Activities to help young campers build an awareness of the environment, learn about insect and animal behavior, boost their self-esteem, and learn the basics for fun, successful camping. Grade 3-6?A good guide to outdoor adventures for inexperienced young campers and their families. The authors believe in the importance of having a hands-on relationship with nature while maintaining a healthy respect for it, and stress safety precautions and preparation. The chapters feature directions for making inexpensive equipment and projects while exploring nature; crafts; outdoor games; and recipes for snacks and meals. The large pages are illustrated with black-line drawings and diagrams placed alongside detailed instructions and, often, special boxes with helpful "stay safe" and "nature note" tips. There is an error in the bowline-knot diagram and there is no mention of the need for reservations in many state and national parks. Other than these minor flaws, the book will prevent the uninitiated from making the numerous little mistakes that can become annoying and even dangerous. This title is a nice addition to books such as Wayne Armstrong's Camping Basics (Prentice-Hall, 1985) and Patrick F. McManus's Kid Camping from Aaaaiii! to Zip (Lothrop, 1979).?Gale W. Sherman, Pocatello Public Library, ID Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. "Guaranteed to bring out the camper in any child!" — Carolina Parent "Fun and educational . . . a great resource for enjoying the outdoors with children." — BC Parent "The ultimate camping guide for young people." — Chesapeake Family Laurie Carlson is the author of Colonial Kids , Westward Ho! , More Than Moccasins , and Green Thumbs . She has taught preschool, primary grades, and children’s art classes. She lives in Cheney, Washington. Kids Camp! Activities for the Backyard or Wilderness By Laurie Carlson, Judith Dammel Chicago Review Press Incorporated Copyright © 1995 Laurie Carlson and Judith Dammel All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-55652-237-6 Contents A NOTE TO GROWN-UP CAMPERS, A NOTE TO KID CAMPERS, GET READY, GET SET ... PACK UP!, MAKE CAMP, NATURAL WONDERS, CAMP CRAFTS, FUN & GAMES, TAKE A HIKE, TIME TO EAT!, LIGHTS OUT!, SAY GOODBYE, RESOURCES, CHAPTER 1 GET READY, GET SET ... PACK UP! Clothes to Take Take clothing that will keep you warm when it's cold, or cool when the day heats up. Weather that is sunny in the daytime can turn cold at night. Sunny weather can turn to rain or hail when a cloud blows in. It's important to take clothing that is practical rather than cute. When you are deciding on clothing to take, think of clothes that you can "layer." Take a loose-fitting coat that can be worn over a T-shirt, sweatshirt, and sweater. When you dress this way, you can add a heavier shirt over the shirt you are wearing when it turns cooler instead of changing into a completely new shirt. You will be warmer when the weather turns really nippy. Sit down and make a list of what clothing you will need. Start from the head and work down to the feet. For your head you will need a hat with a brim to keep off the sun and to protect you from the heat. You will need a rainhat if your raincoat or poncho does not have one. You will need a winter hat, such as a knitted stocking hat, to wear at night or when it is cool. Wear it to bed to keep you toasty warm. It is important to keep your head covered when it's cold because you lose a great deal of body heat through your head. It is a good idea to take a light shirt, such as a T-shirt, for those warm sunny days. If it is hot where you are camping, you should still wear a shirt to protect you from getting sunburned. To keep cool, you can dip the T-shirt in water and wear it wet. You will need a long-sleeved shirt to put on over your T-shirt when you start to feel cool. A sweatshirt or flannel shirt is great. Over this you may want to layer a warm sweater or heavier sweatshirt. When the air turns really cool, you will want to wear your loose-fitting coat over these. This is probably enough to take for normal weather. In case of rain, you will want to take a rainhat, poncho, or raincoat. Legs also need to be protected from the weather. A pair of shorts with pockets are handy for your journal, magnifying glass, pencil, and map. You can wear warm-ups over them, too. When the weather turns cold, a pair of long underwear underneath the sweatpants can warm up your legs. If the air is very cold, wear your long underwear, warm-ups, and another pair of pants over them. You won't need to wear this much clothing often, but it's a good idea to be prepared. Be sure that your clothing is loose and comfortable. If the layers are squeezed too tightly the air will not circulate and you will not stay as warm. Jeans are not a good choice as they can become wet with the dew and rain. When denim material is wet your pants are heavy, cold, and tight on your legs. Denim also takes a long time to dry