camping out
I was trying to remember, earlier today, when it was that I first slept out in the backyard, as a kid, trying to imagine how old the Bee will be when she wants to camp out. My 11th birthday party was a sleepover, and happened when Skylab was falling to earth. I spent the whole night looking up at the stars, convinced that a huge piece of metal was about to fall on my head.
There was something magical about sleeping in a big tent in the backyard with three of my friends, running around in the backyard with a flashlight and giggling outside where no adults could hear us and say, “it’s time for bed, now go to sleep.” My parents had a ton of camping equipment, and back in those days, I still thought sleeping on the ground was fun.
Interestingly, tonight the Bee dragged all her blankets onto the floor and made herself a bed there. We’ll see how long it lasts–I don’t think that sleeping on hardwood floors are all that comfortable, but maybe she’ll make it through the whole night there. She and her best friend have been on a big imaginary play thing lately–last weekend, they made a tent out of some chairs and a blanket, and then a few days ago, they put all the blankets on the floor so they could float down the Nile, as Egyptian princesses. (Okay, that was sort of my suggestion.)
It’s too cold now for the outdoor camping experience, and I don’t think that the Bee is really old enough to do it yet anyway, but I think she’s gonna love it when the time is right.
Elizabeth said,
February 16, 2006 at 11:04 pm
I’m not quite sure how old the Bee is now, but I think she’s older than D, and we’ve done outdoor camping. Car camping, not backpacking, because there’s a limit to how much I can carry, and I wanted to have the option of leaving in the middle of the night if he freaked out. But he loved it, and slept more soundly than I did.
moonface said,
February 17, 2006 at 2:51 am
We are planning a two week camping trip for next month, but I am in two minds about whether my kids are old enough for it, and whether we should just go live in the luxury of hotels.
Li said,
February 17, 2006 at 2:24 pm
It’s amazing how its like a key that opens up worlds upon worlds. I have similiar memories with siblings out on the lawn with just sleeping bags and the stars…moments before my parents divorced and the world changed. But we have that shared moment in a time capsule.
Comfort Addict said,
February 18, 2006 at 8:26 am
This reminds me of a time when I “camped out” two doors down from my house as a kid (I think that I was about 8). This kid had a backyard with a couple of large trees and a dad who built him a treehouse for each. I remember how independent and rebellious we felt up there (despite the fact that this was sanctioned and no doubt carefully controlled by all of our parents). We slept in the treehouse then came into the kid’s house the next morning for breakfast, appropriately proud of our experience as woodsmen.
I’m looking forward to reading the post of the Bee’s camping experience when it happens.
Jennifer said,
February 19, 2006 at 11:26 am
Last summer my son, then three years old, and his dad camped in the backyard of his grandparents’ house. (If he camped at our house he’d be about 10 feet from the neighbors’. The grandparents’ yard faces a meadow.) He had a wonderful time, talked about it for weeks.
I hear that one of the boyscout badges is for camping alone in the woods. One of the these days I’m going to get up enough nerve to try that. Seems like it would be a transformative experience.
katpop said,
February 19, 2006 at 3:19 pm
lol…at the skylab comment…..i too was young and remember thinking the same thing, but i wanted to be the one that found a piece of it.
brettdl said,
March 1, 2006 at 2:52 pm
Seth camped in the back yard about the time he hit three. He absolutely loved it, so we’ve done it once or twice since. I’m planning on taking him “real” camping as soon as it warms up.
backyard camping said,
June 5, 2006 at 12:49 pm
I have great memories of camping out in my cousin’s backyard as a kid. Can’t wait to do it with my kids!