Camping Birthday Party: Reducing COVID Risks

Well, we are celebrating our final birthday during COVID! Tate’s birthday was first (outdoor movie in our cul-de-sac). Then Matt’s. Then mine. Now we are finally at Henry’s birthday. Last year, his slumber party birthday was pretty much right before the lockdown. This year, we are opting for a camping birthday party.

The infectious disease expert that we consult with for the school continues to say that the COVID transmission risk is low in an outdoor setting. Therefore, camping seems like an okay option. Thank goodness for [normally] mild temperature in Austin! Saturday looks like it will be about 64 degrees, and Sunday looks to be about 73 degrees. However, there is a 37% change of rain on Saturday night 🙁

We invited two others families for a total of six adults and six children. Our families will spread out across two adjoining sites. We have camped during COVID already and it was a lot of fun. I’ll have to check in with the two others families to see if they are still up for it. Last week was really traumatizing in Austin.

Camping Birthday Party Plan

• First, we will arrive around 2pm to start getting set up. Then, the others families will start arriving around 3pm.
• We will want to have some afternoon snacks available: granola bars? gluten-free crackers? fruit rolls? pretzels? (I need to get baggies for this)
• Henry has decided that he wants to do a sandwich bar for dinner: regular bread, gluten-free bread, mustard, tomatoes, cheese, turkey, ham, pickles, hummus, cucumbers, lettuce. Maybe I will make some kind of potato salad as a side? Does anyone have any delicious (and easy) recipes?
• Dessert will be a gluten-free birthday cake (with gummies on top—per Henry’s request) and s’mores.
• We will have sparkling waters and juice boxes.
• And Henry is dying to have a piñata with candy.
• Breakfast will be gluten-free pancakes and maybe some fruit?

This post has links to a lot of the stuff we use for camping. It’s becoming second-nature to us! We had the Container Store install shelves in our garage during the last Elfa sale, so all of our camping stuff is just grab-and-go. (Well, that process sounds easier than it is, since we have a subcompact car (which I just learned is smaller than a compact car!))

I’m excited to camp!