Camping with kids is a great way to get the family outside, enjoy nature and create lasting memories. However, camping can be challenging for parents of young children who are still inexperienced campers. For any parent considering taking their child camping for the first time, here are some tips on how to make it a success!
10 Tips for a Safe and Fun Camping with Kids
1. Try Camping in Your Own Backyard First
This is a great way to get used to camping with young children, who may be frightened by the unknown of camping outside their home. If you are comfortable camping in your backyard when it’s dark out, then you’ll feel much more prepared for camping away from home.
2. Plan Your Trip in Advance
If you will be camping with kids, make sure to plan all the activities in advance. Not only it is important for keeping everyone entertained but also because camping preparation such as bringing enough food and clothes may take several days or even weeks.
3. Communicate with the Kids About What They Want to Do While Camping
Before you go camping, have a discussion with your kids about the types of activities they would like to do while camping. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and avoid any conflicts once you are there.
If your kids are old enough, let them take part in the camping trip planning process. This can help make them feel more invested in the trip and give them a sense of ownership over it.
4. Come Up with a Plan for Meals and Snacks
This is especially important if you’re camping with kids who have specific dietary restrictions or allergies. Will you be cooking all your meals over the campfire? If not, will you be packing food that can easily be microwaved or doesn’t require any refrigeration? And what about snacks? Will you be bringing along granola bars, apples, and other easy-to-pack items, or are you going to let the kids roam around and find things to snack on while exploring the campsite?
5. Pack Enough Clothes!
It’s easy to forget how quickly kids can get dirty when camping. Be sure to pack at least one extra set of clothes per child (including underwear and socks) in addition to the clothes they’ll be wearing camping. If you’re camping for multiple days, pack at least one extra set of clothing per day and wash when needed (you can find out how to do this without running water here).
6. Camping Games to Play When Camping With Kids
Camping can be a lot of fun for kids, and even more enjoyable for parents when they have some activities planned. here are ten games that will keep your little ones occupied while you relax in nature:
- Treasure Hunt – hide small toys or treats around the campsite and give each child a bag to collect them in.
- Scavenger Hunt – make a list of items to find (e.g. acorn, blade of grass, red leaf) and give each child a copy.
- Fishing –provide worms or other bait and let the kids try their luck at catching fish from the nearby stream or lake. Read more tips for your kid’s fishing activity.
- Hiking – take a hike on one of the many trails near your campsite and see the sights.
- Bird Watching – bring along a pair of binoculars and teach your kids about the different types of birds they see.
- Camping Olympics – set up a few simple obstacles (e.g. balance beam, climbing wall) for a mini camping Olympics.
- Fort Building – provide some materials like branches, leaves, and tarps and let the kids build their own forts.
- Storytime – gather around the campfire at night for stories told by Mom or Dad.
- Star Gazing – lay out on a blanket under the stars and point out constellations to your children.
- S’mores Party – gather around the campfire and have a s’mores party.
7. Be Sure to Pack Clothes that are Appropriate For All Weather Conditions
If camping in the summer, make sure to bring light clothing that won’t overheat your children. Also, be aware of how weather can change and plan accordingly (i.e., pack jackets if camping during fall or winter).
Clothing should also take into consideration any activities planned for the trip. For example, do not forget swimsuits and sunscreen when packing for a day at the beach!
In addition to bringing clothing appropriate for all weather conditions, it is important to have appropriate shoes as well. This includes hiking boots or sturdy walking shoes depending on where you are going.
8. Make Sure Your Family is Prepared for Emergencies
Camping can be a fun and rewarding experience for your family, but it’s important to remember that emergencies can happen while you’re away from home. Make sure your family is prepared for any type of emergency by packing an emergency kit.
Some items you may want to include in your emergency kit are:
- First Aid supplies
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- Map of the area
- Matches or a lighter
- Knife
- Multi-purpose tool
- Phone charger
- Pocket knife
- Poncho or raincoat
- Sunscreen
9. Keeping Safe in the Wilds of Nature
Familiarize yourself with the area before you camp, so that you can plan accordingly and avoid dangerous areas.
If camping in a group, appoint someone as a lookout for each shift. This person should keep an eye out for potential danger, such as snakes or other animals. If camping solo with your kids, be sure to set boundaries and stick to them. Let your children know where it is safe to explore and where they should stay within close proximity.
10. Pack Up Everything You Brought When You Leave!
This may seem like common sense, but it’s easy to forget to do this when camping with kids. Be sure to take down your tents, pack away all your camping gear, and clean up any food or garbage that you created while camping. This will help make packing up for departure much easier (and quicker) on the last day.
Conclusion
Camping with kids can be a fun and bonding experience. Follow these tips to have the best camping trip possible! The key is being prepared for anything from bad weather conditions, emergency situations, or even what activities you might want to do while in nature.
Make sure you’ve planned your food in advance so everyone in your family has plenty of healthy snacks on hand throughout the day. Pack up everything when you leave camp- it will make cleanup easier when you get home too!
Lastly, don’t forget that there are lots of great benefits to camping with kids like exploring new places together; fresh air; getting away from technology; learning valuable life skills like how to start fires safely without matches (just kidding)!
My name is Andrea Thompson and I’m a home based freelance writer. I’m 23 years old, married to my best friend, and mother to a wonderfully independent and opinionated 3 year old girl and step-mother to a sweet seven year old boy. I live in a tiny, little town in Kentucky, where I spend my free time fishing with my kids.
Writing has always been my passion, which I followed through high school, and for a while in college. Life happened, and once I discovered we were pregnant, I switched directions; opting for the healthcare industry because of the stability.
Finally, years later, I was in a place where I could leave the day job that never truly made me happy, and pursue my dreams. I’ve built, and am still building, my writing career from scratch. But, I’m passionate and I’m good at what I do. And, in the end, I can prove to my daughter that she can do anything she wants with this life.
