Looking for a way to kick off your summer? Camping in your backyard is a great way to introduce your kids to the fun and adventure of sleeping under the stars. It also brings families closer together by giving you a vacation from distractions like TV, computers and video games. Listen for nocturnal wildlife, star-gaze, cook outdoors, tell stories or sing songs around the campfire or by lantern light, and explore a whole other world right in your own backyard.

Why Go Outside?
The Great American Backyard Campout is part of an initiative created by The National Wildlife Federation to help rescue our nation’s kids from what famed author Richard Louv calls “nature deficit disorder.” Research now shows that kids spend an average of 44 hours per week “plugged into” electronic media, and that this way of life is creating—for the first time in our country’s history—an entire generation that is growing up disconnected from nature.

The good news is that you don’t need to go to Yosemite National Park to experience the great outdoors (although we are lucky to live just four hours away). Reconnecting with nature is as simple and easy as stepping outside. Last year thousands of families from around the country participated in the Great American Backyard Campout, and this summer your family can get in on the fun.

How To Get Started
Whether you plan an urban campout with friends, a suburban campout with neighbor kids, or a rural night out under the stars with just family, you only have to step out your back door to experience nature’s wonders. The National Wildlife Federation has created a website with everything you need to head outdoors: packing lists, recipes, nocturnal wildlife guides, exploration activities, and more. People can even sign up on the site to share their campout plans and experiences. Check it out at www.backyardcampout.org.