The following contribution is from another author.
Every parent around the world knows that going on a vacation with children is simply parenting elsewhere, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be as fun as possible for everyone involved. One of the best things that you can do as a family is allow the kids to be as free and feral as they like – and camping is the perfect situation for that! Sure, the idea of taking the kids camping may strike fear into the hearts of even the most seasoned parent, but that’s a very defeatist way of looking at what could be an amazing time.
Camping is supposed to be joyful. It’s supposed to take you out of the panic of putting together the perfect vacation at a hotel and resort and give you all a chance to get in touch with nature. If the kids seem a little feral, this is their chance to run around and get dirty, learn a few life skills and make them feel like they are a part of something fun. The type of camper you are will depend on the vacation you’re about to have. Some parent campers like to roll out the foam mats and sleeping bags and pile into a tent. Others have a full glamping set up complete with toddler mattress buying guide research to see which toddler mattresses they could bring on their camping trip. Excessive? Nope – whatever you want to do to make your camping trip easier is the best option. However, it doesn’t mean that you’re going to find the entire adventure easy, so take a look at the tips below to make your next family camping trip a fun and exciting one, rather than one full of stress.
- Don’t stress over the ‘are we there yet?’ questioning. Oh, it’s the bane of every traveling parent’s life. Having the kids bored five minutes onto the highway is really not easy to deal with because it can put a stressful tone on the mood. Instead of panicking over it, though, start accepting that even if you pack the car with a myriad of activities, they’re going to ask anyway! Before you get started with your trip, anticipate this question by showing the route, getting the kids a stop watch so they can time the amount of waiting they have between stops and give them regular snacks along the way. Doing this may not stop them asking, but it will surely delay it.
- Get the kids involved. With the packing, with the unloading and especially with building the tent, you should get all of the kids involved. Even the youngest ones can help with putting their blankets and teddies into their beds. Giving the kids easy tasks will not just help them to learn what goes into camping, but it will help them to stay wonderfully busy while you’re doing all the hard stuff. You don’t want to give them anything too strenuous, however, as that will just put them off helping you for life. It’s a great way to help the kids to learn what goes into it and if you have older kids, they should be helping you regardless!
- Pack activities they’ll like. The one thing that you cannot guarantee is the weather when you’re camping. No one can really rely on the weather reports, and if it starts to rain you still have to entertain the kids. Books, coloring in activities and board games are brilliant for when the weather isn’t so favorable for outdoor activities. If the kids have screens like Nintendo handhelds, you might want to leave those at home because the idea of camping is that they don’t have to be stuck to their screens all of the time. There are plenty of other things for them to do when the weather sucks. The alternative is also to ensure that they have rain boots and coats for some super muddy splashing.
- Give them some control. If you want your camping trip to go smoothly, make sure that each of the kids has their own backpack with them, full of their favorite snacks and activities for the trip. It should also have essentials like water, tissues and sunscreen. They will feel like a part of something and it gives them a sense of well-placed self-importance. They can be involved in packing these bags, too, so that they feel like they are contributing something to the trip.
- Make a list of necessities. When you’re camping, you are in the wilderness and experiencing nature in all of her rough and raw glory. That means that you need to be prepared for every possible eventuality. You’ll need sanitizers and antibacterial wipes for public toilets, baby wipes for hands and faces, medicines and a First Aid kit for those just in case moments. There are so many things that can be needed during a trip so think back to your last camping trip or vacation and make a note of what you needed.
- Keep an eye on the forecast. You have to bring the right amount of clothing for all of you when you go camping but you also need the clothes you bring to be appropriate. You’ll need more than you think, too, because kids get dirty and messy in the space of ten seconds and you won’t have washing facilities to keep up with it all. Also, it’s a good idea to pack roll away windcheaters so that you’re protected if it rains and is windy. Always bring what you need for daily wear, then plan for accidents and changes in the weather.
- Teach the kids campsite safety. If you’re pitching in nature, you’ll have to think about what you need to do such as dig out a toilet. However, if you’re pitching at a campsite you need to verse the kids on how to behave around other campers. Things like not running through other people’s campsites, being quiet early in the morning and returning to the tent during meals are all important lessons to consider. Camping etiquette means that your family won’t be the one everyone gets mad at!
- Keep responsibility flowing. If the kids have chores at home, then keep that going at camp, too. Collecting firewood and cooking, washing camping dishes and organizing games – all of these are things the kids can replicate that they are used to.
