Have you planned your summer vacation yet? With recession fallout still falling, and high gas prices still rising, the task may seem daunting. Here鈥檚 an easy idea for a mini-vacay: Join nature-lovers across the country on June 25th by participating in the . Part of the National Wildlife Federation's "" campaign, the event encourages campers from all generations to find a site anywhere鈥攂ackyards, balconies, parks鈥攚here they can connect with nature and each other. Judging by a few testimonials on NWF鈥檚 website, it sounds like a good time: "It was the most fun night of my life. All of my friends and family became closer and got to know each other a lot better. I鈥檓 so glad we were all together, it was the best night ever!" If slumbering in your own yard isn鈥檛 鈥渨ild鈥 enough, and you鈥檝e got the traveling means, search for a park using the US Forest Service鈥檚 kid-friendly site, . (Register to camp as an individual or team . If the 25th doesn't work, you can still sign up and camp on a different day.)
Okay, so what to do once you鈥檝e pitched your tent? If it鈥檚 still light out, you can always watch for birds (or listen for them in them in the darkness.) Check out , from 探花精选鈥檚 Wayne Mones, on making sure your kids are appropriately fitted with binoculars.
A star finder for the month of June. NASA
Given that a big camping goal is to commune with nature, contemplating the cosmos seems a no-brainer. And I don't mean mulling in a Stephen Hawking sense鈥擨 mean stargazing. Before the big night, help your kids make a star finder , and use it to scope 
the sky for constellations. Or, bring out the big guns with , published annually by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. A sky bible of sorts, it鈥檚 full of information intended for professional and amateur skygazers alike on everything from moon phases to star cycle predictions. There鈥檚 even a 24-page section called 鈥淭he Sky Month By Month,鈥 which lists events to watch for each calendar page of the year.
There is, of course, plenty more terrestrially-based fun to be had; try some of , courtesy of NWF. And of course, various iPhone and iPad apps surely promise to enhance your outdoor experience. But before you download, think about it: With all the out there, is that glowing screen really worth eclipsing the unscripted play around you?