Tips for a Camping Themed Play Date

Tips for a Camping Themed Play Date!
1. Set up tents.
We used the Antsy Pants Starter Set and Tents for our children. My children had a lot of fun building their tents and playing in them!

2. Turn on the fireplace.

We turned on our fireplace to give a special "campground" feel in the evening. (Of course, we kept the tents and our children a reasonable distance from the fireplace.)

3. Stock up on camping themed toys. 
You'll want both indoor and outdoor toys for a fun experience!  Let me share some of our favorites!

Inside Play

One of our favorite things about camping is the opportunity to relax. Our children love to run around outside and then relax for calmer play in their tents.  

Two of our favorite camping themed toys for inside play include:

• DinoMazing Egg Decorator (Hey Buddy Hey Pal) - Pop in one of the plastic eggs included with the kit and let the decorating begin. Use the different colored markers, to add stripes, lines or other fun “prehistoric” designs to decorate your egg.  Once the eggs are found you can “crack” open the shell to discover a surprise mini collectible dinosaur dripping in cool colored slime! Available on Amazon for $27.99. OR, Hide the eggs around your yard (or even inside the house) for the ultimate at-home scavenger hunt! 
• Family Camping Trip (PLAYMOBIL) - The imaginative play set perfect for camping! Complete with the iconic PLAYMOBIL attention to detail, this set is complete with a foldable tent, sleeping bags, a table and chairs! Available on Amazon for $28.99. 

Outdoor Play

Of course, camping fun involves running around outside and playing games.  We've found some amazing toys that are perfect for camping themed play dates!

• HyperStrike (Zing) - A competitive camping activity for those who are 14 and up! Zing’s HyperStrike bow launches over 250ft! Set up a creative “archery” display for your kids to try out and test their aim/range! Available on Amazon for $29.97. 
• Pop and Pass (Hog Wild Toys) - Pop and Pass brings playing catch to a whole new level of fun!  Grab a launcher to insert the soft foam ball, pull back the handle to load, and get ready to launch! Great for one-on-one or team play! Available on Amazon for $34.99.
• Curve Ball (Hog Wild Toys) - This fast-paced outdoor game is the perfect opportunity to get the kids warmed up for their “camp day" activities. Comes with specifically-designed launchers that put a cool spin on the ball, resulting in amazing curves and awesome catches! Available on Amazon for $26.99.

4. Bake S'mores Cookies.

I have to admit that I will not give my children S'mores in the living room. It's too messy for them. Instead, we made S'mores Cookies together which we think are even more delicious than S'mores.  Get the recipe here.

5. Make it a movie night!
Watching movies in the living room from a tent is the best!  My boys love their special space with snacks and a movie. We watched the Woody Woodpecker movie. It was filmed in the woods which made it perfect for our camp out. I think that they will have happy memories of camping and watching movies together in the living room!

6. Provide flashlights.
When you are a little kid, flashlights are awesome! Turn the lights out and provide flashlights!

We hope that you enjoyed our tips.  Camping themed play dates create whimsical childhood memories!