Indoor Camping: 4 Activities to Try

Photo by Michael Aleo on Unsplash

Who says camping trips have to get cancelled? The pandemic might have put mobility on the back burner, but your next ultimate camping experience does not have to be.

Indoor camping can be introduced into every household. Setting up a tent or building your own fortress from scratch can be done in your balcony, backyard, or front yard. Alternatively, you could even try rolling out sleeping bags in your living room. There is no limit to the kind of creativity and resourcefulness you can apply. What matters most is the company you have and the activities you do that concocts that camping atmosphere.

4 Activities to Try While Indoor Camping:

Whether you have a campfire set up or a stove lit, toasting some white marshmallows until they reach soft yet crisp consistency is the best classic treat. Sandwiching the marshmallows with thick and creamy, almost melted chocolate and  crunchy graham crackers. Having s’mores will definitely leave everyone saying, “Give me some more!”

You can also take it up a notch by using any excess marshmallows you have and turning it into a game. The Chubby Bunny challenge is a surefire way to get a few laughs in—and in reality, a little slobber out. The mechanics of the game is incredibly simple. The goal is to have each player audibly and clearly be able to say the words ‘Chubby Bunny’ after stuffing themselves with a bunch of marshmallows. No one is allowed to swallow or spit the marshmallows. Otherwise, they lose the game. It’s a light and fun challenge to do with everyone there.

There is always room for music. If you belong to a musically-inclined household, it might be time to get cosy and jam to a few of your family’s favorite songs. Typically, a guitar is used during camping trips. Although, staying within the vicinity of your home allows a bit more flexibility. You can certainly use whichever instrument anyone knows how to play: keyboards, drums, flutes - you name it.

An easier alternative to playing musical instruments is going on Youtube or Spotify and playing karaoke or acoustic tracks. You can even opt to sing alongside the vocals. The choice between going for original tracks or backing tracks is completely up to your preferences.

Of course, you can also bring in the competitive spirit when it comes to music. A game you could try playing is Song Charades. Depending on how many players there are, you will have to form pairs or teams. A song title will be assigned to each pair or team and a representative of their choosing will have to act. Without uttering a single word, the representative will give different clues that hints to the right song title. 

If you guys don’t really want to have anyone keeping silent, this other game could be the best fit for you. The game, Sing Down, will really prompt everyone’s voices to be heard. One person will think of a word and show it to all the other players. The players, who are also divided in teams, will be given a few seconds or minutes to gather as many songs that have the set word as a lyric. Afterwards, the teams will take turns in singing the songs they thought of. The golden rule here is that no song shall be repeated.

Good storytelling is much like watching a movie, except you are probably very well-acquainted with the cast. That makes it so much more exciting. Listening to different stories over freshly popped popcorn brings a warm and cozy sensation. Not to mention that delectable scent that’s unique to popcorn. It is such a great feeling when you take a mouthful of popcorn topped with flavors of your own choosing: cheese, butter, barbeque, and sour cream. You can also opt for chocolate and caramel-flavored popcorn to satisfy your sweet tooth. If you can’t decide between sweet or savory, you can always have both the saltiness and sweetness of either flavors, and share it with the rest of your guests.

When it comes to sharing stories, oftentimes people struggle with thinking about which tale to bring up or where they should even begin with the narrative. One of the things you can do is transform storytelling time into more of a game that will have everyone engaged. Playing the ‘20 Questions’ game seems like a good way to kick off the conversations.

As the name implies, the game progresses by asking different questions. They could be deep, shallow, comedic, or dramatic - anything, really. The competitive spirit is toned down, if not extinguished, with this game because there are no correct answers. The questions will simply lead to unraveling memorable stories and getting to know each other better.

Some of the questions you can ask that can guide you to your conversations starters could be:

• What is the worst TV show or movie you have ever watched?
• What is the strangest gift you have ever received?
• What is the most ridiculous thing you have convinced someone to be true?
• Would you rather never get angry or never be envious?
• What’s the best thing about being single / What attracts you most about people?
• What do you think people automatically assume about you when they look at you?
• What flavor combination is weird but you somehow really like?
• What are the top three things you want to accomplish before you die?
• What do you miss about your childhood?

After a night of good food and fun games, it is also essential to be able to have proper rest. Being able to relieve each other’s stress and worries are some of the positive influences of indoor camping. Having a portable lounger that is easy to roll out can help ease you into a good slumber. Prepare to doze off into stillness as you gaze at the sky (or your ceiling) and find the calmness and sense of tranquility that nourishes your whole self.

What is great about getting a portable lounger is its flexibility. Tonight, you might be using it for indoor camping, but tomorrow, you also have the option to take it with you to the beach. Since the lounger is inflatable, it can easily fit in a small pouch which you can neatly tuck anywhere you like. 

Indeed, there is nothing like a good camping trip. Life is all about appreciating and making the most out of even the most small, mundane things. So, eat delectable food, jam to your favorite tunes, play amusing games, and rest heartily.