Camping With Kids: The Best Tips for a Safe and Fun Adventure

 

Camping is the ultimate adventure for kids. Fortunately, it’s not too hard on their parents’ budgets, either. Getting out in the great outdoors provides the opportunity to master new skills, discover the natural world and unplug from the constant technological stimuli that are, frankly, not all that healthy in large doses.

It’s natural to feel a little nervous at first — after all, you want to protect your babies. Fortunately, the right tips make camping with kids safe and fun. Here’s what to do.

 

Why You Should Take Your Kids Camping

Camping benefits your child’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual growth. Consider this host of impressive benefits:

• The National Academies of Sciences recently issued a new report stating that kids need one to two hours of outdoor exposure daily to prevent myopia or nearsightedness.
• Daily time outdoors equates to greater physical activity, stronger cardiovascular fitness and less sedentary activity in children aged 3 to 5. It also correlates to higher self-esteem, self-efficacy, cognition and academic performance, according to the National Institutes for Health.
• A 10% increase in green space exposure leads to a decrease in emotional problems and an improvement in positive social behaviors among youth.
• Research suggests children who spend the most time outdoors demonstrate increased environmental stewardship as adults, which ultimately benefits humanity and all living things.

 

8 Tips for a Safe and Fun Camping Adventure With Kids

Here’s how to enjoy the great outdoors with your tribe of mini-mes.

1. Pick the Right Site

If it’s your first time camping with kids, your best bet is to book a reservation at an established campground. An experienced host operates many sites, and there’s always someone nearby if you can’t figure out those tent poles. Although you’ll pay a small fee, it’s less expensive than a hotel.

Your other alternative is boondocking, which means camping at an undeveloped primitive site, generally on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or state trust land. Although boondocking is free, there’s no camp host if you run into questions. You get a more authentic backwoods experience this way — or you could start small and work your way up.

For example, some locations, like Arizona’s Verde Valley, feature both established campsites and nearby boondocking sites. Book an established site along Oak Creek and enjoy some of the most scenic hiking imaginable, such as the famous West Fork Trail, only minutes from your tent flap. As your children get older and you all gain confidence in your skills, the nearby mountains have hundreds of acres of BLM land to explore.

For the best site selection, book well in advance. Many hot spots, such as national parks, fill up early, and may use a lottery system to distribute available bookings.

 

2. Start Packing Early

It’s never too early to start packing. Begin by creating a checklist of everything you must remember, including:

• A first aid kit, your and your child’s prescriptions and any specialty medical devices — including glasses and contact lens cases.
• Plenty of sunscreen and bug spray to protect you from the elements and pests. Remember the rest of your face — include a lip balm with SPF 30 or higher, polarized sunglasses and perhaps a floppy hat for each family member.
• Clothes appropriate for layering with an inner wicking layer, a middle insulating layer and weatherproofing on the topmost. Sturdy shoes are a must for all family members, as are changes of socks and underwear.
• Backup chargers for your phone and possibly a satellite communicator like a Garmin if it’s in your budget.
• Camp cooking supplies, a fire extinguisher and a waterproof fire-starting kit.
• A tent appropriate for your family, sleeping bags for each family member and comfort objects like favorite pillows and stuffed toys.

 

 

3. Consider Your Kids (and Your) Comfort Level

Keep your camping with kids’ adventures short at first. A single night in the wild can seem like too much if the weather shifts unexpectedly. You might even warm them up by having a few campouts on your patio or in your backyard — that way, the safety of the house is only footsteps away.

Book a single night before going for an entire weekend. You might also inquire about extensions when staying at an established campground so you can stay an extra night if desired. You’ll soon learn the relative comfort level you and your kids feel in the outdoors and can expand future journeys or keep them similarly brief.

 

4. Plan Oodles of Activity Alternatives

You planned to go canoeing, but storms rendered the waters too wild for your little ones. Having a backup activity or two for such occasions is a lifesaver. Plan more fun that you can squeeze in during your camping trip so you have options based on the weather and your energy level. Include both active and quieter choices, such as making pine cone wreaths or braided bracelets with identifying wildflowers and hiking area trails.

 

 

5. Bring “On the Road Only” Games

The phrase “are we there yet?” grinds many a parent’s ears, but you can make getting to your camping destination more fun. Enter the On-the-Road car kit. It’s similar to keeping a set of flares, triangles, spare tire and jack in your ride, only its sole purpose is entertaining your littles. What makes it special is you only bust it out for longer road trips.

This kit need not be expensive — a few activity books from the dollar store may do the trick. The crucial component is uniqueness. These treats are for special occasions only.

 

6. Plan Your Menus Together

Cooking over a campfire is one of many skills you can teach your kids on your trip. However, they’re more likely to dig in if you plan your meals together. Even tiny tots can help assemble bags of trail mix with nuts, dried fruit, seeds and crackers. Older children can graduate from roasting marshmallows to cooking a steak on a kabob to medium-rare perfection.

 

7. Leave a Breadcrumb Trail

When camping, carry your cell phone and turn on location services to help people find you if you get lost. Here’s where that satellite communicator comes in handy if you can swing it. Furthermore, leave your itinerary with someone you trust at home and schedule regular check-ins so they know to contact the authorities if you fail to return or Facetime as promised.

 

8. Consider a Group Adventure

If it’s your first time camping with kids, consider joining forces with someone who already knows the ropes. A group adventure gives your little one a chance to meet new friends, and the more adult supervision you have, the better. You could team up with your playgroup buddies for a weekend excursion or consider joining a group like Full-Time Families at one of their public events.

 

 

Camping With Kids

Camping with kids is an affordable family getaway that offers oodles of benefits. Doing so safely is easier with the right tips. Plan your pint-sized adventure today — you and your little ones are sure to have a blast.

 

Your thoughts?

What do you find works best when you take your kids camping? Please share your experience in the comments below.