Camping Inside Solves the Rainy Day Blues

What do a candle, metal skewers, and marshmallows have in common? They are a great way to start your indoor camping trip! In the Pacific Northwest, rainy days are just a part of life. With two young boys one has to get creative otherwise cabin fever sets in. We have solved this problem by camping inside.

We clear off a large portion of the living room floor and set up a small dome tent. The boys always get excited when they see the box come out of the garage. They roll their sleeping bags out inside and grab their favorite stuffed animals, Snowy and Craven, as their camping buddies.

As the rain drums on the windows the boys are warm and cozy in their indoor campground. We set up the campfire next. This is one of those large three wick candles in a glass dish. We find this safer than having the children cook over the fireplace. We stick metal skewers in hot dogs and roast them over the candle. They go into buns and we round the meal out with fruit and raw veggies. It's exciting for the children to cook over the fire indoors. We always remember to keep a fire extinguisher handy just in case.

For dessert, we roast marshmallows the same way and drink some hot cocoa. We sing a few campfire songs and sometimes do a simple craft project. Then the boys retreat to the tent with flashlights to tell scary stories until they fall asleep. On a rainy day, a camping trip is always a fun and sanity saving activity!