Camping Themed Birthday Party

[christmasmum]

I am hoping you camping experts might have some ideas for me?! I am the proud but very novice owner of a new bell tent and we're going away camping this summer for the first time.

However, in the meantime my DD (4.5) is having a party at home and is desperate to have a 'camping' party as she's so excited about the tent. She's a bit too young to have friends over to sleep in it so we're thinking of an afternoon party with the food in the tent. What else can we do to make it into a camping party though?!

Hope you can help!

You could have a "campfire" and toast marshmallows and sing songs? Depending on how many children you are having you could either have a real fire outside the tent, maybe in a firebowl or a barbecue, and let them toast their marshmallows themselves (if you think you will have enough adults to supervise this ok) or get adults to do that bit for them (probably a better idea over all) and sit round (possibly wrapped in blankets/sleeping bags if it is cold enough) and sing songs. Or if you are good at crafty things you could make a fake fire with tissue paper flames, perhaps (that could even be in the tent which might be more fun for them)? You could still make camping type food, like bananas and chocolate wrapped in tin foil, smores, marshmallows etc., but just cooked/toasted elsewhere.

If someone has a guitar the singing part will be even better.

Dress the tent up with plenty of bunting (I guess fairy lights and lamps will be a bit pointless at this time of year even for the late afternoon).

Scout-type wide games might be fun too if you have a big garden.

THinking about it, the real fire idea is a bad one - too risky at a party and likely to be unpopular unless all the parents are there and are happy with their DCs being around campfires. A pretend fire in the tent might be more fun anyway.

I had thought about a fire and then scrapped the idea as there will be some toddlers there as well, like the fake fire idea though!

My DS absolutely loved the fake camp fire he did at nursery, think they used cellophane for flames, they might of had a dark tent with stars so it looked like they were outside. We love battery operated tea lights from Poundland/99p Store, great in tents or around small children.

I've done a pretend camp with my Rainbows (aged 5 and 6).

Fake fire (sticks with 'flames' of red, yellow and orange tissue paper)
Sing campfire songs
Eat camp food (bananas baked with chocolate in them, bbq stuff, jacket potatoes)
Get them to all bring a sleeping bag and pretend to go to sleep (they really love that bit; terribly exciting)
A minute to listen to the camp noises in the silence, then share what they could hear.
Play at gathering sticks (for the campfire)

My older daughter had a camping party last year (for her 8th birthday) and I made her a tent cake :)