“I CAMP believe you set all of that up in your bedroom!!”
Well, you best believe it! Indoor camping is an awesome way of channeling your imagination and creating fun new memories. Whether these tips find you during a long period of time at home, a rainy day, power outage, or maybe when outdoor camping plans had to change… we hope it helps inspire you to get creative and into the camping spirit!
1. Act like this is a real camping trip!
Bring out all the gear - tent, sleeping bags, flashlights, sleeping pads, etc. Not only will this make the experience feel more realistic, but it is also the perfect time to take note of all your gear and any repairs or things you might want to add to your inventory before hitting the outdoors again. It can also act as the perfect learning experience to new campers or a teaching moment for children. Figuring out your comfort and happiness outdoors takes time, use this time to start testing what works best for your crew.
2. Get creative!
Creating that cozy camping scene is going to take some imagination. Think of all the things you love to do outdoors and try to incorporate them into your indoor oasis. Build a fire - we used construction/tissue paper for the flames, a light for the warm fiery glow, and sticks & toilet paper rolls around it to make it really look like a campfire. Our moon & fishies were made out of construction paper as well. For stars & fireflies, bring out the Christmas lights! They can turn your camping scene into something extra twinkly and magical.
3. Make a Camping Playlist
Take advantage of being home and having wifi by playing some nature sounds, campfire guitar music or streaming a wilderness view on to your TV. We know it’s not the real thing but it will definitely help add to the outdoorsy-ness of your scene. We opened our windows to listen to the rain outside while playing cricket sounds on our laptop.
4. Disconnect to Reconnect
Use your internet to stream nature sounds, but also try to disconnect! The key to camping is unplugging from your phones, tablets, apps and notifications. Instead, immerse yourself in the experience. Bring out games to play, cards, tell ghost stories, have a scavenger hunt, or make shadow animals. Enjoy your time together and make memories in this peaceful headspace. We played cards and relaxed with our dog while reminiscing on past camping trips (lots of funny stories there). You could also read, plan what adventures you are excited to go on when exploring next, or teach each other important things to know when camping.
5. Food tastes better when “outdoors”
Enjoy some camp inspired snacks! We had yummy tea and popcorn before bed. You could also have hot chocolate, microwaved s’mores, trail mix, fresh fruit.. Or.. you could have a “bear” deliver pizza to your front door! It’s all about being creative & having fun! We’re sure a pizza delivery driver would get a kick out of growling up to your home.
6. Embrace the mess.
Indoor camping may be a little bit chaotic especially if you live in a small space. By the next morning we had a lot of gear to clean up, but had made such a special memory which made it all worth it.
7. Share the Camping Love
Share your indoor camping adventures with friends or on social media. Seeing people, especially families, embrace their love for the outdoors is always so inspiring. Share your camping set up to give someone else this fun idea, or challenge friends to see who can make the craziest camp scene. Again, it’s all about imagination & having fun!
Tag us in your indoor camping adventures!