The Big Camp Out - In!

Missing adventuring in the great outdoors?

If you're looking for a fun adventure in the mid-term break or want to share an experience with your friends from your own homes, why not join us for The Big Camp Out - In!

Have an adventure at home by sleeping in a den indoors or perhaps in a tent in the garden or lounge.

Our Outdoor and Adventurous Team have some great ideas and activities to help you plan the fun. From setting up your tent to that all important midnight feast, we have some great ideas to keep you busy over the holiday.

Step One - Decide where to sleep

The challenge is to make sure it's not in a normal bed! Maybe you can build a 'den' kind of tent with a sheet over a table and sleep in your sleeping bag on a sleeping mat.

Use a tent

If you have a tent and a garden, discuss with your parent or guardian whether it's possible to camp outside. Maybe you could ask someone in your household to keep you company or use your tent to make a den inside your house.

Don't have a tent?

You could build a weatherproof shelter or maybe re-purpose a shed. Make a den in your lounge, put a hammock in your bedroom or even build an igloo in the garden! Discuss your ideas with your parents or guardian at an early stage to help with the planning.

Step Two - Choose five activities

Once you have chosen where to sleep, choose some activities to keep you busy during your camp out. We have some suggestions to help get you started. Remember these are just suggestions - you can be creative and come up with your own ideas!:

• Ask an adult to help you create a social media group with your friends so you can connect together online during your camp out
• Set a time to meet with your group online whilst you cook and eat a meal
• Make up a story with your friends. Each person can take a turn to add a sentence!
• Learn a new skill, for example do you know how to fix a bicycle puncture or tie a figure of eight
• Make a scrapbook of your camp out
• Head over to Facebook or Twitter and show us your best photos

• Set a treasure hunt for your family around the house or garden
• Practice your first aid on a member of your family. Would you be able to teach someone how to use a triangular bandage, or put someone in the Recovery Position
• Will you have a good view of the sky at night? Try and identify constellations, planet and start. What phase will the moon be in mid-February (when will it rise and set?) You can find lots of information online or install a smartphone app like Sky Map
• A bird feeding project
• A nature survey in and around your home - how many things can you find

• Do a physical exercise you haven't tried before eg how many sit ups can you do? Active Schools have lots of different activities for you to try
• Draw a map of your surroundings - can you include your school friends or other family locations? Can you figure out where North is? Make a Back Garden Map

Step Three - The all-important midnight feast!

We have some fun ideas to help keep your tummies full and your fingers out of the sweetie cupboard on your Camp Out-In:

We have some fun ideas to help keep your tummies full and your fingers out of the sweetie cupboard on your Camp Out-In. Make a Hairy Hotdog with our Cook A Highland Cow (not a real one!!) Activity, then enjoy some Squidgy Bananas, or Armpit Fudge - it really is a lot tastier than it sounds!

The Big Camp Out-In Recipes

Step Four

Gather your sleeping bag, blanket, teddy, food supplies and set up camp!

Step Five

Share your fun times with your family and friends online by taking photos, video clips, screen grabs or writing an account of your Big Camp Out-In!

Visit our Facebook page and let us know how you got on.

Never been camping?

Watch as our Outdoor and Adventurous Team show you how to put up a small tent. They have also made a handy video guide all about winter camping in Aberdeenshire.