Backyard Camping Party
Hello all you party people!
Party With Lex is here again with some more do-it-yourself party fun… and theme is camp! With the winter months quickly approaching, an indoor camping theme is perfect for any kid who likes to get down and dirty… and even more suitable for moms (like me) who don’t! And if you’re still experiencing summer time temps, like we are here in St. Louis, feel free to host your campsite bash in the comfort of your own backyard for a more authentic, and “easy to supervise,” vibe!
Camp Party Essentials:
Invitations & Printables
Decorations
Food & Drink
Games
Party Favors
Invitations & Printables
First and foremost, gotta have some invites to get the party started! I recreated these invitations from one of my favorite design companies Merry Grace Design Co.There, you can shop their full collection of camp themed printables, including the ever popular food tents, and much more. Although most things nowadays are done digitally, I think that actual printed invitations are great for reaching out to your kiddo’s friends in a classroom setting. It’s only a couple of dollars to download the customizable .pdf file and take it to your local print shop or print at home. I recommend printing on cardstock with a gloss finish for the best look. They’re also a great keepsake for children’s scrapbooks to keep for memories long after your party is over.
Pro Tip: I always splurge for a digital invitation, as well, to reach out to other family members and family friends.
2. Decorations
The best part of every party (and probably one of the most stressful) is the decor. Actually decorating and getting to flex your creative side is always a joy, but coming up with a design concept and sourcing the items… not so much. So, I put together a mood board (feel free to print out OR save it to your camera roll) with links to all the looks to make the process a little bit easier.
“Happy Camper” Mood Board
Some other nice additions to the table would be scattered faux acorns and leaves (which can be found at your local craft store) in place of confetti, and some strategically placed pinecones. Mark your territory with these Jumbo Camp Sign Cutouts from Oriental Trading Co. We used wood slabs to display the food and plastic vines for a more outdoorsy feel. For tablecloths, buffalo plaid and/or burlap is the way to go.
Pro Tip: Bare Christmas trees are the perfect addition for an indoor sleepover and string lights for outdoors.
Set the scene
Paired with some faux trees and sleeping bags, this Crate & Barrel Kids Campfire Set is an awesome way to transform your family room.
3. Food & Drink
Being an event stylist, decor is always my favorite part of any set up, but the real star of the show is the FOOD! Themed food and drinks are the perfect way to create an authentic campsite ambience. Whether you host an indoor camping experience or “a night under the stars” in your backyard, a themed menu is sure to take your event to the next level!
For our event, we had…
Wild Berries (an assortment of fresh fruits)
“Bear Poop” (Whoppers… my son’s favorite)
“Campfire Flames” (Cheeto Puffs)
“Live Bait” (Pudding Dirt Cups)
“Logs” (HoHos)
Trail Mix (Pretzels, Teddy Grahams, Marshmallows & M&M’s)
A DIY S’more Station
Some other great options are…
Food
Chilli Bowls
Weenie Roast (around an actual BONFIRE!)
Corn on the Cob
Hot Chocolate Bar
“Grizzly Bears” (Gummy Bears or Teddy Grahams)
“Kids” in a Blanket (instead of Pigs in a Blanket)
Rainbow Trout (Multicolored Goldfish Crackers)
“Fire Wood” (Pretzel Sticks)
“Catch of the Day” (Swedish Fish)
Popcorn
“Sleeping Bags” (Pinwheels)
Build Your Own Baked Potato Bar
AND ANYTHING S’MORES!
S’more Charcuterie Board
and super cute, super easy S’mores Cupcakes!
Drinks
Bug Juice (Pro Tip: Add some plastic bugs to the drink dispenser with sticky dots for an extra touch!)
“Lake Water” (Blue Hawaiian punch with bobbers for decor.)
4. Games
When planning such detailed decorations it’s easy to overlook the games and activities. And when you’re planning a kid’s party you’ve gotta give those kiddos something to do in between snacks and blowin’ out the candles. Here’s a couple of fun ideas for an afternoon of camp themed fun!
Scavenger Hunt
Camp-themed BINGO
Nature Walk
Cornhole (and other lawn games)
Potato Sack Race
Bonfire
Rock Painting
Tie Dye
Friendship Bracelets
“Bug Spray” Wars (Silly String)
Some of those food ideas can also double as activities too! Such as…
Anything listed above as “DIY” or “Build Your Own”
OF COURSE, s’mores and weenie roasts around the campfire
“Ants on a Log”
Marshmallow Fondue (Perfect for indoor parties!)
** PARENTS! Be sure to supervise children around any open flames, as well as, when when crafting because, well, accidents happen.**
Pro Tip: Whether indoors or out, finishing off the day with a movie night is a great way for the kids to unwind. Break out the sleeping bags (or just some old pillows and blankets), a movie projector and put on their favorite flick to fall asleep to. You can even build teepees or put together an actual tent for them to retreat to at bedtime. And make sure NOT TO FORGET… wine for the mamas after a long day of hosting! (Please drink responsibly.)
5. Party Favors
Lastly, we gotta send our partygoers home with some swag. Another addition to the Activities & Games would be to set each of them up as stations. Upon arrival, each guest will receive a scout-like sash. At each station, there should be a coordinating badge that they will be able to earn to add to their sash. Not only will it add to the fun day-of, but it will serve as a keepsake for years to come!
A crowd favorite…
are these canteen party favors. You can download this customizable graphic (here) for easy cut out with your Cricut machine on clear sticker paper, to get the best look.
Another fun option…
that we went with was a custom T-shirt for the birthday boy. I ordered my son’s from the Etsy shop Lil Threadz Clothing. If you are Cricut-saavy then you could easily make Camp “Birthday Kid’s Name” shirts for everybody, should you choose.
Some other fun take home items are…
Magnifying Glasses
Keychain Flashlights
“Wild Berries” (Fruit Snacks)
Goldfish Snacks
“Don’t Feed the Bears” Take-home Teddy bears
“Nature Log” (Mini Notebooks)
Pro Tip: Throw in some birch wood pencils for scavenger hunters to mark off items that they’ve found on their lists.
Now that you’ve been equipped with all the tools, I hope that your party planning experience becomes that much easier. To all the other planners and DIY mamas, if you have any ideas of your own to add to the mix PLEASE post in the comments section below! I’d love to hear from you.
- Lex
(Personal photos by Emmybee Photography)