road to family fun

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pitch your tent

Camping and communing with nature offer a host of physical benefits. Before your camping trip, ask each family member what he or she most wants to do on the trip, and work that into your itinerary. It may be a canoe trip down a river, fishing for dinner, hiking through the woods, roasting marshmallows and singing campfire songs, or counting stars.

Animal spotting always engages children’s imaginations. Before your trip, check out Web sites for the park and local forests, looking for animal footprints commonly found in the area. Print out copies, then search out as many as you can when you hit the trails.

You don’t have to travel far to camp under the stars. Budget- or time-constrained families can enjoy the fresh air and summer sun in their own backyards. Pitch a tent, bring out the sleeping bags, fire up the grill, and hang a double hammock for cuddling with your partner or your little ones.

Activities can include running in the sprinkler, playing a game of catch or tag, jumping rope, taking a half-hour walk in the neighborhood, and playing on a play set in your yard or neighborhood playground.