Family Camp

For the past three summers we have implemented a new tradition called Family Camp. This is a great idea for a family vacation on a budget. With our growing family, we needed a creative way to gather all of us together, appeal to the various stages of our daughter’s married/dating/young children in tow lives and keep it affordable for all. Living in such a beautiful community, with many fun outdoor activities available we decided to invite everyone up to our home for a week for “Family Camp”. Each summer has been a bit different depending on who was available to come but we have carried on the tradition and restructured a bit each year. The basic steps to getting a family camp organized are simple and easily adjusted for the needs of your family.

“Before Camp “TO DO’s”
1) Send invitations for the preselected week-emails or phone calls work fine.
2) Clean the house, change the beds and make sure there are enough beds, sleeping bags, or blow up mattresses, and cribs to accommodate all attendees.
3) Make a Costco run to stock the pantry with all the breakfast, lunch and snack essentials.
4) Assign one night per couple to be in charge of dinner shopping and preparation (all food paid for by hosts of Family Camp) and ask if there are any ingredients needed from Costco and add to your list.
5) Make a welcome sign and room assignment signs. Be creative!
6) Make a list of the fun activities available for the week. Some ideas: movies, mini golf, bowling, bike riding, hiking, picnic at the park.
7) Have out door fun activities ready: a swimming pool, access to a pool or a wading pool, ping pong, corn hole, spike ball, croquet.
8) Make a list of day trips that might be fun: going to the beach, going to museums or the aquarium, attending a baseball game. You may need to talk about these ideas ahead of time in case you need to purchase tickets or look for discounted group rates.
9) Organize your board games and have some out and ready for night time activities.
10) Make sure to send the “kids” off to the movies or other activities in the evenings and offer to baby sit!

Week of Camp “TO DO’s”
Be Flexible!
Enjoy!

Make everything a competition!
Get excited about the fabulous dinners that will be prepared by each couple, even this can become a competition!

Take lots of pictures!

What fun family traditions have you started in your family?