Backyard Campout Party.  This is for my son's 6th year birthday party. We're Camping out in our backyard with tents.  Our theme is "Camp Kritters". Invitations sent on a piece of tree-bark - using black sharpie pen to write on piece of rumpled paper & glued to the bark. Tell guests to bring sleeping bag, pillow, change of clothes, favorite snuggly toy & a spooky story to share.   Our Campground is setup with 4-tents... 2 separate tents for boys & girls with wooden sign painted "boy Kritters" and "girl Kritters". The parents are "camp counselors". Counselors can sleep in nearby tents. A mesh canopy tent is setup as the "craft-tent".. shaded spot in the yard.   Each guest "camper" receives a small tote-bag which has a flashlight, cap, t-shirt & disposable camera inside (labeled "Camp Kritters").  Campers choose their own "critter name" & answer to that critter name the entire camp-out until the next morning.    In the "craft-tent", campers use fabric paint & glue to decorate their caps & shirts with their critter name....hang to dry while playing games.     After crafts, it's onto game competitions. Tug-o-war, beach-volleyball (softer ball).. 3-legged races.. jumping-bean relay race... cup-o-water relay race.    To cool off (it's upper 90's here) ... slip-n-slide into pool of water ... with sprinkler overhead...(keep this far from the tents... you' don't want water puddles in your sleeping bags)   Time to dry-off & settle down... (change into dry camp t-shirts & dry shorts).....gather around the picnic table for some camp chow ( we're grilling hot-dogs with beans, salad & drinks).  For dessert it's "dirt-cake" with gummy worms to gross out the campers.    After dinner...when temps are cooling down at dusk... gather around small campfire to make smoars. Each camper shares his spooky story ... quiet-time listening to crickets & tree-frogs ... the night-wind blowing... campers to their tents with flashlights & glow-sticks ( to keep fears away). With parent Counselors in nearby tents .. campers get 20-minutes to settle down in tents & play with their flashlights.  give them a glow-stick after lights-out as a nice night-light... it will glow for 6-8 hours.  Rules of the tent... zip tent door closed when you enter & exit...keeps critters out. No food or drinks in tents (also keeps critters out).  Take Shoes off inside tents & placed on mat at tent-door (keeps tent free of dirt).    The next morning... rise n shine breakfast with pancakes & bacon served on picnic table ( cooked inside before they awake )... cleanup campgrounds... (leave no trace after camping rule) ... After gathering their camp-totes filled with caps, tshirts, flashlights & cameras .. campers take their memories home with them of "Camp Kritters".. they can take their camera to photo-lab to process the pictures.