After a week of two concerts, a committee meeting, hosting a double birthday party, and hosting my brother-in-law, I decided to have one of my nieces out for 3 days following the party and host a Cousin Camp! And yes, I am as exhausted as you probably can guess. I am beat. But it was SO fun and I hope this will be a yearly tradition. So read on for all the details of Cousin Camp 2026!
Each day I had a theme, and I gave some clues to the themes on the paper banner I made. Day one I gave the kids their camp bags that were filled with goodies. Each little kid got a personalized canvas tote bag (Hobby Lobby bags and camping patches with iron-on letters from Amazon), a bubble wand, a little Dollar Tree caddy with new crayons, silly putty, a glow stick, two mosquito repellent bracelets, a green bandana, and a personalized cup. I made the cups using Dollar Tree cups and vinyl letter stickers. Each kiddo had a color, so it would be easy to know which item belonged to who. We had blue, green and pink. My original plan was to put a bug catcher and other little summer things in each bag but mid-July all the Summer stuff disappears from every store and out comes all the back to school supplies! Next year I will have to shop for this in June.
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Each day I also set out a book basket with the day’s theme on a little flag. I didn’t go out and buy or borrow books, I just used what I had. Flags are from Hobby Lobby, and the iron-on letters were from the same bag I used for the tote bags.
I made merit badges on Canva, printed them on cardstock and laminated them. I hot glued these pins to the back, and throughout the three days the kids earned them and they got added to their bags. They were SO excited about this part!
Day one- theme: Bugs
We actually spent most of day one canoeing/kayaking the river, so I had less activities planned. After they opened their bags, we did some crafting while I read through the books.
Next we did a “bug rescue” activity that held the older two’s attention for quite a bit. I froze Dollar Tree insect toys in muffin pans for a few hours and then set out a bowl of warm water and spoons for the kids to rescue the bugs from the ice.
Our treat for the day was dirt and worms, and the kids helped me make them. This was part of earning their “Kitchen Helper” merit badge.
The last bug activity we did on day one was a bug scavenger hunt. I hid them in the backyard and the kids ran around finding them.
Day two- theme: Camping
Day two was SO full of activities and crafts, I am surprised we fit it all in. But it never felt overwhelming and there was plenty of free play and riding powerwheels around the yard.
The first craft was making toilet paper binoculars. The kdis used the stickers they got in their goodie bags and used these paint markers to decorate them.
The next craft was to make wood slice necklaces. The kids colored them and wrote their names on them. So cute!
Lunch was pigs in a blanket and baked beans- I thought that was on theme with camping!
The craft that took the longest was making these glass lanterns. I kept old spaghetti jars and the kids used paint and paintbrushes to adhere tissue paper squares all over the jars. Next the kids used beads to decorate the wire handles. And in the evening in the tipi they were glowing beautifully with a little tea light!
The craft that took the longest was making these glass lanterns. I kept old spaghetti jars and the kids used paint and paintbrushes to adhere tissue paper squares all over the jars. Next the kids used beads to decorate the wire handles. And in the evening in the tipi they were glowing beautifully with a little tea light!
The foil painting fire craft was a quick one, but the kids really enjoyed it. I think they turned out cute!
Snack for day two was a trail mix bar. The kids filled their bags for a snack in the afternoon and to take to the tipi later that night.
We had smores and then camped in out tipi- the highlight of the day!
Day three- theme: Water
Day three the kids woke up, scarfed down their breakfasts, and headed out back to see what the next theme was. Day three was all about water/ocean animals and we even ended the day at the beach and then a treasure hunt in the backyard!
We made ocean sensory bottles using water, blue food coloring, glue, baby oil, glitter, sand, and the kids got to pick out sea glass and little ocean animal toys to put in there.
The kids colored these wood sailboats from the Dollar Tree.
The kids then painted seashells while I read through a couple books all about seashells.
Lunch was pb&j “sushi” and a sour shark drink. I did half blue gatorade/ half Sprite, topped with cool whip and a gummy shark.
Water beads + ocean animal toys for a simple sensory bin that kept the kids busy for SO long.
The kids painted little wood treasure boxes from Hobby Lobby and added sequins and glitter and stickers.
We spent a few hours at the beach with friends
The treasure hunt was created by my “camp counselor”. He made a pirate ship out of our play couch and then they got geared up with some pirate things and headed outside to read the treasure map. The map led to another map and they had to find the second half of that map. Then it led them to the buried treasure! They were screaming with delight when they found the buried box. I filled it with stickers, gummy worms, chocolate gold coins, little sea creature toys from Dollar Tree, and animal erasers. They filled their wood treasure boxes and then bartered and traded with each other for what they wanted. It was a pretty epic way to end the last day of Cousin Camp.
The kids earned all but one of the merit badges I made. The last one was “clean-up champion” and well.. lets just say they did not come close to earning this one! ha
We were sad for all the fun to end, but I am so exhausted and a bit ready to get back to some routine. I finally just cleaned up from my luau party this past week ( blogging that very soon!) and the boys birthday party. whew! I could nap for 3 days straight.
I really hope cousin camp will be a yearly tradition! I already have ideas for themes next year.
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