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Camp Out!: The Ultimate Kids' Guide
Bear bags, wilderness showers, and telling the temperature by counting the cricket chirps...
Whether you're planning an over night in the backyard or a weekend in the wilderness, this book is packed with stuff to know. The basics, from gearing up to choosing a site to building a tarp tent. Tasty outdoor recipes: Solar Oven Pizza, Chow Down Chili and s'mores of course - with 8 variations.
Plus: how to keep a Field Journal, exploring the nighttime sky, creepy campfire stories, and, when it's time to go home, leaving no trace. It's everything you need to pick up and head for the hills.
For Ages 7 and up.
256 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2007
11 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 22, 2008
THE COOLEST SUMMER KIDS BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!!! I just picked this up yesterday and if you're scrambling for things to do with the kids over summer, this is perfect. From digging your own pit toilet to mastering the art of duct tape through tee-pee making, this book is for you. Love it love it love it!!
March 18, 2021
I got this book from the library secretly hoping my kids would pick it up. I found both my 9 years old and 13 year old reading it at seprate times. 5 stars.
August 2, 2014
I love this book! It is loaded with practical information, projects, games, skills, recipes, songs, experiments, crafts and more to help kids make the most of all kinds of outdoor ventures.
The first chapter lets you know what kind of gear to take with you, and then progresses to how to set up camp; recipes to make (including not only obvious treats like those all-important s’mores, but even home-made ice cream, with a great explanation of how and why it works); camping skills: tying knots, navigating both with or without a compass, what to do if you are lost; how to interpret the clouds and other weather indicators; lots of fun projects; “outdoorsy arts and crafts”; fun and games; how to read animal tracks and scat; and last but not least: “The Singing Camper’s Book of Silly Songs” (only five of these; I would have loved more!).
The book also includes a number of “side bars” called “Learn the Lingo” that go into more depth about technical terms, like biodiversity, magnetic north, gravity, etc. There is plenty of safety information, too, like about how to purify water, what to do in case of a tornado, or what to do if you are lost.
The number of skills taught is remarkable. You will learn how to measure the height of a tree, how to mark a trail, how to identify common constellations, how to make a solar water heater, and how to identify what you might see on a rotting log. Ideas are provided for designing seed and petal pictures, making sand paintings, constructing rock sculptures, and making a bracelet out of grass.
This book is just chock-full of great stuff. The illustrations, most of which are by Brian Biggs (technical illustrations are by Elara Tanguy) are excellent; it is possible even I could learn how to tie one of the knots shown with step-by-step pictures, or manage to build a fire. The index is good as well.
Evaluation: Don’t let your kids leave home without this guide! In fact, get one for yourself too!
The first chapter lets you know what kind of gear to take with you, and then progresses to how to set up camp; recipes to make (including not only obvious treats like those all-important s’mores, but even home-made ice cream, with a great explanation of how and why it works); camping skills: tying knots, navigating both with or without a compass, what to do if you are lost; how to interpret the clouds and other weather indicators; lots of fun projects; “outdoorsy arts and crafts”; fun and games; how to read animal tracks and scat; and last but not least: “The Singing Camper’s Book of Silly Songs” (only five of these; I would have loved more!).
The book also includes a number of “side bars” called “Learn the Lingo” that go into more depth about technical terms, like biodiversity, magnetic north, gravity, etc. There is plenty of safety information, too, like about how to purify water, what to do in case of a tornado, or what to do if you are lost.
The number of skills taught is remarkable. You will learn how to measure the height of a tree, how to mark a trail, how to identify common constellations, how to make a solar water heater, and how to identify what you might see on a rotting log. Ideas are provided for designing seed and petal pictures, making sand paintings, constructing rock sculptures, and making a bracelet out of grass.
This book is just chock-full of great stuff. The illustrations, most of which are by Brian Biggs (technical illustrations are by Elara Tanguy) are excellent; it is possible even I could learn how to tie one of the knots shown with step-by-step pictures, or manage to build a fire. The index is good as well.
Evaluation: Don’t let your kids leave home without this guide! In fact, get one for yourself too!
Want to read
June 29, 2021
February 23, 2019
So helpful for first time campers!
August 22, 2013
I would recommend this book for outdoorsy types with young kids. It's very complete--packed with knot-tying tutorials, camp recipes, and shelter-building info you would expect; also with a trip packing list, short lessons about science and nature, and camp-time activities for good weather and bad. I, as an outdoorsy, inquisitive adult, like many of the activities suggested in this book; elementary and middle school science teachers may find some usable lessons in here as well.
What I think keeps this book from being excellent is the way the information and lessons are presented. The graphics are line drawings done in that "wacky" illustration style frequently used for kids' books. Words like "rad" and "awesome" are used in titles. I know that there is a cost factor to consider when deciding to use line drawings v. color photos for your publication, but I think that some color photos used strategically could have gone a long way towards making certain activity descriptions (particularly craft projects like the "Rad Seed Bracelet") more inspiring.
What I think keeps this book from being excellent is the way the information and lessons are presented. The graphics are line drawings done in that "wacky" illustration style frequently used for kids' books. Words like "rad" and "awesome" are used in titles. I know that there is a cost factor to consider when deciding to use line drawings v. color photos for your publication, but I think that some color photos used strategically could have gone a long way towards making certain activity descriptions (particularly craft projects like the "Rad Seed Bracelet") more inspiring.
Read
April 18, 2008This book is so much fun, I read it in preparation for my family's 2nd annual campout with my cousins and their two little boys! Each year I try to come up with some fun outdoors activities to entertain the kids, and this book was very helpful!
Some of my favorite tips:
How to create a 'Spider' Dog by cutting into the ends of a hotdog prior to roasting it on a stick. (p. 70)
Kick the can Ice Cream (p. 90)
Grow your own Cloud in a plastic soda bottle. (p.151) If this works, i think the kids would be very excited! Very Mr. Wizard-ish!
(p. 318) Lists various games of tag such as Bat tag and Flashlight tag!
I could go on and on, but I digress.
Some of my favorite tips:
How to create a 'Spider' Dog by cutting into the ends of a hotdog prior to roasting it on a stick. (p. 70)
Kick the can Ice Cream (p. 90)
Grow your own Cloud in a plastic soda bottle. (p.151) If this works, i think the kids would be very excited! Very Mr. Wizard-ish!
(p. 318) Lists various games of tag such as Bat tag and Flashlight tag!
I could go on and on, but I digress.
December 3, 2012
"Mom, sometimes I just don't know what to do with him," said my son about his five-year-old. So Grandma was on a mission to find something I knew my son would enjoy and something he could share with his little boy. Eureka! This is perfect. My son loves to camp and every year goes on a long 3-day hike with his buddies in the backwoods. This is the perfect thing for them to share together, chockfull of activities and information that will keep them busy, inside or out. I can't wait to give it to them for Christmas! Shhhh, don't tell.
See complete review at soimfifty.blogspot.com
See complete review at soimfifty.blogspot.com
June 22, 2013
I really enjoyed reading this book. There's ton of info (including basics) and fun reading too. I liked the recipes, games, projects, astrology and weather, and everything else. There were quite a few things that I'm going to have to make note of (especially the games). I liked the stories that were written about some of the constellations. I would probably check this out again. (Got it at the library) Definitely something worth re-reading because there's too much for me to remember. Enjoy!
February 12, 2008
Admittedly I haven't read all of this book yet. I've been reading in bits and pieces as the fancy catches me. It is fabulous every time I read anything in it. It is chock full of fun things to do with your kids when camping. Great experiments and outdoor learning. I originally bought this for my son who is in the scouts, and husband who is a scout leader. But I can't stay away from it.
May 18, 2009
Excellent book. I am a naturalist at a nature center and use thing as a constant reference. I am currently helping to coordinate the Great American Backyard Campout at our facility and this a must for planning the event. I gave this book to a friend who is a Girl Scout Leader and she loves it as well. Can't say enough here, it is that awesome.
February 20, 2011
I bought this book, in hopes that my 2nd grade and I would read it together. It turned out not to be an exciting read for him even though I liked the book. It is a great book for planning a camping trip (or even a backyard trip) and has lots of activities I can't wait to try out in Oregon. My best guess is that the book is written for more like a 3rd or 4th grader.
July 22, 2012
This is a really fun book! I haven't used it for an actual camping trip away from home yet, but I have used it for ideas when the kids and I camp in the back yard. It's got some great projects, like make your own compass and make your own birdfeeder, as well as several good recipes with instructions on what to prep at home. The kids love it whenever I pull this book out.
February 20, 2016
This is really neat. I've got lots of fun ideas for my younger cousins now and some that I would enjoy too (being a teen and all :D) I can't wait to try out some of the games, foods and activities this summer!
April 15, 2009
Includes instructions on how to dig your own toilet pit.
Step 1: Pick your spot.
Step 2: Spot should be atleast 200 steps from water.
Step 3: Make sure spot is downwind from campsite.
Step 1: Pick your spot.
Step 2: Spot should be atleast 200 steps from water.
Step 3: Make sure spot is downwind from campsite.
September 30, 2009
Great book for young campers - recipes, animal tracks, crafts, activities... My kids loved it!
July 8, 2011
Bought this book while I was a den leader. It has some good ideas in it if you have never been camping before.
February 21, 2013
Good book. I love to study about biology and nature. This is a great book for learning about camping skills.
May 7, 2013
This is a great resource for kids...Food, knots, survival skills, star gazing, etc. This book has a bit of everything to help kids get excited about outdoor recreation disguised as learning.
December 2, 2013
Great camping resource book.
August 25, 2016
Lots of fun ideas
April 3, 2014
This was a fun camping "how to" guide for kids.
May 4, 2015
Great tidbits of real info packed around Brian Biggs fun illustrations. My fourth grade camping enthusiast was so absorbed in this - couldn't put it down!
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews