Want to go camping, but you are worried about traveling with your children? We assure you that there is nothing to worry about! Most kids love camping trips, and it takes just a little bit of preparation to make this vacation easy and memorable for them. The situation becomes even better if you have more than one child – they can provide endless entertainment to one another, as long as you plan your trip accordingly. Below, we will discuss some of the most important things to take into consideration, as well as what choices to make in order to guarantee a great experience for all campers.
Pick The Right Camp Spot
There are some extra things to consider if you want to make camping with kids easy. The short version is that your campground spot should have sufficient shade for your kids to play in, as well as a restroom nearby. But these are just the most basic things to take into consideration. Other things that you should look for in order to give your kids a great time include:
- If your kids are little, then finding a nearby playground is strongly recommended. For your convenience, you might want to try to get to the playground as possible. This way, it will always be at the disposal of your children, and you will be able to observe them comfortably from your spot.
- Do your kids like bicycles, skateboards, scooters, or anything else on wheels? Then you should certainly prioritize the camp spots that have a decently leveled, asphalted, or cemented area.
- Last but not least, see if waterfront camping spots are an option. Most kids love water, and it opens a ton of entertaining activities for them to enjoy.
Do not Neglect the Importance of Shade
We already mentioned this in the first part, but it is time to expand on this topic. Shade is important regardless if you are camping during the summer or winter – sunburn can happen in the cold months as well. If your camping spot does not have naturally shady spots, then you might need to take care of this yourself. One of the easiest ways to create shade for your kids is to set up a basic pop up tent. These will not take much space in your luggage, and they are very easy to set up and uninstall.
Camping with Kids is Easy with the Right Activities
If you have camped with kids before, then you may already know that coming up with activities is not as difficult as some people make it out to be. For example, a waterfront offers tons of opportunities for activities like swimming and fishing. If you have a boat, then teaching your kids a bit more about boating is another great activity to explore.
But, of course, a waterfront is far from mandatory when it comes to entertainment. We already mentioned what you should look for if your kids love being on wheels. Other options to explore include various sports – bringing a football or soccer ball is strongly recommended. Badminton is another great sport that is perfect for any camping spot.
If you have little children, then there are plenty of small things that they can enjoy too. While they can also participate in sports, they can also be interested in other things. For example, bringing a bug catching kit is a ton of fun for them, especially when you are at a new spot with different butterflies and bugs.
Teach them Camping Skills
Camping trips are a great way to bond with your children and also give valuable lessons and knowledge. Get them to help when you set up the camp or perform different activities such as lighting the fire or collecting firewood. If you have the knowledge, tell them a bit more about the surrounding nature – animals, trees, plants, etc. If they decide to join you when you are doing anything camping-related, then make sure to do things slower and explain each step. This is what it’s all about!
Here are some easy camping skills to start with:
- Gathering Kindling for the Fire
- Pounding in Tent Stakes
- Leveling a Camper
- Putting Up a Tent
- Setting Up Chairs
Keep Food Prep Simple
You can keep kids happy with the simplest food. Burgers, hotdogs, and sandwiches are almost always a hit, as well as being easy to prepare and clean up. Other things to try out are pre-cooked dinners, steamed vegetables, foil-packed dinners, and other easy-to-prepare food. Naturally, camping trips are a great opportunity to prepare some meat or other food over the fire, so keep that in mind as well.
Bring an Extra Tent
If you have been camping for a while, then you might have more tents than you would typically need. We advise you to bring an extra one to make camping with kids easy. Setting it up can give them a great place to rest, read, and enjoy other kid activities such as coloring books or board games. If your tent is larger, then it can also double as extra storage space to do the packing and unpacking a lot easier. A bonus tent space can be a treehouse-like experience for the kiddos.
Save Time Cleaning after Kids with this One Trick
Anyone who has been camping knows how easy it is to get dirt and sand anywhere. Cleaning can be a pain, and it can be even more difficult with kids – they have the ability to get all sorts of grime and dirt inside. Thankfully, there is an easy and fun way to keep them clean before they enter the camper or tent – use a pump sprayer and some towels. Kids certainly do not mind water, and you are guaranteed to get rid of all dirt and sand in just a few minutes. Using the kind of pump sprayer you’d use for herbicides (a new one, not a used one!), just fill with water, pump and spray them down before entering the tent or camper.
As you can see, camping with kids is easy with minimal preparation. Knowing a few tricks and choosing the right spot can enhance both your and their experience. Of course, it is not necessary to apply all the tips above – you know what your kids enjoy best, so make the right choices according to their preferences.
