a short camping trip

{playing in the creek}

{trailmix--our custom blend}

{running around the campsite}

{view from the tent}

{having his s'more}

{campfire}

{evening cocoa}

{playing in the tent}

{for real-time camping inspiration}

We went on a very quick (less than 24 hour) camping trip this weekend. Our first ever! The boys loved it. We kept things very simple and went to a pretty campground not too far from home. We kept the food simple too--bratwurst, beans, and so forth. I wanted to let this be an easy trial run, just to see how we'd all fare. My favorite part was how happy the boys were with it all. They loved running around outdoors and playing in the tent. They required no entertainment. And they asked when we were going back next, and if we could stay longer next time. I was worried that no one would sleep, but we did surprisingly well on air mattresses with comforters and sleeping bags layered over. It was actually really cozy, and we all slept better than I anticipated.

One thing I especially noticed was that after returning home, they played happily and creatively for a long time with no need for the grownups to intervene. I saw them playing with the farm and gnomehouse, the wooden trucks, finger puppets and a sock puppet. I think the outdoor time gave them a fresh perspective on their toys and helped them settle in more happily than usual.