Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Oakland, CA

My family likes to camp. We celebrated Holden's birthday with a camp-out. We joined a bunch of friends on a camping trip when I was pregnant. But somehow, getting all our ducks in a row to reserve the spot, pack the kids, have everyone be healthy, and get some friends to join us is doubly hard with a second kid. Poor baby went and got a fever the night we already had the car packed for our last would-be camping trip.

Even though we have lots of ideas for real and pretend camping (and crazy alterna-sleepovers), sometimes you just want to save the hassle of going anywhere and still sleep under the stars (or the cloud cover that passes for the night sky). Pitch a tent in your own backyard!

Aimee Greeblemonkey from Being Savvy: Denver reminds us that there are many advantages to this kind of camping adventure:

• Cooking on your own backyard grill for dinner
• Only having to bring out the essentials
• NO TRAFFIC!
• Getting kids used to camping in a familiar environment
• Being able to easily cater the experience to kids of varying ages
• Asking over your child's friend to join you with minimal fuss
• Less laundry at the end of the "trip"
• And best of all: INDOOR PLUMBING just a few steps away!