Bibi’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she stepped outside and saw the new camping tent neatly mounted on the roof of their family SUV. The early morning sun glinted off the metallic edges of the car, and the green canvas of the tent fluttered slightly in the gentle breeze. Her little hands clapped together in joy.
“We’re really going camping?” she gasped, looking up at her dad with an expression of disbelief and delight.
“Yep,” Dad said, grinning as he zipped up the side panel of the tent. “This is our new rooftop tent. It’ll be our home under the stars for the weekend!”
Bibi had always dreamed of going camping. She’d read books about it, watched cartoons where characters roasted marshmallows over a crackling fire, and imagined what it would be like to sleep under the open sky. But now, it was actually happening, and her heart raced with excitement.
She ran inside the house to grab her little backpack. She had been packing it all week, even though no one had said for sure they were going. Inside were her binoculars, a journal, colored pencils, a flashlight, and her favorite stuffed bear named Mr. Coconut.
By the time she came back outside, her mom was loading up the cooler with food, and her older brother Liam was tying down some gear with bungee cords.
“Don’t forget the marshmallows!” Bibi reminded everyone.
“We’ve got them,” Mom said with a smile, holding up a bag of giant fluffy white ones. “S’mores are on the menu
Bibi bounced in place with glee. “Yes! This is going to be the best adventure ever!”
The drive to the campsite took a couple of hours, and Bibi spent most of the time pressed up against the window, watching trees and fields fly by. Every so often, she would ask, “Are we there yet?” and Dad would chuckle.
Finally, the SUV turned onto a bumpy dirt road lined with tall pine trees. The forest seemed to welcome them with open arms, and Bibi felt like she was entering a magical land. Birds chirped overhead, and sunlight filtered through the leaves, making golden patterns on the ground.
When they reached the campsite, it was even more perfect than she imagined. There was a clear view of the mountains in the distance, a little stream trickling nearby, and a soft patch of grass for sitting and playing.
As Dad parked the car, Bibi immediately jumped out and ran to the edge of the trees, pretending she was an explorer in a mysterious land. Liam followed, already collecting sticks for a campfire. Mom and Dad started unpacking and setting up camp, with the rooftop tent as the centerpiece.
Later that afternoon, Bibi got to climb the ladder up to the tent. It was like a secret clubhouse in the sky! Inside, it was cozy and smelled like fresh canvas. There were soft sleeping bags, fluffy pillows, and a little lantern hanging from the ceiling. From the windows, she could see treetops, clouds, and even a squirrel that seemed curious about their setup.
“I love it here,” she whispered to Mr. Coconut.
That evening, as the sun dipped behind the mountains, the family sat around a crackling campfire. Dad showed them how to roast marshmallows just right—not too black, but golden brown and gooey inside. Bibi squished hers between chocolate and graham crackers and took a big bite, giggling as the melted marshmallow stuck to her cheeks.
After dinner, Dad pulled out a guitar and played soft tunes while Mom told funny stories from her own childhood camping trips. Liam made shadow puppets on the tent wall with his flashlight, and Bibi joined in, creating a bunny, a bird, and a dancing bear.
When it was finally time for bed, Bibi climbed the ladder up to the tent again, snuggling into her sleeping bag with Mr. Coconut tucked under her arm.
As she lay there, the night sounds surrounded her—crickets chirping, the rustle of leaves in the wind, and the faint burble of the nearby stream. She looked out the mesh window and saw stars twinkling above like diamonds scattered across a black velvet sky.
“This is even better than I imagined,” she whispered.
In the morning, Bibi woke up to birdsong and golden sunlight streaming through the windows of the tent. She sat up and peeked out, spotting a deer drinking from the stream. Quietly, she reached for her binoculars and watched in wonder as the deer flicked its ears and looked around before bounding away into the woods.
The day was filled with more adventures—hiking a nearby trail, skipping stones across the water, and making nature crafts with leaves and pinecones. Bibi wrote in her journal about everything she saw and drew pictures of wildflowers and butterflies.
That night, a light rain pattered on the tent as they slept, but it only made things feel more cozy and safe inside. Bibi loved the soft sound, like a lullaby from the forest.
On the last morning of the trip, Bibi didn’t want to leave. She sat on the edge of the car, dangling her feet and looking around at the beautiful place that had become her temporary home.
“Can we come back again?” she asked.
“Of course,” Mom said. “Now that we’ve got our camping tent, we can go on lots of adventures.”
“And maybe next time,” Liam added, “we’ll see a bear!”
“Or a fox!” Bibi said, eyes wide.
They packed up slowly, savoring every moment. The tent was folded up and secured back on the car roof, but Bibi knew the memories wouldn’t be packed away so easily. She hugged Mr. Coconut and smiled.
As they drove away, she kept looking back out the window, already dreaming about their next trip.
Bibi had always thought adventures lived in books and movies—but now she knew they could live in a tent on top of a car, too.
