Camping Party

Did you like camping when you were little?! What was your favorite part? I loved camping as a child, and my kids love camping too! In fact, every time we are back in Washington, we love to go camping!

A few years back we were camping with the kids and my parents in my parent’s pop-up trailer. During the middle of the night I heard a loud rustling noise. I thought my Mom was getting into a bag, but the noise kept going. I finally said, “Mom, what are you doing?!” She replied, “It’s not me! I thought it was you!” Just then we heard a sort of snorting/growling noise. I was really freaked out at this point. I thought for sure there was a bear! I woke up my husband and said, “Listen!!”

He bravely (foolishly?!) peered out the front door of the camper. Guess what he saw!??? Three racoons! I had NEVER heard racoons make that noise before! They were absolutely frantic. They had basically gotten into an outer door of the camper, which got them near the food (the back of the drawers), so they could smell it and reach their claws into the top of the drawer from behind, but the space was too small and so they could not get any food out. So, they were in a growling frenzy! My husband tried to shoo them away and they just stared at him, until he chased them with a broom. Then they finally left and we were able to go back to sleep.

Since that infamous camping trip, my kids have loved camping even more! LOL. Our daughter decided she wanted a Glamping party for her 10th birthday. I saw a lot of cute ideas with pretty, tiny A frame tents, but that is not what my little girl had in mind!! She wanted to sleep in a real tent with all of her friends together! The result was a ton of fun!!

We used a 2 second pop-up tent. We hung string lights in her bedroom for stars, and built a faux fire with paper towel rolls, crepe paper and string lights, and put the tent in the center of her room. A four person (5 kids easily!) tent fit perfectly in the center of her room. We decorated the ceiling of the tent with glow in the dark star stickers. As the girls arrived with their sleeping bag and pillow, they set up their things for the sleepover. The girls came dressed in their snuggliest pjs for this camping party!

While the girls waited for everyone to arrive, each girl got to adopt a bear. There were adoption certificates to fill out and each girl got to pick out a bear to snuggle. Then the girls took a photo with the birthday girl. We went with a woodland animal theme, since she loves owls and foxes. I made these too cute masks to go with the theme. After the girls took a ton of silly pictures with and without the masks, we were ready for the fun to begin!

The girls started by making matching tie dye t shirts! They each put on their own rubber bands, and then we dyed them. They turned out super cute. While they were waiting for their shirts too rinse and dry, we played pin the tail on the fox and the M&M game.

After just a couple short games, the girls had dinner. I made pizza for dinner and had a snack table out the whole evening for the girls to grab snacks, treats, and drinks. There were a lot of fun themed snacks to fit with the camping theme. The favorites were the Trail mix bar and the Fox s’mores kits.

After dinner we sang Happy Birthday to the birthday girl and opened presents. Then the girls grabbed a plate full of snacks, an owl popcorn bag and a cupcake and cuddled up with their favorite blanket to watch a movie glamping style.

After the movie the girls brushed teeth and got ready for bed. Then they turned on their “fire” and “stars” and got settled in their tent. Then the real fun began! LOL. They talked and told each stories and laughed and had so much fun at their camp out. They took the word “sleep” out of sleepover, but the girls had a lot of fun. It was a special time of friendship, laughter, and making silly memories under the stars.

When they woke up we had breakfast together and they painted each other’s nails and did a cute wooden owl craft that I had found at the craft store, while waiting for their parents to come and get them. It was the perfect party for our perfectly 10 year old.