FAMILY OUT! DISCONNECT FROM DEVICES & RECONNECT WITH NATURE AT HOME OR A CAMPGROUND

By Melissa Rubalcaba Riske | Photos Courtesy of Girl Scouts

Grab those sleeping bags and borrow a tent – it’s time to go camping. Whether it’s in the backyard just a few feet from your kitchen or one of the beautiful state parks within a short driving distance, camping can be a great family bonding experience. Sleep in a tent or sleep in a cabin; build a campfire to roast s’mores and hotdogs or bring a picnic of sandwiches and snacks from home.

For those feeling less adventurous to try camping on their own, there is the opportunity to camp with professionals, like Katie Clark, who has been attending campouts since she was a child thanks to her father, a Boy Scout leader. Today Clark is the director of support services for the Three Fires Council of Boy

Scouts of America, which serves more than 7,500 children in communities throughout Kane and DuPage counties. Each camping experience is different, but these days it’s the simplicity that continues to serve as a great reward.

“We put our devices down and enjoy nature,” Clark said.

For Boy Scouts, camping starts with the youngest members, Cub Scouts, taking part in Family Campouts.

“This is great because if you don’t really know what you’re doing you can have help and if there are younger siblings, they can come too,” Clark said. “Starting in elementary school we have family camp outs for one or two nights and it’s an opportunity for families to pitch a tent and find out if camping is something that you like.”

Campout Cooking

Thinking of trying some backyard cooking?

Katie Clark, director of support services for the Three Fires Council of Boy Scouts of America has some of her favorite dishes.

• S’mores complete with marshmallows, chocolate candy and graham crackers.

• Hot dogs on a stick are easy and quick to eat.

• Grab a griddle and flip some pancakes or make some scrambled eggs. Add a side of bacon too!

• Grab the Dutch oven and make a jambalaya that cooks over the course of several hours.

Camp Essentials

• A tarp, ground cloth or mat to put down for dry space.

• A pop-up cover that

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Camp Big Timber in Elgin is one of the places for campouts where Boy Scouts can explore trails, work on knot tying and plant identification as well as learn some techniques for starting a campfire. In Boy Scouts there are several types of camping experiences, providing lots of flexibility to work with a family’s schedule. Summer remains one of the busiest times for camp activities for Girl Scouts, said Lynda Fillipp, marketing coordinator for the Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois. This council utilizes Camp Dean in Big Rock, which is marking its 75th year as a camp for the Girl Scouts, as well as Camp McCormick in Stillman Valley near Oregon for its overnight camping experiences. There is also camp Mary Ann Beebe Center in Harvard for day camp experiences. Girl Scouts offers family camp opportunities as well, where families can step outside of their routine and into a weekend of camp fun from Friday evening to Sunday morning, with options for cabins or tents and staff there to help the whole family enjoy experiences from outdoor fun to arts and crafts.

“This is great because even a Daisy, the youngest Girl Scouts, can get a taste of what camp is like and be ready when they’re old enough for sleep away camp,” Fillipp said.

For those seeking independent camp experiences for their children, Girl Scouts offers its themed summer camps. Fillipp said horseback riding is one of the favorites that fills fast, but others include a wizarding theme, arts and crafts and, this year, a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math theme with a dedicated cabin space that is loaded with everything from robotics to circuits, 3-D printers and even a Cricut machine. Girl Scout Kaitlin Liu of Sugar Grove, a high school junior, earned the Gold Award for her work that included obtaining a grant and creating an outpost for STEM at Camp Dean.

“The STEM Cabin is pretty cool,” Fillipp said. “The Gold Award includes a large amount of volunteer hours, an approved project that helps the community. The project is sustainable in that it will continue to run and help the community it serves.”

Whether its camping in the backyard, a family campout or a chance to send children on their own camp adventures, there is no denying the time spent in nature, exploring and challenging oneself, is a great way to grow and develop self-confidence. Even in your own backyard.