Two weeks ago, I shared some of my favorite ways for getting our children excited about being outdoors.  One of my favorite tips was to make the ordinary extraordinary.  Playtime in the backyard can become a time of discovery and memory making simply by changing it up a bit.

One of my favorite childhood memories involved camping.  Most of our camping trips were to local historic parks, lakes, and campgrounds.  My son is definitely at an age where we can start camping comfortably and he would enjoy it.  Camping is a great way to expose children to the outdoors and get them physically active. It’s also a wonderful way to bond as a family.

Since we’ve never been camping with the kids, it might not be a bad idea to start with our very own backyard.  Last week, we decided to have a backyard campout in honor of the June 20th premiere of Sid’s Backyard Campout on PBS Kids.  After dinner, we made our own popcorn and S’mores and watched the episode on iGo’s Pocket Projector (which is very cool!) in the comfort of our own backyard.

When I told my son we were going to have a backyard campout, he was super excited.  He wanted to be involved with everything from popping the popcorn to setting up our “camp site” outside.  Something as ordinary as watching one of his favorite shows became something extraordinary, simply by moving it outside (I’m certain the dark chocolate and marshmallows helped!).

During Backyard Campout, Sid spends a day finding answers about the outdoors with his dad and good friend Gerald.  Sid’s dad is eager to share his love of nature and demonstrates how easy it is to have a great time outdoors.  Some of the activities they engage in include setting up tents, looking for animals, cooking their own dinner, admiring the stars in the sky, roasting marshmallows, and singing songs around the campfire.  The episode will resonate with parents and children alike.

Sid the Science Kid is all about scientific exploration and discovery.  Sid is likeable and makes learning fun.  He explores topics other animated series don’t broach and does it in a way that children can relate to.

June 25th is National Backyard Campout Day and the debut of Sid’s Backyard Campout on the 20th will encourage parents and children to explore the outdoors.  Here is a quick clip from the upcoming episode:

If you’re looking for ideas on how to spend some time outdoors, here are a few recommendations:

1. Explore your backyard for insects and talk about them with your child

2. Talk about the plants, flowers, and/or trees growing in your backyard (and maybe even plant a seed or two)

3.  Look at the clouds in the sky and let your imagination run wild

4.  Have a picnic

5.  Roast S’mores over a campfire

6.  Star gaze

7. Watch a movie under the stars

8. Pitch a tent and spend a night out in your backyard

 

How do you spend time with your children outdoors?

No compensation was received for this post. A viewing kit was provided which helped facilitate this review.