Camping with Kids Tips

Camping with children can bring you back to the simplicity of nature. It increases your awareness of your surroundings and can refresh your appreciation for the many things that so often go unnoticed. Many things are learned and experienced for the first time during each day in the life of a child. Patience is almost unavoidable. It is so important to take the time to enjoy the journey of these new experiences with your child. In nature there are so many amazing things to discover. Camping can be a wonderful adventure. Just think--the birds and animals, the plants and trees, the rocks, the streams and ponds, the insects, the sounds, the weather, the wildflowers, and the many activities that can provide so much excitement. The possibilities are endless! By planning successful, enjoyable camping trips when your children are young, you will set them on the path to a lifetime of outdoor adventures.

Get the kids interested in the trip by getting them involved. Build their excitement and anticipation.

a.Plan the camping trip together
b.Decide on places to go - consider interests, outdoor experience and children's ages.
c.Pick activities to do
d.Plan and shop for your meals
e.Prepare and pack the equipment and supplies
f.Try a backyard campout before you go for the first time
g. Teach the kids how to set up a tent
h.Try some outdoor cooking
i. Experience a night outdoors in sleeping bags
j. Show them how to use some camping equipment
k. Plan a few activities
l. Search the sky for constellations
m. Listen to the many night sounds
n. Don't forget the special nighttime snacks
o. Try to experience outdoor activities with your kids, Get them familiar with the outdoors in order to eliminate their fears
p.Teach them about safety and to respect nature, Teach outdoor skills and outdoor ethic.

Camp chores are actually fun for kids. They love collecting firewood, filling water containers, hammering in tent stacks, camp cooking etc.


1. Make the camp chores extra fun -- have contests for gathering the most kindling, best camp cooking, most organized gear, fastest clean-up etc.
2. Take a small day hike in the woods at a local park
3. Visit a nature center
4. Go fishing at a local pond or stream
5. Take an evening walk

Go on a picnic

1. Read related book
2. Have a scavenger hunt

Go on a flashlight walk

a.Take the necessary gear and supplies
b.Extra clothing and shoes--the kids will get wet and extremely dirty
c.Warm clothing--it may get chilly especially in the evening/dress in layers
d.Insect repellent--consider time-release formulas
e.Sunscreen--they'll be outside all day
f.First aid kit--for those little accidents
g.Rain gear--keep them dry and warm
h.Toys, games, activities--you want to keep them busy
i.Check out Want to Play a Game?
j.Familiar bedtime items--pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, dolls etc
k.Flashlight/glow sticks--to help relieve nighttime fears
l.Snacks--all this activity is going to make them hungry
m.Drinks--avoid dehydration due to heat and activity level

Create memories

a.Bring a camera with plenty of film/flash/extra batteries
b.Disposable type are excellent for outdoor activities
c.Give each child their own disposable camera
d.Capture your memories with video
e.Keep a journal
f.Describe details about your trip and the activities you did
g.Document special moments
h.Include photos
i.Have each family member write about their experience, Save crafts etc.
j.Personalized Jigsaw Puzzles
k.Keeping an Outdoor Adventure Photo Journal

Plan alternative activities
a.For bad weather
b.To avoid boredom during down times
c.If they dislike a certain planned activity

Respect campground quiet hours
Make your travel fun

1.Don't travel a great distance--stop frequently
2.Make your trips short -- maybe two or three nights
3.Take toys and activities to keep them busy
4.Play car games--license plates, sign abc's, singing etc
5.Take plenty of snacks
6.Build their excitement and anticipation
A few tips on camping with an infant - Submitted by K. Molina

1. Use jar baby food. It's easy to pack. Be sure to buy the smaller jars to cut down on leftovers or waste.
2. Buy a brand of baby cereal that has the formula or whole milk already in it...just add a little bottled water.
3. Portion out the cereal in small plastic ziplock bags...just add water.
4. Buy formula ready-to-drink in cans... you don't have to add water.
5. Buy 2% milk in tetra packs that don't need to be refrigerated until they're open
6. Buy toys at the dollar store. They will keep your kids occupied in the car and at the campsite...simply throw them away if they get too dirty to take home.

Many campers worry about camping with their kids. Camping is very interesting task, but camping with kids can make your camping very risky and tough.

All kids are same, they love to explore everything and this act annoys many parents and makes the camping very hard.

But, camping is a wonderful experience for kids. They get to know different experiences such as awareness of the surroundings, appreciating the wonderful nature and exploring different things in nature.

But, making the kids busy in the camping is very different and sometimes very hard for parents too.

Kids sometimes become hyper and sometimes cannot get along well with the camping atmosphere.

Some times controlling the kids mentally and making them busy is very hard. Providing them with proper security is also very hard as they cannot be controlled easily. But, by following certain tips on security and arranging different games for the kids, you can make them to crave the benefits of camping.
Safety tips to follow for making the child’s camping successful:

* You are traveling with kids, mistakes are common. So, be sure that you will be able to correct the mistakes.
* Follow the check list according to the different camping ground requirements and see that you do not miss any required items.
* Always pack the required food for the journey, which will be enough for you to reach the camping ground.
* Bring enough water required at the camping site. If you cannot bring required water, at least see that you get a water purifier which will be able to supply pure water.
* Give your children a whistle and make them learn codes, which will inform you that they are in danger. Do not teach them different codes and confuse them, just teach codes to make you alert that they are in danger.
* Always be with your children and never let them be alone. Kids love to explore and love to explore alone. So, intimate your children about the safety measures that they should not leave the camping ground without any elderly support.

Try different kid activities to keep them busy:

Try different stories: Make children busy with different stories and tell the stories that have some moral in them. This is an ancestor method of teaching children different aspects of life. By teaching stories in the camping, you are developing a natural way of learning morals of life and making the children away from boredom. By keeping the minds of the children busy with different stories, you are developing creativity in them and providing entertainment and fun to them.

Observe nature: Observing nature from near and developing proper respect towards the nature and its beings is a great fun for children. You can make them learn how to be dedicated towards the different creatures of the world. Chilling in nature lap will be very energizing for you and children too.

The sight of the wide sky and clouds is one of the ways to relax. This relaxing way will be very interesting for children and parents too. Make them learn to identify different shapes in the sky and this will surely keep the kids busy and head them away from the boredom.