Many of us have fond memories of going camping with our families when we were kids. When you think about how much fun it was to jump into a cool lake on a hot summer day, chase fireflies under a starry night sky, or make S’mores over an open campfire, you can’t help but smile.
Even if you’re not a big fan of the outdoors, you can still give your family the same kinds of memories. The key is to plan your camping trip carefully so that it is memorable, fun for everyone, and as stress-free as possible. Here are 10 tips for a fun camping trip with your family.
Do A Few Practice Runs
When children are very young, it can be a little scary for them to sleep somewhere other than their bedroom. If your kids have never been camping before, it’s not a good idea to just pack them up, grab a tent, and go away for the night. Do a practice run first.
Set up a tent in your yard and sleep there for the night. Show your kids the stars and planets in the night sky and talk to them about the sounds of the night. After the kids have spent a few nights in your backyard campground, they will be ready for the next step, which is a real car camping trip.
Yes, a car campout is when you drive your car to a campground, set up your tent and gear, and then drive back home. Before you take your kid’s camping in the wild, you should let them get used to camping in a more controlled setting with a little bit of civilization and some facilities. Don’t forget baby steps.
Planning Is The Key To Success
Plan carefully to make sure everyone has fun and stays safe on your camping trip.
One of the most important things you can do to make sure your family has a fun and successful camping trip is to plan. Before your first camping trip, think about the following:
- Find out what activities you can do at a campground before you choose your car camping. You want to make sure that not only the adults but also the kids will have fun.
- Check out the rules for the campground. If you know important details like if pets are allowed, you’ll have less trouble.
- Make a list of the things you need, and give yourself plenty of time to get them. If you wait until the last minute, you’ll be stressed out and forget things.
- Plan out every meal you’ll make while camping.
- Find out if there will be water at the campsite or if you will have to bring your own.
Review Safety And Emergency Plans
When you’re looking into campgrounds, check to see if they have ranger talks about nature or special events that your family would enjoy during the time you plan to stay there.
Plan each meal well ahead of time when it comes to food. Keep the food simple and tasty. It’s best to make something everyone will like that you can make quickly. Also, choose meals that are easy to clean up. If you can, put the ingredients for each meal into separate containers or zip-lock bags. This will help you keep track of them. And don’t forget to bring lots of the snacks your family loves! You should also think about packing an emergency survival food kit especially if you plan on going on hiking days out.
As you get your camping gear together, give careful thought to the type of tent you’ll use. If you have a small family, a dome tent for three or four people might be enough. A cabin tent for seven or eight people might be better for larger families or people who want a little more space. If your older kids would rather have their own space to sleep, you could bring a small tent for each of them.
Pack For Success
What should you bring on a camping trip with your family? Well, that’s a very personal question that depends on the needs of you and your family.
You’ll likely buy some new gear as you get ready for your trip. Before you go to the campground, you should get used to new things and test them to make sure they work. Putting up the tent in your backyard a few times can be very helpful. Nothing is more annoying and embarrassing than fumbling around in the middle of the night with aluminium poles and canvas.
Remember To Pack For Fun
Bring games, toys, and things like a telescope to keep the kids busy. Don’t forget to bring some fun with you! Depending on how old your kids are, pack games and toys that will help them pass the time. Here are a few examples:
- Flying discs that light up or glow in the dark
- Paddleball
- Marshmallows
- Ball for making ice cream (toss it around and make homemade ice cream)
- Super shooters and Water Pistols
- Using Card Games
- Bicycles
- Telescope and a map of the stars
Let Your Kids Help
Make it a point to assign each of your children, regardless of how old or young they are, a duty to perform around the campsite. Kids will get the sense that they are an important part of the adventure if they have any job to do, no matter how big or how small it is, whether it is gathering firewood or helping set up the tent.
Turn Off The Tech
If you and your family go camping, you won’t get the full benefit of the experience if you let electronics prevent you from appreciating the natural surroundings. Because adults and children spend so much time connected to their various electronic devices, turning them off and spending time together during a camping trip will make the experience feel much more memorable. Additionally, the trip will be more enjoyable for you if you pay closer attention to the wildlife and insects, trees, water, sky, and everything else that contributes to the distinctness and individuality of the outdoors. The vast majority of your electronic devices should remain in your house, but you should always have at least one mobile phone in your vehicle in case of an unexpected event. Simply switch it off so that you and your family can focus your undivided attention on one another.
Go On A Treasure Hunt Or Goecathcing
Geocaching is becoming increasingly popular as a result of its ability to stimulate thought and encourage participation in outdoor activities. The activity known as geocaching is a form of treasure hunting in which participants use GPS coordinates to locate hidden caches. These caches can be large or small containers filled with various trinkets and a log book in which participants record the fact that they discovered the cache. Look for campgrounds that have geocaches within or close to them when you are planning your camping trip, and don’t forget to bring your GPS device with you. You might also give some consideration to organising your very own treasure hunt. Your children will have more fun if you run over a trail yourself, hide the treasure, and then let them find it as they go.
Make Sure You Keep Them Safe
It is essential to educate children on how to behave responsibly around open flames, such as campfires, as well as on other aspects of outdoor safety.
When you go camping with your family, the first and foremost concern that you should have is their safety. The adults in your family should all have a fundamental understanding of how to stay safe outside, and you should share this information with the children in your care. Take into consideration the following:
- Children should stay away from lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams when they are not with an adult.
- Learn how to pinpoint poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac so you can stay away from them.
- Do not eat anything you discover in the woods. Even though the berries look tasty, they can make you sick.
- Don’t touch or feed any animal, no matter how big or small.
- Teach kids how to use a loud whistle in case they get lost or in trouble.
- Teach kids how to stay safe around a campfire.
Start And End Positively
Your camping trip will be more enjoyable and memorable if you maintain a positive attitude throughout it. If you have ever gone camping before, you are aware that even with the most meticulous preparation, unexpected events can occur. People can become irritable over something as inconsequential as their inability to light a campfire. Alterations to the weather could also cause precipitation to fall continuously throughout the day. On a camping trip, there is a virtually infinite number of ways in which something could go wrong; however, if you always have a positive attitude and shrug it off, your family will pick up on that, and the trip will still be enjoyable.