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Great American Campout

great american campout

We've all heard about the benefits of being outdoors, and Great Outdoors Month, celebrated in June, is a perfect time to enjoy nature–especially during the Great American Campout!

One of the Great Outdoors Month events, the Great American Campout is “part of the National Wildlife Federation's efforts to inspire Americans to protect wildlife, including a three-year campaign to get 10 million kids to spend more time outdoors.

While the Great American Campout day is just one day, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) encourages us to get out and camp all summer long.  There are so many places that you can camp including your backyard, your neighborhood, and local, state and national parks.  Camping doesn't have to take place in a tent either.  Try camping in a cabin, an RV or even in a treehouse!

The Great American Campout website offers several online resources to help you with your camping trip.  If you're new to camping, the site can help you find a place to stay and give you a list of what to bring.

But what impressed me the most about the website is their list of camping activitiesThey have games such as the Backyard Matching Game and Flashlight Tag that can be played anytime–on a camping trip or in your backyard on any random Monday.

Note: Check out all of these flashlight games!

Want something to do that will help your kids learn?  Check out their “learn and explore” activities.  I like the Observe Bugs at Night one.  Every summer, my Cub Scout pack goes for a creek hike, and we do our own variation of Explore a Pond.  The site also features recipes and crafts.

Be sure you take a #campie while you're camping!  It's a selfie taken during your campout.  I'm not sure if the NWF started this hashtag, but I love it!

The NWF asks that we pledge to camp out this summer.  When you do, you'll be entered to win a Campout Starter Kit.  Pretty fun!

How about your family?  Will you be camping on the Great American Campout day?

Yours in Scouting,
Sherry

P.S.  Read more about Cub Scouts and camping!