Are you planning on going camping with your kids to give them their first taste of the whole camping experience?
Most kids get very excited about the prospect of their very first camping vacation! A little bit like a kid’s first day at school only the excitement far outweighs any feeling of trepidation! Before you do anything else, sit down ahead of time and do what all good planners do and that is make a nice little checklist that takes into consideration all the things that you believe you will need to take on the trip with you to ensure that it will be the most memorable positive experience it possibly can be. You really will want to give careful consideration to all the possible eventualities that you can think of in advance so absolutely nothing can spoil the trip for you and your family.
As already alluded to above, it really does go without saying that the planning stage is a must. The old (and probably very over-quoted!) phrase that Benjamin Franklin supposedly once said, “fail to plan and you plan to fail” springs to mind. Believe us (from personal experience), it’s particularly true when you factor kids into any activity! Time to sit yourself down in a quiet environment with a pen and some note paper and start jotting down some notes. As you reach for that pen, we want to try and ‘poke’ your brain, so to speak, with some of our own thoughts that hopefully will benefit you once you actually knuckle down to creating that all important list.
Campsite Areas and Locations
Bear in mind, every trip is different and even more to the point, every location is different. Much of what you want to bring with you will possibly be influenced by the surroundings of the location of where you are headed! Might sound like it’s stating the obvious but nonetheless we will mention it anyway. Try to think of items to bring that will suit the particular environment if where you are going to set up camp falls into one of the following category examples below,
Wooded Area
Close to River
Near a Beach
Mountainous Region
It would be pretty much next to impossible to cover absolutely every angle without the use of a crystal ball. Assuming you don’t have the benefit of such a future telling piece of equipment, it’s time to open the logical side of your brain. In this instance, the fact that you will have your children with you is going to influence pretty much everything. Bringing some things along that they amuse themselves at home, at face value, might seem to make a lot of sense. Depending on the children’s ages, some suggestions you often hear from people might might include bringing a board game or even some of their favorite toys perhaps. However, although we can see the argument for bringing familiar toys and we generally prefer leave all that kind of stuff at home. After all, they represent the normal everyday activies that kids are familiar with at home. You want to make the whole campsite experience to be a completely unique one.
Campsite Games and Trails
Finding great campsite games for the children to play can engage the family as a whole can be very rewarding. Well, after all, this is an adventure time that also duals with quality family time spent together. It’s an opportunity to do stuff together that is not part of the normal routine. To make it a special family time to remember, all it takes is a little imagination.
Wooded areas are just incredible for kids as there are usually plenty of walking trails to explore. But don’t get lost whatever you do! Quick tip, leave markers as you go like pieces of a wood, a bone, colored stones at various points along the trail that you can recognize on the return walk back. Simple as it sounds, it’s actually great fun trying to find these items! Campsite nature games and activities like the ones described in this little gem of camping resource website will provide days of entertainment and tons of lovely memories.
Camp Safety For Kids
Aside from keeping the children happy and amused, you also have to consider their safety. Never let them stray too far from the campsite environment without supervision. It only takes one one lapse of concentration on your part to turn a great camping experience into a potential nightmare situation. Kid’s love to explore. It’s an integral part of their make-up as we all know. They get caught up in the excitement of the moment and can suddenly find themselves a long ways from camp. Be vigilant and keep your eyes peeled on them at all times. This video below goes into some camping safety tips including a great suggestion for kids to carry safety whistles with them so they can alert others to the danger they might find themselves in and get help quickly. The video also explores safety precautions around the campfire and cooking areas.
When we think of kids too, we invariably thing of trips, falls, cuts and bruises. We must emphasize this, make sure you bring a first aid kit along. They are pretty inexpensive items to buy but they can save the day when an accident occurs. Better still, bring two of these kits along for easy and quick access. Consider keeping one in the tent and one in the boot of your car.
Food and Sleep
In a previous blog post, we highlighted the importance of sleeping bag choices in terms of climate and temperatures considerations etc. and getting a good night’s sleep. We won’t go over that again here but rather refer you back to read that particular post.
Bring more food that you expect you and your family might consume over the days you are camping. Better to be safe rather than sorry and sometimes it can be difficult to gauge exactly how much to bring. Don’t get caught out. Better to be prepared. Bring some food that can be consumed hot or cold like fruit, nuts, and bread. A good camping stove is needed too for cooking hot meals and drinks. From a personal perspective, we never go camping without our coffee percolator. Life without coffee does not bear thinking about :). If the nights are going to be cool or cold, consider bringing along a camping heater.
We hope this blog can help you compile your to-do list before going camping with kids. As always, respect the environment around you. Tidy up when the time comes to go home and remember to take your rubbish away with you.
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