To ensure everyone has a night to remember, first check the weather forecast to make sure a torrential downpour – or even a hearty drizzle - isn’t on the way. Then put these parent-tested and kid-approved tricks of the trade into action.

Use night vision
Janet Groene, author of several books on camping, suggests checking out your backyard a night or two before the campout. “Use your parental instincts to assess hazards and pitfalls often overlooked during the day.” For instance, do lawn sprinklers run at midnight or could a child wander off in the dark to a nearby swimming pool or body of water? Are there any anthills or snake holes nearby, or signs of night visitors such as raccoons or bats? “Knowing these things exist will help you better prepare for them and keep everyone safe,” says Groene. And ensure you pick the best spot in your yard to set up camp.

Call off the cops
Groene says to keep the cops from knocking on your tent’s door, tell the neighbors your family is pulling an all-nighter and to expect seeing movement or flashlights. “If you have a Neighborhood Watch or regular cruising patrol cars, let them know there will be commotion in your back yard, too,” she says.

To satisfy grumbling stomachs, Groene suggests planning meals that don’t require refrigeration or cooking. “Make sure to pack food for supper (including plenty of drinks), snacks for stargazing and breakfast in the morning.” Finger food tied in a bandana is a fun and individual way for kids to get into the yardcation spirit. Of course, when all else fails, you can always order pizza or your family’s favorite take-out to the backyard. Your kids will remember the fun time together much more than what they actually ate.
“The day before your campout, have the kids design their own trail mix to package by the cupful for snacks,” Groene says. And don’t forget chocolate bars, marshmallows and graham cracker cookies so you can make the camping staple… s‘mores.

Pack to be gone
Even though your refrigerator and medicine cabinet are only 100 yards away, experienced backyard overnighters say you should camp as though the house isn’t there, just to get the full “outdoor” effect. That means no running in the house for a drink of water or fluffier pillow. It also means you’ll need to tote along a few first-aid supplies like band-aids and antiseptic ointment. That way if anyone gets a splinter or scrapes their knee, you can administer instant backyard TLC.

Here’s a list of other “must-haves” for whenever you’re sleeping under the stars (or in a comfy 2-room, 8 person tent, too).

• Waterproof sleeping bags and plenty of pillows.
• Quick set-up tent. Instead of fumbling with tent poles for hours, splurge and spend a few bucks more on one that says it set ups in about 60 seconds.
• Glow sticks. One package of dollar tree glow sticks is great for tent “night lights”, fun to softly illuminate the yard for night tag, or provide creepy mood lighting for ghost stories. Put them in the freezer in the morning and you’ll get one more night out of them.
• Flashlight. It’ll help you read bedtime stories, play flashlight freeze tag or tuck everyone in at bedtime.
• Ghost stories. Take turns adding a line to a homemade story or new favorite at Americanfolklore.net/campfire.
• Your house keys. Chances are you’ll lock most – if not all – your house doors while you’re camping but you’re going to want to be able to get back into the house in the morning.
• Trash bags to easily haul away chocolate bar and glow stick wrappers.
• Air mattress, old comforter or blanket for under the sleeping bag to block the chill from the ground.
• Camp chairs and a table or a blanket for eating and game playing outside.
• A deck of cards, board games, coloring books and crayons, and favorite bedtime books.

Set-up successfully
Before pitching your tent, run a rake through your yard to clear away any small twigs and rocks. Your back will thank you in the morning!

And no matter how tricked out or rustic your gear, place a tarp under the tent (even if the ground is dry and there’s not a rain cloud in sight) for some insulation and to keep the bottom of the tent from getting too dirty so clean-up the next day is a snap.

Prevent pests
The smoke from a fire pit may reduce the number of mosquitoes and other winged things, but just to be sure, apply insect repellent to all campers before the sun goes down. The Centers for Disease Control suggest using a product with DEET, but there are many DEET-free products that help keep bugs away. Just check the product’s label and make sure it’s formulated to target insects native to your neck of the woods. And if your backyard is heavily wooded, it’s a good idea to wear light colored clothing to easily spot ticks (or other bugs) that land on you.

Since it’s going to be your “bedroom” for a night or two, experts suggest treating the yard to a bug bath, too. “Protection from bugs starts with a strong defense,” says entomologist, Ron Harrison, Ph.D. Use an area repellent to treat the entire lawn and protect your family from getting bugged out.

Get fired up
Most neighborhood’s local zoning laws won’t permit you have a “real” campfire in your backyard but a fire pit is just as good for roasting marshmallows and creating the ambiance of a wilderness campfire. Just make sure the kids aren’t left alone near the roaring (or smoldering) fire and have reviewed fire safety tips at smokeybear.com/campfire-safety.asp.

Keep ‘em busy
Plan plenty of activities to keep your campers amused and entertained – and cut down the odds that siblings will fight about who gets the “better” sleeping bag or first s‘more. Board and card games played by the light of a full moon or flashlights are a great way to exhaust kids and make sure they fall asleep quickly once you call “lights out.”

Jenny Realo, a mother of three boys ages 16, 14 and 11 and veteran backyard camper suggests using nature as an art studio. “We take a box of crayons and sheets of paper to make crayon rubbings of tree bark, sticks, etc. It’s a great way to entertain kids and preserve the memories of the adventure,” she says.

You and your kids can also decorate small paper lunch bags that, along with battery-powered votives, become lanterns. “They’re great for lighting up the path to the house, warning where the pool is or adding a cozy feeling along the edge of the backyard,” says Realo.

Soak up the moment
Once the tent is up and the marshmallows are roasting, all that’s left is enjoying your camp out with your kids. “There’s nothing better than the simple act of having a pillow fight in the tent or playing hide ‘n seek in the yard,” says frequent backyard camper, Beth Derby. “It’s often more fun than a hotel vacation could ever be.”

Gina Roberts-Grey is a contributing writer.