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Family Camping Guide
Exploring the great outdoors is fun, educational and affordable
Ask my five–year–old son why he loves summer and you’ll hear all about how he gets to sleep in a tent, eat hot dogs and make s’mores. Our annual camping trips give my family the chance to connect with nature and experience life unplugged, without television, computers and video games. Here are some tips for planning a successful family camping excursion of your own.
Car Camping
This is a great way to get started. Not only does driving to the campsite (as opposed to hiking or canoeing) give you the ability to bring more gear, but you also have the luxury of zipping back down to the nearest general store if you’ve forgotten something.Activities for Any Weather
Create a nature scavenger hunt that encourages your children to find and identify different types of animals and plants. Biking and campfire songs also make for fun outdoor activities. And if it rains? As long as you have a raincoat and a good pair of galoshes, a rainy day can be a great day for a hike. (Of course, in the event of a thunderstorm, you’ll need to stay tentbound. Just be sure to have a few of your family’s favorite board games on hand.)Get the Right Gear
Before kids, my husband and I felt that our four–person tent was just right for the two of us. We had room for our sleeping bags and some of our gear, and we could comfortably change our clothes inside the tent. Now we own an eight–person tent, which was perfect for our family of four last summer—it even had enough room for my pregnant body!Summer Savings
My friend Amy camps each summer with her husband and three boys (ages six and under) at various national parks, which are often less expensive than private campsites. Other budget–friendly suggestions from Amy: Purchase your campfire wood before leaving town, and request camping gear such as flashlights and sleeping bags for birthday and Christmas presents. (Find out more about National Park Foundation locations at makinglifebetter.com/parks.)Cleanup Crew
Camping provides a great chance to educate your children about the environment. Teach them to “leave no trace” by disposing of trash immediately and by making sure that all food is tightly packed when it’s not in use. (You can even use environmentally friendly tote bags to help you achieve this.)For additional resources, visit:
familycampinggear.comnickjr.com
http://campingtripfun.com
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I love camping! These are some pretty good tips.
Great Article, thanks, spending quality time with your children and teaching them family values is very important, check out this site - Useful Information and Advice to help you improve your Family Life and information on Parenting, Family Budgeting and a whole lot of resources to help you balance work and family.