Did you tell your kids that you will go camping soon? Are they excited? Going camping with your family is the best thing you can do for your kids and yourself. You will be exploring nature, bond by playing games and learn something new.
Kids are spending more and more time on tablets and mobile phones so taking them outdoors will be a useful thing to do. How will you spend free time there, what will you do and what will you pack to have a wonderful outdoor vacation? Here are some useful tips that will make your trip memorable.
Camping with your family guide
If your family isn’t experienced in camping yet you should take some time and prepare for an adventure. Preparation and gear is very important to stay comfortable and safe so read on to know more.
Preparation of the equipment
It isn’t easy to pack stuff of all members and don’t forget anything. However, the most important is to pack necessities that will make your loved ones pleased and happy. If you forget to take a favorite toy of your youngest, this isn’t the worst thing it could happen but if you forget to take a cooking stove it is a different story.
Let’s take a look which gears should you pack.
Sleeping equipment
Taking care that you and your kids will sleep in a warm and comfy bed is essential. What should you consider taking for each of the family members? You have plenty of sleeping options for the outdoors. Sleeping bags, pads, mats, cots or mattresses are the most used gears to have a comfortable outdoor sleep.
How can you choose among all of those gears? Think about their functionality and the space inside your tent. If you have a small tent then you won’t pick cots for sleeping as they take more space than sleeping bags, for example.
No matter which equipment you choose, make sure that it will be of the right size for each camper and that it will fit inside. I recommend that you think this over while you are still at home. When you get your family tent grab the sleeping gear and have a camping simulation. This way you will see if you still have some space in the tent for walking.
Get inflatable pillows to support your head and shoulders, and blankets if you won’t use sleeping bags.
Getting the right tent
Picking the right tent is a tricky job for most camping beginners as they can’t decide among so many different models. The first thing that you must know is its size. Opt for the model that will comfortably fit all of you inside.
When people ask me for an advice I always say that a bigger tent is better when it comes to comfort. If you have a family of 6 members you should take a model that can accommodate up to 8 members to have some extra storage space.
Tent’s seasonality
Do you know which seasonality of the tent should you pick? Let’s say you are enjoying camping in the warmer days rather than sacrificing the comfort when it’s cold outside. In this case opt for a three season tent that will provide optimum airflow inside the tent due to mesh and vents.
It is a different story if your family will camp through the year. In this case opt for a four season tent that will provide element protection and ventilation in the same time. Tents have vents on different areas so you can control the airflow.
Cooking gear and food supplies
Keeping your family fed is very important, especially if you have smaller kids. Think about the food you will take and the gear that will help you to prepare the meals. I recommend bringing a camping stove and a camping cook set.
Regarding type of food, consider the one that will preserve its nutrients for some time. Take cans, solid foods, and dehydrated foods and avoid dairy products and fresh meat that spoil soon. Well, you can still take them if you have a cooler but consider that ice will melt in a couple of days.
Snacks for the kids
Bring some nutritious and healthy snacks for the youngsters. Kids will need energy fast as they will get tired by jumping around all day. Offering them a healthy snack (vegetables, fruit, peanut butter, etc.) will take away their grumpiness and fill depleted energy levels.
What about water?
Don’t forget on water supplies. If you will travel with a car then you can take water canisters that will provide hydration for days. If you won’t travel with a vehicle then you should think of getting a good water purification equipment to purify the water source that you find close to the camp. Boiling the water before drinking is also a good option.
Clothes and shoes
Packing the right type of clothes is another thing to mention. Each member of the family must have enough pieces of clothes to change. Pack T-shirts, shirts with long sleeves, sweaters, jackets, long and short pants, underwear, socks and other clothing that you may need (hats, gloves).
It is okay to bring cotton pieces of clothing but take synthetic and waterproof clothes as well as you will explore the surroundings and probably get wet. Cotton isn’t the best choice on a wet hiking day as it absorbs moisture quickly and dries slowly (unless if you wear it under the waterproof clothes).
Pack waterproof shoes for each member and the ones that you like to wear daily outside.
First aid kit
You should always take care of the safety while being outdoors. A first aid kit should be ready to be used at any time. Buy a new kit or check your old one so you will have all the necessities inside in case something happens.
Other essentials
What else do you need out there? Did you think about a knife and a lightening source to see at night? Where will you go to a toilet? Check next items that will help you:
- A camping knife
- A shovel
- A rope
- A tarp
- A headlamp or a flashlight
- A heater
- A cooler
- A clothesline
- A footprint
- Camping furniture (chairs, a table, etc.)
- Matches
- Pliers
- Gas fuel tanks and batteries
- A duct tape
- A hammer
Also think of the other stuff that you might need and pack it along.
What camping activities should you do?
Outdoors provide plenty of activities to do. Your kids should be occupied most of the time. I recommend that they help you around the tasks as picking the firewood, pitching a tent, purifying water, and other activities that they could help you with. This way children are being occupied and learning some survival skills at the same time.
Fun activities
What about other fun activities that you can do together? Here are several games and outdoor activities for the whole family:
- Hiking and exploring the surroundings
- Going to a day trip and see the local sights
- Birdwatching
- Taking pictures of the vacation to make a family album
- Scavenger hunt
- Painting
- Picking rocks and building rock sculptures
- Playing board and other sport games
- Spending a fun day at a nearest lake or a river
- Singing over the campfire
Plan a fun outdoor excursion that you kids will remember
When going camping with your family you should take care of the equipment, and think of daily activities and the well-being of the whole family. Safety is first; no matter what you do you should be safe doing it.
Plan daily activities that will make your kids learn something useful and still have fun. I am sure that you will have a wonderful time together as long as you consider my guide. Don’t forget to take pictures of the vacation as you will be happy to look at the album after some time.
Tadej-Bio
I am the founder of Camping Valley. The site is an extension of my lifestyle and passion for outdoors. Everything that I learn, experience and find valuable is on the site for you. We live in a technological era but nature is reminding us more and more that we should go to the places where our heart and soul feel like home.
