Summer vacation can be both a
blessing and a burden for parents. On
the one hand seeing your children all day is a wonderful opportunity to spend
time with them. On the other hand,
seeing your children all day can be a dreadful experience when you don’t have
activities lined up! Over the next few blogs, I’ll
talk about some different summer fun that can engage your kids and make the
time you spend with them enjoyable and not painful.
Since I’ve
been focused on sports these last few posts, I though we could take a break and
focus on another outdoor activity, namely camping. I remember fondly taking camping trips when I
was young and all the great experiences I had.
Making S’mores, taking shelter because of
possible tornadoes, and games by the campfire are memories I’ll never forget. If you are a new parent or new to the
outdoors, the last thing you might want to do is take your kids into the middle
of the woods. At
first thought, camping with kids, especially young kids, can seem
daunting. However, with a little extra
care and planning, a family camping trip can be one of the most memorable
experiences for you and your children.
Before you begin planning your
trip, I think the most important thing to remember is to involve your kids
every step of the way. Having them help
plan the location, meals, and activities will ward off the complaints and make them feel like their opinions
count
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning and packing for a camping trip
with children.
Planning
As mentioned, a little extra care
needs to be taken when preparing for your family camping trip. If this will be your first family camping
trip, make it a short one. One or two nights will be about all
little ones can handle. Plus, if there
is a major inconvenience such as bad weather, much more than a few nights can
be unbearable. Your first trip should be
a fun as possible, otherwise it will be difficult to get yourself or your kids
motivated for a second. It’s also
helpful to pick a site with running water and facilities. I know most dads think they are Bear Grylls
or the Survivor Man, but having running water and restrooms will ease your
children into camping. Any state run
campground will have this information readily available.
Packing your gear
Pack light, but be prepared. If you are not renting a cabin, make sure you
have a sturdy, waterproof tent. If
you’ve never pitched it before, try it out in your backyard. This will make sure that you have all its
pieces and if you make it to the campsite at dusk, you’re not flying blind while
in a hurry to get it built before dark.
Every one should have a sleeping bag and pads. Air mattresses are nice for the kids, but I
find them a little bulky to take one for everyone. There should be a battery powered lantern for
each tent if possible and a flashlight for each person. Light sticks are always a good back up and
can also double as entertainment. Finally, a basic first aid kit, bug repellent
and sun screen are all must haves with kids.
When I was younger, I neglected to put sun screen on my feet while on a
three day canoe trip. Let’s just say
shoes were optional for a while after that trip.
The right clothes are important on
any camping trip. If you are going to be
hiking or taking nature walks, make sure each child has a good pair of
boots. Although rain may not be in the
forecast, rain gear is also good to have on hand, as well as an extra set of
warm clothes. Children get colder faster
than adults. Keeping them warm and dry
will go a long way for their morale. I
find that organizing their clothes by day into zip lock bags makes it easy for
them to dress. They can also put their
dirty clothes back into the dirty bags when they are done (although this
doesn’t happen all the time). If this is
your first trip, it is especially important to have a few familiar items. Make sure you take their favorite pillow, Mr.
Blankey, or stuffed animal to comfort them at night. It is also helpful if you limit extra items
to one backpack. Not only is it easier
for parents to pack, but it will help teach your children to pack light. For a good checklist of supplies, try this list from KOA campgrounds.
Next time,
I’ll talk more about meal planning and what activities are kid friendly. Until
then you can find many more ideas at kidscamping.com.
If you are looking for some great boys gear, the shirts at Red21Boys by Wes &Willy are durable for any
outdoor activity and are cargos
are perfect for carrying all the goodies your son may find on a hike.
Feel free
to share any ideas for camping or any other outdoor activities. We love to hear
from you!