The very first camping trip for any kid should be filled with excitement and adventure! Camping opens up a whole new world for kids – from exploring natural surroundings, to toasting marshmallows over a campfire, a kids camping trip can be an excellent way to teach new skills, while showing an appreciation for all the different elements which makes camping such an enjoyable experience. There may be opportunities to indulge in fishing and other fun hobbies, and even helping to prepare the evening’s supper – camping is a great way to help kids learn about responsibility.
Here are five tips to help ensure that your kid’s first camping trip is a roaring success!
Tips for Camping with Kids
1. Planning Your Trip
Before embarking on a camping trip, you will need to carefully plan in advance to ensure that your kid has a safe, and fun experience. If you are going on a family trip, you will need to check that you have tents which can comfortably accommodate each family member. You will also need to decide where each member of the family will sleep. Kids can sometimes feel anxious about being in new surroundings and may want to sleep with Mom or Dad!
Tents should be waterproof and secure – if you haven’t used your tent for a while, it might be worth checking it over in case it has any tears or rips. The last thing you need is to arrive at your campsite, and learn that the tent is full of holes, particularly if it decides to rain!
2. Choosing Your Campsite
Choosing a campsite is probably one of the most important things when camping with kids. Thankfully, kid friendly facilities at camping sites are usually very good, however there will always be some campsites, which aren’t particularly suitable for children. Things you may want to consider, include whether there are toilets and showers, and whether the campsite is an area that could pose as a danger to kids. Is the campsite close to a river? Are there fun things for kids to do such as walking trails, fishing etc? A simple risk assessment will often determine whether the site is suitable for you and your family – with so many campsites, you are sure to find something which is convenient and safe!
3. Activities
Unfortunately you cannot control the weather – packing board games, books and coloring in or other activities, in the event of a washout, will help prevent your kids from going cabin crazy! Perhaps you could go for a drive to see if there are any fun sites nearby, particularly if the rain is relentless! Having a backup plan is a great way to ensure that kids won’t be disappointed if things beyond your control, such as the weather, hinder your trip.
4. Camping Essentials
Camping with kids isn’t just about ensuring that you have a suitable tent! In order for your kids first camping trip to be a success, you will need to make sure that you have some camping essentials including appropriate bedding and pillows, torches, a first aid kit, cooking utensils, food, a lighter or matches for a campfire, and enough changes of clothes. You don’t need to overpack and can travel relatively light – it will depend on your length of stay, and ensuring that you have enough supplies to get by for the duration of your camping trip.
5. Fun Learning Experiences
While sleeping under the stars is a fun experience, a kids camping trip is a great way to help them learn about new skills. Getting kids involved in new activities, is a great way to teach them about responsibility – it’s about providing new learning experiences in a different environment. Ask them to help you put up the tent or collect firewood – they will love helping and getting involved. It is also a great way to boost self esteem and confidence. A kids first camping trip should be filled with happy memories, in a positive atmosphere and getting them involved as much as possible will give them a wonderful sense of achievement!
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