Been doing backyard camping with my 4yo because I'm not ready for full tent camping yet. We set up a tent, sleep outside, cook breakfast on the camp stove - the whole vibe. Real question: am I letting him get away with the easy version? Or is backyard camping legit a great stepping stone? Looking for honest takes, not judgment lol.
We did tent camping too early with our daughter and she cried most of the night because the sleeping bag felt weird. Backyard for a few seasons would have saved us that headache.
I did this exact progression with my two. Backyard camping at 4, actual tent camping at 6, and now at 8 she wants to do longer trips. Don't rush it. They'll let you know when they're ready.
Do the backyard thing for another year honestly. At 4 they're still learning boundaries and it's nice to have the house as a safety net. Plus it's more fun than you'd think and they remember it just the same.
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Backyard camping is legit though. You're still getting the experience without the stress of a tent failure at 2am when your kid decides they're scared. Nothing wrong with building up to the real thing.
The backyard approach is honestly smarter than jumping straight to tent camping. You're testing gear, testing your kid's comfort level, and still close to the bathroom if something goes wrong.