3 Ideas for the Ultimate Campout
Right in Your Own Backyard
campout. All you need is a large white sheet, a home projector, and some speakers. Then, snuggle up in some cozy blankets and pillows under the stars while you watch the best summer blockbusters or throwback favorites.
Even though it’s almost peak camping season, you and your family might opt to cancel your out-of-town trip this summer, but don’t worry. Just because you don’t head into the mountains doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy time outdoors with a backyard
campout. It might not be your favorite spot in a sprawling national park, but that doesn’t mean you can’t turn backyard camping into the best staycation ever with these ideas and more.
BUILD A FIREPIT No campout — backyard campouts included — is truly complete without a roaring campfire. With a gravel base and a simple stone barrier (as well as some quick and easy instructions available online), you can build the ultimate firepit for warming up on chilly nights,
MAKE A DIY TENT While pitching a tent for camping always comes with some level of frustration, making your own tent
telling spooky ghost stories, and of course, roasting marshmallows. As a bonus, you can keep a firepit around when cooler weather rolls in too.
using household items like tarps, rope, blankets, and more can be a fun project for the kiddos. It’s an opportunity to let them exercise their imaginations and build something they can relax, play, and even spend the night in.
This is far from a comprehensive list of backyard camping activities. That said,
these three ideas alone can make for several nights of outdoor entertainment. Why not explore the various ways you can have the best camping experience your backyard has to offer?
CREATE AN OUTDOOR MOVIE THEATER If you’ve been craving the big-screen experience
that you thought only movie theaters could offer, you’re in luck! You can make your own big screen at your backyard
A Voyage for the Sounds of Earth In 1977, a NASA committee led by esteemed astrophysicist and author Carl Sagan set out to record images and sounds from around Earth, which were then enshrined in two copper records that included music, languages, and natural sounds from around the world. The Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft carry these records, and since the ‘70s, they have explored space and routinely sent transmissions to Earth about what they have encountered. capsule for others to enjoy for years to come. As a starting point, ask your kids what they would want to tell future generations or interstellar travelers. What does life on Earth look like to them? Record Your Own Audio Time Capsule
Your messages don’t have to be solely futuristic, either. You can record a message to loved ones and have fun sharing it with them. Think of a family member or friend who could use a pick-me-up and create a recording just for them. KEEP IT SIMPLE Most phones and computers have an audio recorder app, and this should be all you need to make a recording. Start by creating your message. You can improvise or write a script beforehand. Then, use your phone or computer to record it. This file can be shared on different platforms and sent to the people you’d like to hear your message.
As Sagan said of the Voyager mission, “The spacecraft will be encountered and the record played only if there are advanced spacefaring civilizations in interstellar space, but the launching of this ‘bottle’ into the cosmic ‘ocean’ says something very hopeful about life on this planet.” We may still not have definitive answers about extraterrestrial life, but that doesn’t prevent us from thinking about what we might want to tell others about life on Earth. So, why not make your own recording? RECORD YOUR OWN MESSAGE Take inspiration from the Voyager mission by setting out to create a recorded message with your family that can serve as a time
Have fun with this project and think of it as your chance to tell others what life on Earth means to you.
2 (307) 885-4337 | www.drlivingstondds.com
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker