Going away to camp and camping out are two very different experiences. Usually, children who go to camp sleep on cots inside cabins. Activities are planned by the people who run the camp. Campers eat in a dining hall and food is prepared by someone else. All the campers have to do is show up and complain about what’s being served!
On the contrary, when you camp out, the experience is much more dangerous and exciting! You sleep in a tent instead of a cabin. If it’s warm you may sleep in your
sleeping bag under the stars. To camp out, you must be more independent and an adventure lover! You must learn certain skills, such as how to put up a tent and how to set a fire in case you don’t have a flashlight. You also need to bring a backpack with a water bottle, a camping stove, matches and ropes in case you feel like climbing a mountain! In addition, you need to know some rules about safety and respecting nature.
Not everybody is capable of surviving during a week in the wilderness. The Boy Scouts teach their members an “outdoor code” before they camp that says: Use of the outdoors is a privilege I can lose by abuse. I will treat the environment with respect. I will learn to practice good conservation of water, forests and wildlife and I will urge others to do the same.
Questions
- Which is the main difference between “camping” and “camping out”?
- In which conditions is it possible to sleep outdoors?
- Make a list with the skills required and the material you need to camp out.
- Do you agree with the “outdoor code” taught in the Boy Scouts?
Into the wild 