Plants and Trees

• Great for Learning as Well as Art Projects at Home
  
  Collecting leaves, acorns and pine cones will keep even the littlest campers busy all weekend. Invest in a guidebook for local plants and trees, which can also be an asset during your outdoor exploration. Identifying different species is not only a great educational experience now, it can serve children well in later years if they continue the family tradition of outdoor adventures. Themed camping weekends give you the added bonus of using collected items to create great homemade artwork and crafts. You can never have too many hands-on activities for kids. Once you get home, get out the glue, paper and other items so they can make their very own personal mementos of the fun family trip.
  
  

Bugs and Butterflies

• Little Ones Love Watching Butterflies
  
  Many children love everything in the "creepy-crawly" category. Purchase a couple of little habitats, nets and magnifying glasses to see the small insect world up close and personal. Younger children will need help and instructions on to catch things such as grasshoppers and ants in a way that will not harm the creatures. These themed camping weekends will allow you to bring the insect lesson home. Local pet stores have containers and instructions on how to care for these miniature pets.
  
  All you need for a caterpillar is a canning jar, grass and a stick to create a small world. Watching one spin a cocoon and turning into a beautiful butterfly is an experience that every child should witness.
  
  

Other Animals

• Grab the Opportunity foir Learning About Nature
  
  Base your fun around anything in the animal category. Hours can be spent looking for frogs, toads and other forest creatures that can be seen up close. Playing animal bingo is a great way to keep all eyes peeled for bunnies, foxes, deer and other furrier members of the woods community. This can be tailored to almost any area that you are staying in. At lakes, look out for water birds, turtles and different fish species. At a crowded campsite that is more open than it is woodsy, search for local birds or squirrels. Research the "residents" beforehand and observe if any have different behaviors in different regions. No matter what theme you choose, don't forget the camera to record all that you see.