*Always remember to ask an adult before using the internet and social media.
What to expect:
This unit will guide you through an at-home camping adventure. It is
a great way to practice for camping in Florida State Parks or to have
the fun of camping when you cannot
make it to a park. Activities include
setting-up a tent, enjoying s’mores and
telling stories. You can have a camping
adventure whether you are indoors or
in your yard!
CAMP IN
Get Digital Prizes:
After you register, you'll
receive your Virtual Member
Number. Complete the survey
at the end of this unit to get
your exclusive Virtual Junior
Ranger digital content.
What to do:
1. Work through the CAMP IN activities.
2. Answer a few questions at the end to
tell us what you liked.
3. Tell others about your experience.
To become an ocial Virtual Junior
Ranger and start earning digital prizes,
all you have to do is take the pledge
and complete the Registration.
What You’ll Need
• Adobe Reader
• Tent or large sheet
• Pillows, blankets and chairs
• Craft supplies
• Your favorite snacks
Each activity will provide a
more specific materials list!
CAMP IN
AT THE CAMPSITE
9
The first step is to set up camp!
Most people think they have to be in the great outdoors to camp. For this
Camp In, you can switch things up by setting up in your backyard, on your
outdoor patio, or even indoors! Follow the steps below to get started.
1. Pick a Campsite: Where is your campsite?
2. Gather Materials: What tent supplies do you have available?
• Large sheet or tablecloth
• 4 chairs
• Stacks of books
3. Pitch Your Tent: Start by measuring the area you plan to set up. Make
sure you have enough room, then clear the space where your tent will go.
Build an Indoor Tent
Don’t have a camping tent? No problem.
Follow these easy steps. To see things step-
by-step, click or tap the image to the right.
• Position chairs in a square with the backs
facing inward.
• Drape the large sheet over the chairs.
• Anchor the sheet to the chairs by placing
stacks of books on the edges of the cloth or on the seat of each chair.
Remember, whether inside or out, you can personalize your tent! You can make
the site your own with comfy pillows and blankets, lights and festive
decorations, snacks and stuffed friends.
*Always remember to ask an adult before accessing the internet and using social media.
OR OR Camping tentCamping tent
OR OR OR OR Backyard/patioBackyard/patio Living roomLiving room OtherOther:
*Always remember to ask an adult before accessing the internet and using social media.
Take your CAMP IN to the next level!
Now that you have set up camp, explore these Florida
State Park over night nature sights and sounds to
create the real camping feel at home.
Barred
Owl Call
Florida Frog Chorus
Ocean Waves
AT THE CAMPSITE
9
What’s at Your Campsite?
Below are examples of traditional camping equipment and their uses.
The great part of a CAMP IN is that you can use whatever you have on hand! If
you don't have camping gear, come up with ideas to use as an alternative.
Purpose: Light source during the night
Equipment: Lantern
My alternative:
Purpose:
Store and preserve food, keep it cold
Equipment: Cooler
My alternative:
Purpose:
Cook food
Equipment: Fire pit grill
My alternative:
Purpose:
Warm and comfy place to sleep
Equipment: Sleeping bag
My alternative:
Sounds
Videos
Bats at Twilight
Sunrise at the Prairie
Evening Beach
CAMP IN
AROUND THE FIRE
10
Campfires are an important part of any camping experience.
A re can be a place to cook your food, but it’s also much more. Campres
provide warmth and light to make your camp site feel homey, and they are
the perfect backdrop to share stories and songs with your friends or family.
Building a fire is a useful skill to learn.
Remember these important safety tips!
Anatomy of a Fire
One of the most popular ways to build a campfire is to stack wood in a cone
shape, called a teepee. L
abel the fire diagram below with the matching letters.
Campfire Safety
• NEVER play with or around fire
without adult supervision.
• Check local conditions to see if it is
safe to light a fire in your area.
A) Fire ring. Circle of stone or metal to keep
the fire from spreading.
B) Tinder and Kindling. Very light, dry
pieces of wood at the base of the fire that
burn the easiest.
C) Fuel. Larger logs that keep the fire burning
all night.
D) Flames. For bright, hot flames, make your
teepee as wide as it is tall.
Backyard bonres and re pits can be a great way to bring camping home. If you
don’t have a re pit, check out the next page for indoor ideas.
*Always remember to ask an adult before accessing the internet and using social media.
AROUND THE FIRE
10
Build a Campfire Cutout!
What You’ll Need:
• Printer
• School Glue
Directions:
1. Click the image to the right.
2. Print out the activity on computer paper.
3. Glue each figure to a piece of cardboard.
4. Have an adult to help you cut each figure out along the dotted line.
5. Remember to keep track of each figure. Cut out FIGURE 1 and set aside.
6. Glue the cardboard side of FIGURE 2 and the cardboard side of FIGURE 3 together.
7. Glue the cardboard side of FIGURE 4 and the cardboard side of FIGURE 5 together.
8. Slide the figures together and glue on top of FIGURE 1 so it looks like the drawing.
• Scissors
• Cardboard, 8.5” x 11” (5)
Click or tap the images
for additional campfire inspiration. You can play the
animation or listen to the crackling sounds to set the tone for your camp.
Don’t have a printer? You can draw and color your own!
Or, try building a campre out of household materials.
•
Balled-up socks make great stones for your re ring.
• Rolled-up towels and blankets are convincing fuel logs.
• Red tissue paper will bring the ames to life!
However you enjoy your campfire, spend time with
your friends and family.
Ingredients
Apples
Butter
Cinnamon
Sugar
Materials
Knife
Aluminum foil
Charcoal or gas grill
Tongs
Preparation
1. Have an adult cut out the core of the apples. Place each apple on a sheet of foil.
2. Fill the core with a tab of butter, and cinnamon and sugar to taste.
3. Wrap each apple completely with fo handl
4. C
edium-heat using tongs to turn occassionally
5. Take o heat. Let cool slightly. Open the foil and eat with a spoon!
No grill? Complete steps 1-2. Then bake at 350
o
for 15-20 minutes.
FIRE-ROASTED APPLES
Did you know that you can enjoy campfire cuisine
without leaving your backyard?
CAMP IN
CAMPING CUISINE
11
Camping Cooking Tips
• Ask a parent or guardian to
help you before you use
a grill, stove, microwave
or build a campfire.
• Use oven mitts to protect your hands
from hot plates and pans.
• Have plenty of napkins on hand - these
campfire treats can be messy!
Make it your own!
• Add nuts, dried fruits, or other spices to Step 2.
• Try topping the nished apples with ice cream.
ook on m grill for 20-25 minutes,
il, gathering at the top to make a e
.
.
The perfect camping food can be made at home with a
backyard grill, indoor oven or even a microwave!
*Always remember to ask an adult before accessing the internet and using social media.
CAMPING CUISINE
11
You’re all ready to settle into camp with your fire
and your food!
Ingredients
Graham crackers
Milk chocolate bars
Marshmallows
Materials
Baking sheet
Oven
Oven mitts
Preparation
1. Place graham cracker squares on a baking sheet.
2. Top the graham crackers with chocolate and marshmallows to create stacks.
3. Bake at 400
o
for 3-5 minutes or until the marshmallows start to pu.
4. Remove the sheet from the oven
5. Top each stack with another graham cracker square and gently smash together.
6. Let cool slighly and enjoy!
You can microwave s’mores too! Using a microwave-safe plate, microwave the
stacks on HIGH 15 to 20 seconds before topping them o with graham crackers.
INDOOR S’MORES
Make it your own!
There’s no wrong way to eat a s’more.
Enjoy them traditionally or try using different types of chocolate or
candy bars. Go all out by decorating with caramel sauce or sprinkles.
Click or tap here to check out some healthy campfire recipes!
What snacks are you bringing to the CAMP IN?
Take a picture of your Camp In Cuisine, and share it with us on
social media using #FLStateParksJrRanger
.
*Always remember to ask an adult before accessing the internet and using social media.
Star stories are usually legends. Legends are stories that are
passed down through generations. They often teach a lesson or
help
explain the world.
Other campfire stories are entertaining. They might be funny
or spooky, based on real life events or completely made up!
What are your favorite types of stories?
What can a storyteller do to make the story more interesting?
CAMP IN
SUNDOWN STORIES
12
Studying the Stars
From the beginning of time,
people have looked up at
the night sky in wonder.
Constellations, or patterns of
stars, were some of the earliest
inspirations for stories and
legends, like the one below.
On a clear night, you can look up and see the Milky Way galaxy streak across the
sky. Seminole legend says the Milky Way is a path that leads west to the City in
the Sky where our ancestors live. The Big Dipper is a boat that eases the journey
across the night sky. When we sleep, our souls are tempted to go play along the
path but they always return to our bodies by morning. If you live a good life lled
with kindness and honesty, one day you too will get to sail among the stars.
Take a look at the night sky with your family. Watch from your yard or click on
the picture to watch the view from Dr. Julian G Bruce St. George Island State Park.
Choose One
*Always remember to ask an adult before accessing the internet and using social media.
SUNDOWN STORIES
12
Write Your Own Campfire Tale!
Fill in the blanks to get started telling your very own story.
On a warm summer night in __________________, three friends were sitting
around a campre at ________________________. They had just nised
eating ______________________ for dinner and were listening to the cicadas
chirping when all of a sudden they heard a loud ____________________. The
friends decided to go investigate, so they all gathered their __________________
and headed o into the __________________ to see what the sound was.
Next, __________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________.
Enjoy Virtual Storytime!
You can listen to campfire stories told by Florida State Park Rangers. Click
or tap the picture below and look through our campfire playlist for the
perfect story to enjoy with your family.
Which story did you listen to?
You can share the video link with
others. Be sure to tell them all
about your CAMP IN experience.
Get your digital prizes by
completing the CAMP IN Survey!
(Month)
(Your favorite Florida State Park)
(Your favorite food)
(Sound)
(Plural noun)
(Habitat)
(Finish your story! Have friends and family add in a sentence!)