in the cool air, unless you go out to a store or restaurant. We enjoyed sleeping in our tent in the cool evening air, but then when the daytime came around we got to enjoy our home with the air conditioning just like normal. It was luxurious!

6. The Kids Will Love It!

We actually had our babies sleep in their own rooms because they are under two and there was no way we were going to attempt getting them to sleep in the tent with us. Our baby monitors reached to the backyard and they were safe and sound in their beds all night. We let them enjoy the tent in the evening before bed and they loved it! As they get older, we will involve them more in the camping experience and eventually they will get their own tent. I’m pretty sure all kids would think camping in the backyard is awesome!

Camping in the backyard isn’t just for families with kids. We used to do this before kids and all the same benefits apply. When they’re older, we’ll take them camping at a campground so they get to experience all the great things about going camping away from the house.

When you camp in the backyard, it isn’t a true getaway because you are still dealing with the laundry, dishes, and regular household stuff. But for now, camping in the backyard allows us to still get to enjoy the things we love about camping while we have a baby and a toddler without any undue stress.

Have you camped in your backyard? What did you think?