Camping tips we’ve learned by doing things wrong
I love camping and sharing the outdoors with our kids, just like my dad shared his love of the outdoors with me. Over the last 30 years of camping with kids and grand-kids, we have picked up a few tips, usually by doing things wrong.
I grew up taking float trips, a type of camping that loads everything into canoes and stays overnight along the shore. My husband spent many years packing into hunting camps with horses. But most of our trips with the kids have been car camping with tents and occasionally a camper. We love to stay at state and national parks, National Forest Service campgrounds, and some private campgrounds. Hopefully these tips will help you to have a smooth first trip with your kids.
1. Test out your camping equipment
Our biggest equipment fail happened on our first camping-with-kids experience. We bought a new, larger tent for the family and set off on the trip. And it rained. And by rained, I mean poured. In the middle of the night we woke up to puddles on the inside of the tent. Which we discovered when the 15-month-old rolled into them. And started screaming. Turns out, there were instructions advising us to waterproof the seams before using the tent….
On a lighter note, if you have a hammock, bring extra rope, because you can’t be sure your trees will be the perfect distance apart. Also, practice your knot tying. No one want to be the one sitting in the hammock when the knot fails.
If you have never been camping, see about borrowing equipment or camping with friends to see how you like it. When you are ready to get your own camping equipment shop at garage sales. You can also test the equipment and set up by camping in the backyard. We did this one year when we didn’t have anyone to watch the animals. Camped in the yard, cooked our food on the grill, and took a day trip to a park for a hike. Just like the real thing, except with easily accessible modern plumbing.
2. Prepare the child for camping
Which brings up the second tip. We did not prepare our 15-month-old for camping. She was used to being in her crib, and spent a good deal of time screaming even before rolling into the puddle of water. I was afraid we would get kicked out of the campground with all the noise she was making. Except that people really couldn’t hear her over the storm. And lots of people left during the night because of the storm. For future trips, I got her used to taking naps without her crib. Now our kids just bring along portable cribs for their babies.
Another type of preparation is for strange noises. When raccoons started fighting nearby, our granddaughter tried to get her mom to steal our van and take her home. She eventually settled down, but we could have prepped her better. Our boys on the other hand, were playing flashlight freeze tag with the same raccoons….
Sometimes, you will need to reassure your child on the spot, because you don’t know something is coming. Our first camping trip in Missouri, we were kept awake by numerous tree frogs, which we had no idea what they were. Our kids were veteran campers by then, so weren’t upset, just curious.
3. Prepare for things to go wrong
There will be problems. So do your best to prepare for them. Pack your first aid kit. One trip our son, Ben, decided to whack a wasp nest while we were on a hike. He didn’t get stung, but two people who were allergic to wasp stings did. We had medication, so it was ok. Except while we were recovering in the car we left the doors open and ran the battery down. And our remote campsite was one that AAA was having trouble finding. Fortunately, there were other people around the lake and one of them gave us a jump.
Plan for rain. In our first trip, we did not plan on rain and so did not have activities to keep two little girls entertained while being stuck in the tent for hours. We ended up shopping in the nearby tourist town, which was fun, but didn’t help our budget. In future trips we packed a bag with games, a small ball, and other activities just in case.
4. Double check for essentials
When Nick was only a few months old, I let someone else pack his stuff. We get to the campsite to discover that he has four diapers for the weekend. Sigh. Fortunately, we were not too far from a store and this was easy to fix. On a trip out west, we ran out of diapers several hours from a store…. So. Pack extra.
Compared to diapers, forgetting a can opener is minor, but my husband was never too happy about use using his knife to punch open a can. It is also a bit disappointing to realize you have pancakes without syrup or butter, burgers without ketchup, or sandwiches without bread. Check and double check the list. Not sure what to pack? Sign up for my Family Camping Checklist at the bottom of this post.
5. Know your comfort level
We were ok with staying in a campsite when it was pouring, but a lot of people left. We listened to fighting raccoons, while other people left the campsite. We only spent one night in a place we dubbed “mosquitoville” and didn’t even cook breakfast that morning, just went to a restaurant. Just this last May, we left our spot early because the heat index got to almost 100 and we were in tents.
Only you can determine when your family has stopped making memories and has become miserable. Just don’t give up too soon. Each of our trips, problems or no, have resulted in rich memories. There is something very satisfying about having your grown children sit around with each other and say, “Do you remember when….”
Our pouring down rain trip was beautiful the next morning. Our wasp trip also included watching the Perseid meteor shower and listening to loons. (And learning to keep a closer eye on little boys with sticks). Even our “mosquitoville” trip created lasting memories. And there were plenty of trips where everything went according to plan, or even better. Like finding that your campsite has a direct path to the lake.
Camping has given us rich family memories that have the grown children asking about our next trip. And we have the fun of sharing the outdoors with another generation.
What are some of your favorite tips for camping with children?