Skip to content

Top Navigation

MyRecipes MyRecipes
  • Course
  • Baking
  • Global
  • Healthy
  • Favorite Ingredients
  • Holidays and Occasions
  • Quick and Easy
  • Convenience Recipes
  • BBQ and Grilling
  • How To
  • Extra Crispy
  • Well Done
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Account

  • Register
  • Recipe Box this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout
Login
Pin FB

Explore MyRecipes

MyRecipes MyRecipes
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 55+ Easy Dinner Recipes for Busy Weeknights

      155+ Easy Dinner Recipes for Busy Weeknights

      Everybody understands the stuggle of getting dinner on the table after a long day. If you're looking for a simple recipe to simplify your weeknight, you've come to the right place--easy dinners are our specialty. For an easy supper that you can depend on, we picked out some of our tried-and-true favorites that have gotten us through even the busiest of days. Whether you're cooking for yourself or for a family, these easy dinners are sure to leave everyone satisfied and stress-free. Read More
    • The Brilliant Secret to Making Better Mashed Potatoes

      2The Brilliant Secret to Making Better Mashed Potatoes

      Trust me, it’s so worth it. Read More
    • 65 Super Easy Finger Foods to Make for Any Party

      365 Super Easy Finger Foods to Make for Any Party

      From chips and dip to one-bite apps, finger foods are the perfect way to kick off a party. No forks or spoons required, just easy-to-pick-up party foods, so you can clean up in no time.  Read More
  • Course

    Course

    See All Course
    • Best Appetizer Recipes...Ever
    • Best Drink Recipes for Any Occasion
    • Salad Recipes
    • The Ultimate Guide to Sensational Sides
    • Soup and Stew Recipes
    • Easy Entertaining for Everyone
    • Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
    • Main Dishes and Entrées
    • Dinner Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
  • Baking

    Baking

    See All Baking
    • Bread Recipes
    • Our Most-Loved Cake Recipes
    • Cookie Recipes
    • Pie Recipes
  • Global

    Global

    See All Global
    • Spanish Recipes
    • Thai Recipes
    • Vietnamese Recipes
    • Middle Eastern Recipes
    • Mexican Recipes
    • Malaysian Recipes
    • Korean Recipes
    • Japanese Recipes
    • Italian Recipes
    • Indian Recipes
    • Greek Recipes
    • French Recipes
    • Chinese Recipes
    • African Recipes
    • American Recipes
    • Cajun and Creole Recipes
    • Caribbean Recipes
    • South American Recipes
    • Southern Recipes
    • German Recipes
  • Healthy

    Healthy

    See All Healthy
    • Easy, Healthy Recipes
    • Healthy Breakfasts
    • Healthy Dinners
    • Healthy Desserts
    • Diabetic Recipes
    • Gluten-Free Diet and Recipes
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Low Carbohydrate Recipes
    • Low Cholesterol Recipes
    • Low Fat Recipes
    • Low Sodium Recipes
    • Low Calorie Recipes
    • Vegetarian Recipes
  • Favorite Ingredients

    Favorite Ingredients

    See All Favorite Ingredients
    • The Ultimate Guide to Chicken
    • Vegetable Recipes
    • Beef Recipes
    • Cheese Recipes
    • Chocolate Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Pork Recipes
    • Seafood Recipes
    • Shrimp Recipes
  • Holidays and Occasions

    Holidays and Occasions

    See All Holidays and Occasions
    • A Foodie's Guide to Halloween Recipes
    • The Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide
    • Hanukkah Recipes
    • Your Ultimate Christmas Recipe Guide
    • Our Most Festive New Year's Recipes
    • Best-Ever Super Bowl Sunday Recipes
    • Best Valentine's Day Recipes
    • Mardi Gras Recipes
    • The Ultimate Guide to Easter Recipes
    • Labor Day Recipes
    • The Ultimate Fourth of July Guide
    • Memorial Day Recipes
    • Touchdown-Worthy Tailgate Recipes
    • Wedding and Shower Recipes
  • Quick and Easy

    Quick and Easy

    See All Quick and Easy
    • 15-Minute Recipes for Busy Home Cooks
    • 45-Minute Recipes
    • 5 Ingredients or Less
    • Dinner Tonight
    • No-Cook Recipes
  • Convenience Recipes

    Convenience Recipes

    See All Convenience Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Kid Approved
    • Our Top Make-Ahead Recipes
    • Our Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes
  • BBQ and Grilling

    BBQ and Grilling

    See All BBQ and Grilling
    • Grilled Beef Recipes
    • Grilled Chicken Recipes
    • Grilled Fish Recipes
    • Grilled Pork Recipes
    • Grilled Shrimp Recipes
    • Grilled Vegetable Recipes
  • How To

    How To

    See All How To
    • 7 Ways With...
    • Cooking Questions
    • Ingredients and Tools
    • Kitchen Cleaning
    • Videos
  • Extra Crispy
  • Well Done

    Well Done

    See All Well Done
    • Homemade vs. The Internet
    • How-to and Explainers
    • Mom vs.
    • Recipe Videos
  • News

Profile Menu

Your Profile

Account

  • Register
  • Recipe Box this link opens in a new tab
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

LIVE
  1. HomeChevron Right
  2. Easy Entertaining for EveryoneChevron Right
  3. Martie Knows Parties: Backyard "Campout" Party

Martie Knows Parties: Backyard "Campout" Party

Updated August 29, 2010
Skip gallery slides
Save Pin
Keep Guests Comfortable
Credit: Arden Photography

If you love to camp, bring all the fun of a camping trip to a backyard party. Pop up a tent, grab a sleeping bag, and build a campfire!

Start Slideshow

1 of 7

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Versatile Theme

Versatile Theme
Credit: Arden Photography

Versatile Theme Tout

Staging a backyard campout party is perfect for everyone and every occasion—a birthday party, neighborhood get-together, or scouting event. It could even be a wedding shower for a couple who loves the great outdoors.

1 of 7

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 7

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Easy Eats

Easy Eats
Credit: Arden Photography

Easy Eats Tout

Start with a super-easy menu. Hobo packs make cooking simple; you cook the aluminum foil packages directly on the fire. They are easy to serve and clean up. If you can't build a fire, hobo packs can be prepared on the grill or in the oven. Still too much work for you? Try a delicious fire-roasted hot dog!

2 of 7

3 of 7

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

More S'Mores!

6a00e54ff5bf9388340168ebe586c9970c-800wi.jpg

More S'Mores! Tout

S'mores are a campout requirement. Since this is a party, go all out and put together a s'mores bar. Place an assortment of s'mores ingredients in bowls and have guests select their favorites. In addition to the standard chocolate bars, graham crackers, and marshmallows, also include raspberries or sliced strawberries, peanut butter, and a variety of cookies.

3 of 7

Advertisement

4 of 7

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Low-Key Decor

Low-Key Decor
Credit: Arden Photography

Low-Key Decor Tout

For decorations, use anything you would pack for a camping trip: lanterns, a tent, sleeping bags, cots. Invite guests to bring their own camping gear to make the decor even more authentic. Find inexpensive cotton ticking at the fabric store to use as tablecloths, and use bandannas as napkins. Tin pails are inexpensive and multipurpose—they make great serving pieces as well as great seating!

4 of 7

5 of 7

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Campfire Gathering

Campfire Gathering
Credit: Arden Photography

Campfire Gathering Tout

A campfire can make or break this party, but some areas prone to wildfires do not allow campfires or fire pits. If that's the case, gather around a grill instead. For the real deal, build your fire in a fire pit or outdoor fireplace if you have one. If not, use a heavy-duty tub. In selecting the right spot, look up to make sure there are no low tree branches that might catch fire. Next, clear the area of debris. You may also want to spread a thick layer of sand on the ground where the tub will sit.

5 of 7

6 of 7

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Fireside Fun

Fireside Fun
Credit: Arden Photography

Fireside Fun Tout

For entertainment, be sure to invite a guest who can play the guitar, because what's a campout without singing around the campfire? And brush up on your ghost stories, another camping essential. For the kids, initiate a game of hide 'n seek or hide lots of small prizes around the yard and have youngsters look for them. Get a telescope and star gaze; give a prize to the person who finds the most constellations.

6 of 7

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 7

Save Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email

Keep Guests Comfortable

Keep Guests Comfortable
Credit: Arden Photography

Keep Guests Comfortable Tout

Make sure to have a summer survival kit handy for backyard entertaining. Include bug spray, sunscreen, wipes, cheap sunglasses, and even flip-flops to keep your guests comfortable. If it's a cool night, make sure to have quilts or blankets available. Stack them, or pile them up in baskets.

7 of 7

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 7 Versatile Theme
    2 of 7 Easy Eats
    3 of 7 More S'Mores!
    4 of 7 Low-Key Decor
    5 of 7 Campfire Gathering
    6 of 7 Fireside Fun
    7 of 7 Keep Guests Comfortable

    Share options

    Facebook Tweet Mail Email

    Login

    MyRecipes

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Advertising this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
    • Sitemap

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Other Meredith Sites

    Other Meredith Sites

    • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
    • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
    • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
    • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
    • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
    • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
    • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
    • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
    • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
    • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
    • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
    • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
    • Health this link opens in a new tab
    • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
    • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
    • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
    • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
    • More this link opens in a new tab
    • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
    • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
    • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
    • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
    • Parents this link opens in a new tab
    • People this link opens in a new tab
    • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
    • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
    • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
    • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
    • Shape this link opens in a new tab
    • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
    • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
    • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
    • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
    MeredithMyRecipes.com is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. MyRecipes is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. MyRecipes may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.myrecipes.com

    View image

    Martie Knows Parties: Backyard "Campout" Party
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.