Preparation
A great way to prepare kids for the real McCoy camping is to start out
with backyard camping. It will help them develop basic camping skills such
as setting up and taking down a tent, unpacking and packing a sleeping bag
etc. |
Tents
You might consider getting a separate tent for your children, particularly
if they are teenagers. As children get older they like having their own
space. |
RVs
If you are a first-time RVer, get comfortable navigating your RV and
practice backing it before taking it on an expedition. Empty or near empty
parking lots (maybe a school parking lot on weekends) make excellent
practice areas. |
Camping Journal
Help your children build their own picture journals. Even your very young
children can have fun with this. Your child's journal can include
postcards, photographs, drawings or even treasures collected on outings
such as a leaf or a sand dollar shell. Once the items are affixed in the
journal, they can add their own entries with each picture or treasure.
This makes a wonderful keepsake. |
Gear
Everyone needs a pack for camping trips, even if you don't plan on doing a
major hiking expedition. Your children can use their school day packs for
short walks or hikes. Waist pouches/fanny packs are also a good
alternative. Some even come with a water bottle holder. Use these small
packs to carry a lunch, water, snacks and a few other essentials. |
On the Road
Use a small fishing tackle box with pull out drawers and compartments to
organize your child's crayons, pencils and other art supplies. This helps
to keep your travel space tidy and to prevent misplaced items. |
Critters
Keep insects out of your tent by zipping the entrance closed quickly when
entering or leaving. Also, before turning in for the night, use a
flashlight to check the inside of your tent (walls and celling) for tiny
critters waiting in ambush. |
The
above tips are from
'Family Camping 101:
Tips, Hints and Resources' by Margaret Monteran
To order click
here |
|
| Camping
with Infants
Start out with small trips (two - three
nights). If your child is not in good health or you feel uncomfortable
camping with an infant - don't do it! Leave the bassinet at home!
The only way to keep your baby close is to share your bed. When
the sun goes down carry the baby into the tent/camper and put him/her in
your bed with all of the usual bedding. Leave home at your babies'
normal nap time. A nice nap while you are driving to the campground could
be more relaxing for you. Be prepared to get up at dawn. No matter how
late you put your baby down, plan on him/her getting up at sunrise.
|
Water Proof
Matches
If you need waterproof matches, simply drip wax from candles in your home
over the tops of wooden matches. It works very well, and they light every
time.
CAUTION! Be careful when lighting the match that the hot wax doesn't drip
on your fingers. |
|
Mosquito Repeller
Here's a good tip for keeping mosquitoes
away from your camp site. Take some glass bottles. Fill them with kerosene
or lamp oil. Roll a rag for a wick leaving the wick out of the lip of the
bottle about 1/2 inch and light. Set 3 or 4 around your camp site. Works
great!
CAUTION! As with any improvised torch or candle be careful you don't start
a fire.
|
Keep
it clean
If you're going to
cook over an open fire, rub liquid soap on the outside of pots and pans.
The black soot will come right off when you wash them. |
Ice
is nice to drink
Freeze bottled water before you go. Use it to keep your cooler cold, and
when it melts you have good tasting water to drink. |
Hang
it up
Hang one of those cheap shower caddies from a tree, near the picnic
table. Use it to store dish liquid, scrubbers, dishcloths, and communal
items like tooth paste. |
In
case they don't keep going and going
If you use battery
powered equipment on camping trips (i.e.: radios, flashlights, CD players,
portable fans) make sure they all use the same type of battery. That way
if the batteries in one go dead, you can swap batteries from another unit. |
Oh,
my aching tooth
Most
people pack a first aid kit but never pack anything for a tooth ache.
Nothing can spoil a camping trip faster than a cavity, a filling that
falls out or a chipped tooth. |
Keep
it Neat
Keep a compact broom and dustpan nearby to keep the tent clean inside
while camping and a door mat on the outside. |
Popup
Privacy
If you have a
pop up camper, you can hang curtains up at each bed for more privacy, and
it is so easy... just find an appropriate size pair of curtains and hang
them on stretchy rope. attached to eye hooks at each end of the bed. The
great thing is, you can hang a sheet over the rope if you don't have
curtains. |
|
| We'd
love to add your camping tip, trick or suggestion e-mail our webmaster and
it will be inserted. campingtip@kielynet.com |
