Indoor camping can be fun for the whole family - or you can make it a kid-centered event. It works any time of year - even if it's snowing or raining. It's not expensive. It's easy to organize. (And if the weather is decent, you can certainly move the fun to the backyard.) Here are a few ideas:
* Set up a tent. We have a play tent designed for indoors, so we'll use that. If you don't have one, though, you could use a small outdoor tent, or you can just make a blanket fort.
* Bring out the flashlights. If you do indoor camping during the day, shut the blinds and curtains for a while so the kids can explore with flashlights.
* Build a fire. This could be a real one in the fireplace, but we'll be making one from toilet paper tubes and tissue paper (like this or this).
* Sing "A Camping We Will Go."
* Do a nature scavenger hunt - indoors or outdoors.
* Make camp food. S'mores melt in the microwave, and hot dogs can be cooked on the stove. You might also consider these fun campfire cupcakes. (Or the cake version, here.)
* Head outdoors and collect leaves. Depending upon the age of your children, you can stop there, or you can identify the leaves, do leaf rubbings, study a little botany, add them to a nature journal...
* Do some shadow tracing, if the sun's out. Stand in a fun position and have a child trace your shadow with chalk.
* Learn to use a compass. You can even make one.
* Make a sundial.
* Become a "tracker." Make "animal tracks" and have the kids guess which animals they are supposed to have come from.
* Make simple friendship bracelets.