As a child, I recall having sleepover parties in my family’s tent in the backyard. It instilled in us girls a sense of freedom and adventure, even though we were never more than 10 yards from the house. It’s an exiting alternative to the traditional sleepover party!

First, you need a tent and some sleeping bags, most kids can bring their own. It’s also ideal to have a fire pit with lawn/beach chairs set in a circle around it. Make the kids “camp-worthy” snack, such trailmix, the fixings for s’mores, hot dogs and mud cups.

Make invites by folding the top 2 corners of the template on back down to form a tent with flaps, write the info inside the flaps and embellish with woodland critter stickers!

For “atmosphere” (especially if weather turns your camp-out into a basement camp-in) find one of those nature CDs that has the sound of rain, thunder and frogs croaking. Also, if family or a friend plays the guitar, have them lead the kids in some favorite songs around the campfire.

If your campsite is in, or close to the house, plug in white Christmas lights and drape them around trees. If the kids are old enough, you can have citronella lanterns and candles around the site, and leading back to the house (ya-know, where the plumbing is!). Speaking of safety, make sure to watch kids during dark games and know how many kids should be there!

A menu can’t get much easier than s’mores, hot dogs and trailmix, but making cups of “mud” for dessert. Buy clear plastic cups (the better to see the dirt with!) and layer them with instant chocolate pudding, crushed Oreos, gummy worms, and a mix of Cool Whip and chocolate pudding. Be sure to have a few worms hanging out the top!

For some games before it gets dark, divide kids into groups of three to five; give each a compass and a list of instructions. The instructions for each group should be different but lead to the same place. The instructions should involve things like “take three giant steps east” and “skip north until you reach the swing set.” Each set of instructions should be equally easy/difficult, as this is a race. Set tokes or flags along the way to ensure that each team followed their instructions. At the end point have a flag or some kind of marker like a forest animal stuffed toy with a prize, such as bouncy balls or glow sticks.

Another game is flashlight tag, which can be played once it’s dark. If you have a large yard limit the playing field so no one gets lost or scared. The person or team who is “it” gets flashlights. When they shine the beam on someone, that person becomes “it”. This can be played for as long as you want. If you have lots of kids you can have three kids be "it" to make it fairer.

You can also set up a scavenger hunt through your property that lets the kids find their “rations.” If you have less than ten kids, have them do it all together, if you have more, make two different courses and have a race. Start with a clue, an empty backpack and one big flashlight. The clue should be a bit tricky, such as: “here the cat sits all day, watching birdies eat and play.” This clue would lead them to the ground under a birdfeeder (make sure there isn’t more than one!). Here they would find some of their supplies, such as a lantern or some snacks or glow sticks! Have an adult accompany the kids so that they don’t spend too much time heading in the wrong direction or trying to decipher the clue. With each prize there should be another clue which will lead them to more “rations” such as the fixings for s’mores, or all their sleeping bags. One of the kids can put all the small things in the empty backpack.

Feel free to alter this format depending on where you live, the weather and the age of the kids. Now rack your own brain for memories of camping pastimes, games and foods. Then come back to Party Works for supplies!