Gearing Up for Family Camping

Posted by Harmony

It has been two years since I have gone camping and I am already getting excited for the first family trip of the year. My oldest son wouldn't stop asking last summer to go, but there were two big reasons we didn't:

1. An 8 month chocolate lab puppy with more energy than should be allowed in one animal
2. A newborn baby

Those two reasons and the fact that we camp in a tent, it wasn't hard to make the decision to wait until this year. I'm not sure if having a 5 year old, a 1 1/2 year old chocolate lab with more energy than should be allowed in one animal and a 1 year old is much better - but we are going anyway.

Here are some tips from an article I wrote on inexpensive ways to keep your kids entertained while camping:

Scavenger hunt - Depending on the age(s) of your children this can be as simple or complicated as you would like to make it. For younger children that you want to keep close to the campsite, make sure you take a good look around before sending them off to hunt - make sure the items can be found close-by.
Nature book - Fold 5 sheets of construction paper in half and staple them together along the fold to create a nature book that your children can fill full of keepsakes. In a bag, put in a glue stick, tape, and some writing instruments and encourage them to find interesting treasures to put in the book or draw pictures of.

Baby wipes - Never stop buying baby wipes just because your kids are no longer in diapers. These little wonders make life a lot easier when out in the wilderness - or even around the house.

Getting to sleep - If your children are too excited or a bit nervous about sleeping in a tent, go for a slow drive around the campgrounds until they fall asleep in the car. And then execute the trick every parent must master - the transfer of a sleeping child into bed (or in this case a sleeping bag). Or you can lay down with them until they fall asleep and then make your escape.

Board & card games - Everyone needs down time, even when camping. Don't forget to bring the classics along - Monopoly & Uno were always favorites in my family. Invite your camping neighbors over to join in and make some new friends.

Fresh Ice Cream - Yes, hot chocolate and smores are the traditional camping treats, but why not shake things up a bit with this recipe for homemade ice cream in a bag.

Disposable Cameras - Buy each child their own disposal camera. Give them an assignment to take pictures of during the trip (how many different birds, trees, or rocks can you find). Or have them take a picture of an object and then a really close-up picture of the same object for a fun game to have at home - having to guess what the close-up picture is of.

Flashlights - A flashlight is not just to scare away the dark, you can put on a shadow show with one from inside the tent or behind a tarp instead of telling spooky stories around the campfire.

Music - Bring a battery-powered CD player for night time. The sounds of nature are beautiful but if you aren't used to them they can be scary. Soothing music will help mask all the sounds that might scare or wake-up the kids.

Toys - Most tent campgrounds have a foundation of dirt. Bring shovel and pails and any other outdoor toys that will keep the children busy right by the tent. Buy a bucket of dinosaurs and hide them in the dirt around the site and then send out the little explorers on a dinosaur expedition.

And if it all falls apart, I am not opposed to packing it up and coming home. At least I can say we tried.

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Gearing Up for Family Camping

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