fbpx
Lifestyle & Fashion BlogsParenting & Motherhood Tips

10 Tips for Camping With Kids

Camping is an activity that you either love it or hate it. There isn’t too much grey area when it comes to the outdoors. Here in the Pacific Northwest, camping is loved activity among all different families. Every weekend families are packing up to go camping with kids out into the wilderness and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

For those who don’t like sleeping in tents, there are a plethora of RVs out there just for you! RV camping is called “glamping”. Glamping is definitely my type of camping! But either direction that you choose to go, both require some tips if you are bringing children with you! Here is a list of 10 tips for parents when camping with kids.

Camping-with-kids

 

Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash

 

Easy meals

Easy meals are a necessity when going camping with kids. Print out recipes before leaving so you’re able to have the food prepared. Easy campfire recipes and prepared foods are the best way to go when camping with kids.


 

Pack layers of clothing

When camping outside, the temperature will drop at night. Being warm is much easier to solve then being cold. Packing layers for each person on the trip is essential in the case of inclement weather or temperatures dropping. When camping with kids, bringing extra blankets can never hurt either!

 

camping-outside-with-kids

Go over the basics

Before getting to the campground, go over basics like what to do in case of a fire. Reviewing protocol for wild animals and bathroom procedures can help keep everyone in the group safe. Showing children where to put their garbage and how to cover things that shouldn’t be out in the event of wild animals. Preparing the group if it were to rain or snow. Having an escape route or emergency plan is something we don’t really think about but is necessary to communicate to your family.


 

Plan entertainment

When packing for camping with kids, make sure to pack some sort of entertainment! Knowing that iPads and cell phones may or may not work at the campground, this would be a great time to introduce board games and family bonding time! Card games, reading, campfire stories, and roasting marshmallows are common activities that families can do at the campground.


eating-marshmallows-at-a-campfire

Photo by Leon Contreras on Unsplash

 

Conduct a test

Get yourself a tent and place it in the backyard. Then have the children go camping outside for the night and test that this is something they might want to do. Setting up a test run before doing the actual camping can eliminate any unhappy campers before it’s the real deal.


Stick to usual routines

If camping will last a whole week or even a long weekend, try the best to keep up daily routines. Many times families are camping during the school year and allowing kids to stay up very late. Try sticking to their normal bedtime to avoid messing up their internal clocks.

Book a campsite early

Camping sites fill out extremely quick, especially in the Pacific Northwest and Yellowstone. Plan ahead by booking your camping ground a few months in advance. This way you know there will be a space for you before arriving.

Plan ahead

Not only does planning ahead mean booking your campsite early, it also means preparing meals, clothes, children, technology etc. Charing everything before you leave, making sure all the food and blankets are set, preparing all the tents and sleeping bags for the outdoors, etc.

Visit the library

Prepare your family with books to read during your camping trip. Technology may or may not work in your location of choice so having a back up plan is important. It is possible you might get Audible.com to work so kids can listen to books. If you have an RV and are able to charge technology, a Kindle would be acceptable too. Old fashion books can never go wrong. Prepare for more books than needed just as a precaution to boredom!


Create a schedule

When camping with kids, create a schedule with them for each day. Incorporating their opinion on what they would like to do each day is a great bonding experience.  Many times we focus on what we think our children want to do, but forget to involve them in the decision. Planning out an idea of what everyone wants to do during the day makes it more fun for everyone!


 

Featured Photo by Jake Sloop on Unsplash

This post may contain affiliate links. Please visit my disclaimer page from more information. 

Show More

TWL Working Mom

Jennifer is the owner of TWL Working Moms. She is a full time teacher, a mom & step mom, and NBCT Facilitator. Jennifer lives in Washington State and is a born + raised New Yorker. In her spare time, she loves traveling, yoga, the beach, writing, listening to books and drinking coffee.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Back to top button