Camping With Kids – 10 Tips All Parents Need To Know

Getting back to nature and camping in the great outdoors can be a fun and truly enriching experience for the entire family. It gives you the chance to get away from the stresses of everyday life, switch off for a while, and really bond with your partner and children. That being said, family camping trips can also be quite stressful, especially if you’ve never been on one before. To help you out and make sure that your trip is the best that it can be, here are ten vital tips that you should know.

Easy Your Family Into It

Your first family camping trip can be quite a shock to the system, which is why you should try out the experience before you dive in feet first. Rather than going ahead and booking a two-week long trip, you should opt for a weekend instead. You might even want to try camping in your garden for the night before you do the real thing. This will give you an idea of how you would cope in a real camping environment and show you whether this is something your family would enjoy.

Choose The Perfect Family Tent

Once you’ve decided that camping is right for your family, you will need to go and buy yourself a tent. This is going to be your home away from home, so it’s important that it’s absolutely perfect. While you’re looking for tents, make sure that yours has enough space for your family and your belongings, and that the headroom is comfortable. If this is your first real time camping, then you’ll also want one that is relatively easy to set up. Consider a car awning – they are a great addition to the setup. Not only do they provide shelter and protection, but they also offer convenience and versatility that can enhance your overall outdoor experience. 

Make Sure You Plan Ahead

Campsites can fill up incredibly quickly, especially throughout the summer, which is why you need to start planning early and make your reservation as soon as possible. However, that doesn’t mean that you should rush the process; You’ll still need to do plenty of research and make sure that the site you’re booking is right for you. Some campgrounds don’t have the facilities to accommodate children, so make sure that the one you choose is family-friendly.

Write A Detailed Packing List

When you go camping, unlike other vacations, you have to bring your accommodation with you, which means that, naturally, there are a lot more things you’re going to need to pack. To make sure that you don’t forget anything vital, you should write out a detailed packing list, containing everything from wood briquettes to your sleeping bags. Before you hit the road, check this list a couple of times and go around your home to ensure that everything is packed in your car.

Figure Out Food At Home

Despite what many believe, there is a look that you can cook when you’re camping. Because of this, you should do some research on camping food and plan your meals before you go away. This way, once you’re at your campsite and are all set up, you’ll be able to head to a grocery store and buy all of the ingredients you’re going to need. This will save you lots of time and stress, and may even save you some money in the long run.

Set Some Campsite Safety Rules

You might have reserved a pitch at a family-friendly campsite, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s safe for your little ones to wander off on their own. To keep everyone safe, you should set up your tent and then take your kids for a walk along the campgrounds. While you’re doing this, you can show them areas that are out of bounds and set some safety rules for them to follow while you’re away. If they can’t follow these instructions, then you shouldn’t leave them alone.

Plan Plenty Of Fun Activities

Camping can be incredibly serene and relaxing, but, unfortunately, this won’t always keep your kids happy. Because of this, you need to make sure that you plan plenty of fun activities for you all to do while you’re away. This could include trips to the beach, hiking, kayaking, or something completely different. You should also pack plenty of entertainment for while you’re in the tent, such as books, board games, and maybe even a tablet to watch films and television.

Put Boundaries On Screen Time

Dragging children away from a screen can be difficult regardless of their age, and this, unfortunately, can affect the quality time you have while you’re away. To make sure that everyone remains present, you should set boundaries on how long your kids are allowed to be texting, playing games, or watching television. However, these boundaries will only work if you set a good example, so make sure you try to steer clear of technology too.

Stick To Your Regular Routine

When you’re camping with young children, you need to make sure that you stick to your regular routine as much as possible. Of course, there are going to be a few changes and adjustments that need to be made, but nap and bedtimes should stay as similar as you can make them. Sleeping in a tent can be a strange experience, which will likely disrupt your children’s sleeping to some degree, so keeping things as normal as you can help to lessen this impact.

Share Chores With The Children

With camping comes a number of chores that you don’t have to face on a normal vacation, like collecting the firewood, lighting the fire, and washing up. It may be tempting to do these things alone, but this can waste a lot of time that you could have otherwise spent with your loved ones. Because of this, you should make sure that you give your children a few tasks of their own to complete. Depending on their ages, there are plenty of things that they could do.

Camping with your family can be a fun and relaxing experience, but, if you’re unprepared, it can also be a nightmare. If you want to have an amazing time with your loved ones, then the advice above should help.