The Great American Backyard Campout is just over a week away and the National Wildlife Federation wants to help you and your family make the most of it. For all you backyard barbequers out there, we have the tips and tools you need to take your cookout up a notch by turning it into a Campout. Think of us as your go to source for fun ideas to keep your bellies full and your minds and bodies active

Camp Cuisine

Whether you choose to use a grill, the open flames of a well-fed fire or Bear Grylls it (for those who want the extreme, real survival experience), there are tons of camp cuisine options to choose from. The sky’s the limit, especially when you campout in your own backyard.

Here’s a sampling of our favorite camp food recipes:

• Pigs in a Sleeping Blanket: For an easy twist on the classic campfire hotdog take an 11 ounce can of breadstick dough, slice each dough strip in half and wrap each strip around a hotdog leaving a small area uncovered for the face. Roast over the fire until the hotdog and bread are cooked, let cool then use ketchup and mustard to make fun faces.
• Silver Turtles: This hearty option is a simple way to fill your campers’ stomachs. Simply place a hamburger patty in a piece of aluminum foil and top it with potatoes, carrots, onions, salt, pepper and a pad of butter. Fold the foil tightly around the turtle and cook over the coals for 20 minutes or until cooked thoroughly, then let cool and enjoy! For a side dish, try wrapping corn on the cob or whole potatoes in foil for delicious grilled corn and baked potatoes. Remember to let them cool then add your favorite toppings.
• Gourmet Lasagna: If you’re up for some Italian, try this easy Dutch oven recipe for lasagna. Start by pouring a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the Dutch oven and add a little water. Then cover with lasagna noodles and a layer of ricotta or cottage cheese and chopped spinach and add another layer of sauce to top it off and repeat the layering until you reach the top of your pot. Top your lasagna off with sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, cover and let bake for 30 minutes. If you’re looking for a more meaty dish try adding pepperoni or ground beef between the layers.

There’s always room for dessert…

• Dipped Strawberries: Dip strawberries in Marshmallow Fluff and roast over the fire.
• Orange-Chocolate Cake: Hollow out oranges, fill (about half way) with chocolate cake mix, wrap in foil and heat in the hot coals for about 20 minutes.
• Singing Apples: Place an apple on a cooking stick and roast over hot coals until the peel starts to split and “sing.” Carefully remove the peel and roll apple in cinnamon-sugar.

Now that we have you drooling, be sure to register today for the Great American Backyard Campout and see just how fun (and tasty) it can be!

You can register for free on our website at www.backyardcampout.org. While you’re there you can explore all the other fun camping ideas we’ve put together including our favorite fireside songs and stories, camping games, crafts, stargazing and wildlife watching guides. You can also find handy information for prepping for and setting up your campsite. So join the National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There movement, your local community and families across the country this June 22nd for the Great American Backyard Campout. Let’s go camping!

Onboard yet with the Great American Backyard Campout? Ready to set up camp with us on June 22? Well, even if you’re still on the fence, the National Wildlife Federation has some great ideas to make for a great camping experience, and remember you only have to go as far as your own backyard to join the fun!

Backyard camping can give you the confidence and practice that goes into making a seasoned camper, plus you always have the failsafe shelter, food, and modern convenience of your own home within a few steps of your campsite. When you register your Campout on National Wildlife Federation’s web site, you get helpful information to make your backyard camping experience a fun one, including campfire recipes, nocturnal wildlife guides, campfire songs and games, nature activities and much more. We also have some great camp prep materials on our website!

No yard? No Problem

There are a great multitude of places to camp across the country, from neighborhood common areas to national parks. All of these places offer their own unique camping experience. Not sure how to pick a location? We have you covered.

Here are a few tips for grabbing the perfect camp spot:

• Look for a location away from stagnant water—also known as mosquito resorts.
• Pick a location that is sheltered from wind and any possible rain showers (check your local forecast before heading out and make sure to note the direction of any weather fronts)
• Choose a spot that is easily accessible, within your comfort range of local facilities and ideally, one that has a unique characteristic so it’s easy to spot if you venture out.
• Try to find a relatively level area for your tent, but make sure not to set stakes down in low-lying land that may collect water if it rains.
• If you’re going to a park or well-known campgrounds do some research about the facilities, rules, possible fees or permits, and what kind of unique outdoor spaces it offers. Look for reviews of campsites online and ask around for advice.
• Camp in areas where others have camped before you thereby minimizing your impact on the natural surroundings.
• If you’re heading away from home, make sure to setup your tent before heading out to make sure there are no missing pieces or damages.

No matter which method of camping sounds like the right fit for you, go out and give it a try and have fun with it. There are no camping snobs here to judge you. The adventure is about what you make of it so make it your own and most of all have fun!

To learn more about the National Wildlife Federation’s Great American Backyard Campout happening June 22, and to find an event near you to join, visit www.backyardcampout.org/

Before we explain why kids need to get outside more, let’s first take a look at how much today’s children are really spending outside in unstructured play.

Today’s children are spending half as much time outdoors as their parents did just 20 years ago. According to a recent study by the University of Michigan, the typical American child age 6-17 spends an average of less than one hour per week participating in outdoor activities; that’s less than 8 ½ minutes a day. Coincidentally, or perhaps not so, in the past 20 years as outdoor time has decreased, the rate of childhood obesity has more than doubled, the United States has become the largest global consumer of ADHD medications, and antidepressants prescribed to children have speedily been on the rise. It’s not hard to see that this break with nature is significantly troubling, but the upshot is that there are easy and simple solutions to alleviate much of these concerns.

The good news is that it’s easy to help your kids lead happy, healthy lives – just tell them to go take a hike! Unrestricted outdoor play has been shown to improve the mind, body and spirit. It increases fitness levels and builds active, healthy bodies, as well as increasing the body’s vitamin D which helps to safeguard children from future diabetes and bone, heart, and other health problems. In addition, it has been shown to improve children’s vision and lower the chance of nearsightedness.

Then there are the cognitive benefits of outdoor play. Children who have more exposure to nature are often less symptomatic of ADHD, have better critical thinking and concentration abilities, higher test scores, better team and problem solving skills and enhanced creativity. Moreover, schools with environmental education programs produce higher scores on standardized tests in math, reading, writing and comprehension.

In terms of wellbeing, time spent in nature reduces stress levels within minutes of being outside in natural settings. Additionally, play boosts self-esteem and positive emotional development and unstructured playtime helps lower the possibility of anxiety and depression. As an added bonus, especially for parents, nature enhances social interactions and a sense of community and fosters close relationships, which all broaden children’s compassion and actually make them nicer, happier kids.

What’s not to love about nature and the great outdoors and why are you still inside reading this? Go outside and play with your kids. Make it a habit. Think about registering for the Great American Backyard Campout and getting outside with your neighbors too. The benefits are great for your kids, but can be equally rewarding for adults!

Great question! The Great American Backyard Campout was created by the National Wildlife Federation to help reconnect kids of all ages with nature and the great outdoors.

Embarking on its 9th year, the Great American Backyard Campout is part of the National Wildlife Federation’s Be Out There movement and is an integral part of our three-year initiative to get 10 million kids outdoors on a more regular basis.

Why Be Out There?

Because the nature of childhood is changing — there is not much nature in it. In the last two decades, childhood has literally moved indoors with kids spending more than seven hours per day in front of electronic media. Studies show that more than half of all American children under the age of eight have access to one of the newer mobile devices at home, and nearly one-third have a TV in their bedroom. At the same time, the American Academy of Pediatrics has cautioned parents to limit their young children’s screen time.

Studies also show that outdoor time helps children grow lean and strong, enhances creativity and attention spans, decreases aggression, and boosts classroom performance.

The National Wildlife Federation has taken up the charge to reverse the tide for this and future generations of children. The organization is dedicated to getting people of all ages back outside and in growing the future of conservation stewards all with the goal of preserving wildlife and the wide wild world that sustains and nourishes us.

The Great American Backyard Campout is a great opportunity for families and community groups across the country to take a break from their electronics and spend one night together under the stars. It’s a small commitment that you don’t even have to leave home for, and we guarantee your kids will make memories to last a lifetime.

Learn more about Campout at http://www.backyardcampout.org/ and like Be Out There on Facebook for more year-round activities to get you and your family outdoors.

Father’s Day is fast approaching, and whether the father(s) in your life prefer the indoors or the out, there is one place most find comfort: the backyard grill.

Perhaps it’s a primal instinct to provide food for the family, or maybe it is the thrill of standing over an open flame (insert caveman chest punching…and grunt), but summer and dads and grill aprons (albeit manly aprons) go together like, well, summer and barbeque. It’s not too difficult to coax fathers outside when warm weather arrives, but oftentimes the rest of the family stays inside while dad tends to the grill.

It’s time we turn this American tradition into an opportunity for the family as a whole to get outside and spend time together.

For the 9th year in a row, National Wildlife Federation is asking families across the country to swap screen time for green time and join us for the Great American Backyard Campout. This year, we are specifically calling on families to take their backyard cookouts to the next level by turning it into a backyard campout. The event’s official date is June 22, but the invitation to spend a night under the stars with your family is a standing one.

It may sound like a daunting task to go from cookout to campout, but NWF is here to show you just how easy and fun it can be without having to leave your own backyard. Throughout the week we will be blogging information about how to fill this summer with memories of camping out as a family in the great outdoors.

To register your own campout or to search for an event near you to join, visit www.backyardcampout.org/