Tips for Camping with Kids

Anyone who’s spent any time around children knows that kids are about as wild as the natural world around us but that also means they can be part of the greatest adventure we can ever embark on. Camping with kids, no matter their age, is one of the best ways to disconnect from our busy lives and connect with them to make treasured memories with them. For new parents or campers, camping with kids is intimidating. Nature can be unpredictable, packing can be difficult, and children can be tough but with our list of tips and advice, we’re hoping your adventure will be enjoyable, relaxing, and memorable for everyone!

Give them responsibility

Giving your kids responsibility throughout the entire process of camping is excellent for many reasons, the primary two are that it helps them grow in maturity and it strengthens trust between both you and your child. Dealing with packing and managing the entire process is certainly the simplest option because it is the fastest and allows you to maintain full control over the situation, but the greatest teacher is often experience. Including your child in the planning process helps keep them informed and it makes them better planners in the future. If the planning is successful, it can also ease your conscience simply by knowing that your kids are aware of what some of the expectations will be once you arrive at your destination.

Bring Extra Clothes and Food

It’s easy to over-pack sometimes but in the case of clothing and food for your kids, this isn’t so. While camping children inevitably get hangry and dirty from long days of playing in nature. Packing snacks or making sure there are leftovers after meals is a great way to keep kids from losing their temper and getting difficult. Giving them access to snack is a safe way to allow them to maintain responsibility while also giving you more of a chance to relax. Regarding clothing, something to keep in mind is that kids will get messy. They will play hard and get dirt on them, they could jump in a mud puddle, or they could drop a SMORE on their shirt, regardless of the cause, chances are strong that they will need multiple changes of clothes so pack more than you expect to need.

Manage Electronics Carefully

In our world, electronics are a part of us, and it can be difficult to shake the distracting grip that they have on us and our kids. The simple solution is to leave all game systems at home, but sometimes this isn’t such a simple solution if something like a rainy day or long car rides are involved. At the very least, they should be tightly regulated to ensure that the camping adventure is taken full advantage of. That being said, there are many useful bits of technology that can enhance your time in nature. Perhaps the most popular activity is geocaching. Geocaching is often done through an app with which users mark the location of a treasure on a shared gps map. Others, perhaps you and your kids, may then go out and search for that treasure and trade it out with new trinkets. This is a great way to interact with others and find souvenirs for your kids to keep memories of the trip.

Plan Easy Meals and Snacks

It’s easy to idealize all the possibilities of meals, but it’s best to keep them simple. Hiking, biking, swimming, and all the other activities make for hungry little campers. Keeping simple snacks available keeps them happy and you relaxed, not to mention, forgetting even one ingredient to a more complex meal can throw the whole thing off. Here’s a list of ideas for things that keep well but that are also delicious and nutritious:

• Apples
• Crackers
• Sliced Cucumbers
• Bananas
• Cheese Sticks
• Baby Carrots
• Grapes
• Nuts
• Raisins

Learn About Your Surroundings

As soon as you arrive and set up camp, take your kids out on a group expedition to explore the surrounding space near your camp. This acts as a fun activity to kick of your camping adventure, but, more importantly, it allows you to set guidelines and expectations for what sorts of things they need to be careful about and what areas they are allowed to play in while also giving you and them a heightened of awareness of the space around you.

Allow Freedom

Giving your kids freedom should be done in tandem with giving them responsibility and learning about your surroundings. Giving kids freedom can be very difficult for some parents and we totally understand but we can assure you that letting go will make the experience far more enjoyable for everyone. Kids who have the freedom to explore will keep themselves busy and give you some time to breathe while you supervise them. Likewise, kids will have the opportunity to learn through experience. Of course, things like age, risk, and abilities of your child should be taken into consideration but it will still teach things like adaptability, confidence, attention, and self-control. Children are likely to get a little hurt no matter how protected they are, but their battle wounds will heal, and they’ll have a fun story to tell.

Pack First Aid

In the case that a child does get hurt, make sure you have some first aid on hand. When camping, the biggest threat from an injury isn’t usually the wound itself, but the risk of infection as kids continue to play afterwards. Make sure you always disinfect a wound and bandage it up to help prevent bacteria from making contact as the wound attempts to heal.

Respect Others

We all know that kids need to respect those around them but it’s easy to forget that this includes other families or people camping nearby. Kids can be excited and loud, and for some, this can be disruptive. If you are camping near other people, try to make sure kids speak at controlled volumes.

Respect Nature

Respecting nature means leaving plants, animals, and insects alone. Doing so keeps the space lush and alive creating a better experience for everyone who stays there and the things that live there. This isn’t just about saving the trees though, this also ensures a critical aspect of safety. Some plants can be dangerous and some more territorial animals could be lurking, it is best to be intentional and safe when experiencing nature.

Practice Leaving No Trace

“Leaving no Trace” means to respect nature and clean up after yourself. Doing this teaches respect and responsibility for nature, for the campgrounds, and for anyone who uses the space after you. It’s also a great way to practice cleaning skills and get some help packing up. For some, this could mean taking it one step further by not only picking up your own trash, but also picking up trash that was already there. One effective way to do this can be to make a competitive game out of it and giving a prize to whoever collects the most trash by the end of the trip. Leaving no Trace protects the environment and respects the space that others share with you.

This Adventure Won’t Last Forever

If you’ve done this a dozen times or just one time with your kids, this is a precious moment that won’t last forever. Make sure you set a moment aside to really consider and take in the adventure because it’s truly something special. Camping is an opportunity for you to spend time with your kids and to share your time with them so make sure you take advantage of every second you get!