Making Camping Safe and Fun

Kids and camping in the summer months are a natural match and a wonderful way for the entire family to spend time together unplugged and away from distractions. It is also a great way to connect you children to the world around them, to understanding the importance of the environment, and in developing a passion for the world in which we live.

Camping with kids does have a few special requirements when compared to camping with teens or young adults. However, with just a few extra considerations you can make sure that the entire trip is a positive experience for everyone.

• Consider your location for the first few trips, especially with young children and toddlers. If you stay close to home, or close to amenities, you don’t have to worry about hiking back out if the trip is not going well. Consider major campgrounds that are easy to access and that have a lot of kid friendly things to do. You may also want to consider a campground with running water and full restrooms especially if you have the younger children. 

• Before buying everything try camping with rental equipment first. This will help you decide what size tent or tents you need before investing a lot of money. Kids will enjoy being part of the “approval” process for equipment as well.
• Bring lots of light. Children that are used to electricity and street lights are going to find it very dark in most campgrounds and camping areas. LED lanterns are a great option as they last for the whole season and don’t require the fuel and flame of the traditional camping lantern.
• Pack favorite foods such as cereal, crackers, snacks and hot dogs, that can be eaten even if the weather gets bad and a campfire is out of the question. By having lots of easy, healthy snacks on hand active kids will also stay happy between meals.
• Go paper and plastic to avoid doing dishes. Bring a large plastic garbage bag and set a great example by cleaning up the campground completely before you leave and hauling all your trash to the proper area for disposal.

You can also involve your kids in planning the trip and packing, this really adds to the learning component of the camping trip and helps you remember all the important things that need to come along.