Camping one way to defuse the fuel crunch

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With summer comes a longing to get away from it all.

But in this economy, many families are having to rethink their plans because they can't afford to drive, fly or cruise anywhere.

That doesn't mean you have to sit around and do nothing, though.

One fun and economical way to take a break is to sleep in the great outdoors, under the stars (or the canvas of your tent).

You don't have to go far and you don't have to spend much money: You can have an adventure right in your own backyard.

"Camping in the backyard is one of the best 'vacations' a family can take," says Charleston dad Tim Freeman, father of two. "It's good, old-fashioned fun, it's safe and it's simple because all you have to do is walk through your back door. You feel like you are somewhere else, but if you need anything or if the weather doesn't cooperate, all you have to do is go inside. There's very little hassle." In fact, camping in your own backyard is even an event. It's called the Great American Backyard Campout and it happens this Saturday.

Designated by the National Wildlife Federation, the campout is to encourage parents and children to turn off all things high-tech and experience a night with Mother Nature. The initiative is part of a federation campaign to rescue kids from what "Last Child in the Woods" author Richard Louv calls "nature-deficit disorder."

"Many parents find camping in the backyard with kids prepares them for a real camping trip," says Jim Reid, director of public relations for the Coleman Co. Inc., in the company's "Parents' Guide to Backyard Bash." "Kids categorically get excited about sleeping in tents. That's a timeless truth."

It's also a good beginning to possible camping adventures away from home in the future.

"If you think you might want to go camping with your family, the backyard is a great place to start," says Freeman. "Sleeping in the tent is a novel idea for the kids, but yet you are in familiar surroundings in case anything happens. The first couple of times we tried it, the kids didn't make it through the night. It was nice to be able to crawl into our own beds when we needed to."

Even if families do make it through the night, it's unlikely they will camp in their own backyard for an extended period of time. Most such occasions last just a day, maybe two.

"The last time we camped out, we tried to stay outside for 24 hours straight, unless we had to use the bathroom," Freeman says. "We managed to stay out for two nights."

Having a backyard campout takes a little bit of planning. You'll need to decide to what degree you want to rough it and if you want to make the experience as authentic as possible or if you want to use your imagination.

No matter what, a basic necessity is a tent. Other supplies are sleeping bags, pillows, flashlights and food.

"Once you are inside the tent, you could be anywhere," says Freeman. "You can pretend to be in the mountains or on a desert island."

You'll also need to decide what you want between you and the ground. You can put your sleeping bag on the floor of the tent or on a foam pad or air mattress.

Consider whether you will have a campfire, especially if you decide to camp during the summer, and check your neighborhood covenants to see if it's allowed.

You might need to improvise with a fire pit, grill or even a pretend fire fueled by a flashlight.

"My daughter really wanted to make S'mores, so we bought a small hibachi and cooked the marshmallows over charcoal," says Beth Foster of Mount Pleasant. "We even sang camp songs while we were doing it."

You can cook your dinner on a grill or go simple and have finger foods; pack a cooler with necessities or slip inside to use the fridge.

"Some people think it could get boring, but you can do anything in your backyard you could do in a campground," says Foster. "You can play games, listen for wildlife, look at the stars, tell stories."

You can turn your backyard into a sports field, a stop on a forest trail or even a water park. If you need ideas, visit the federation's campout Web site at www.backyardcampout.org. In addition, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Backyard Adventures" ($12.95) by Nancy Worrell, which came out last month, has suggestions on many topics, including traditional backyard adventures, block parties and tips for planning a vacation at home.

"Now that we've done it as a family a few times, our sons say they are ready to try sleeping in the backyard with a few friends," says Freeman. "That's something it might take Dad a while to feel comfortable doing."

Brenda Rindge can be reached at 937-5713 or at brindge@postandcourier.com.