The Summer of the Tent

My son turned 12 this summer and when we were in the planning stages of his birthday party, he mentioned he wanted 6 of his buddies to spend the night. Immediately I imagined 7 tween boys running loose in my house and started to shutter. But then the idea hit me – a tent!

I suggested that they make the theme of the party a camp out and we get a tent, cook smores by the camp fire and make it an outdoor party. My son thought that was a great idea. We live on 4 acres in a quiet neighborhood so camping in our back yard is only a few degrees of separation from the real thing.

That birthday party was THE EASIEST party I have ever hosted! From the time the boys arrived at 6 until they all went home the next morning, they were never in my house. They had water gun fights in the backyard, we grilled up some burgers for them, they made smores, played football, and generally ran around all evening. They all brought their Nintendo DS game systems and by 11 pm they had all retreated to the tent to play DS as a group, talk, and eventually sleep.

Since the birthday party, the boys have gotten really good at pitching the tent themselves. Every time one of my son’s friends has come over for a sleepover this summer they have pitched the tent and slept outdoors. It is a great way for them to have a little more independence and it cuts down on the noise and clean up in the house!

So we have deemed this the summer of the tent – and something tells me it will extend into fall as well.