Camping with kids is great family fun. We are all kids at heart when it's time to go camping, but when your camping trip includes young children some extra planning and precautions will make the trip more fun and memorable. Here are some tips to help you start thinking ahead about camping with children.
Teach young children to stay within eyesight, and older children within earshot.
Teach children to stay where they are if they discover they are lost. Instruct them to find a nearby tree and stay with it until they are found.
Children over the age of four can carry a simple survival kit, or at least a whistle around their neck to call for help when lost. The standard distress signal is three blows to indicate "I'm lost" or "I need help."
Sort and pack each day of your children's clothes within individual small plastic grocery bags in his/her suitcase. This way your child can grab a bag in the morning and have a full set of clothes for the day, and at night he/she can stuff the dirty ones back in the bag thus not mixing up the rest of the suitcase.
Children get cold faster than adults. The key to comfortable camping with kids is to dress them in several layers, which can be peeled off as they get warm or added on as they cool off.
Provide each child with a flashlight. To prevent any arguments, make sure each one has their own.
Children love to play with the flashlights, and having one also makes them more at ease after dark.
Flashlights are also handy when making trips to the restroom, for making shadow puppets on tent walls, and for reading before bed.
Bring along a game you all like to play at home. Playing it outdoors with a lantern or flashlights will add to the fun.
Teach your kids to treat the outdoors kindly. Make sure all waste is disposed of properly when camping or hiking along the trails.
Camping with children is more fun when you bring a playmate along. Two or more children will entertain themselves for longer periods than will a single child.
Camping Safety Tips
Camping is a safe and fun activity enjoyed by millions every year. Every day to day activity we spend our time on has its ups and downs. Big problems are very unlikely, but some safety awareness can help you deal with the little things that pop up, so you the little irritations that life brings us now and then won't become trip busters. Here are some tips for camping safety.
Weather can be unpredictable. Check the weather forecast for the area.
Take enough food, clothing, and equipment to keep you comfortable in case of emergency.
Tell someone where you will be, and when you plan to be home, in case someone needs to find you.
Plan to return to camp well before dark. Remember that daylight hours are shorter in the fall and winter.
Be alert to approaching storms, dress properly, and seek appropriate shelter.
Dress properly. Check the weather and terrain.
Poisonous snakes, ticks and poisonous plants may be found along trails. Exercise caution.
If you are a beginning camper, use the camping check lists found on this site.
Avoid tick bites by staying on trails and avoiding grassy, brushy areas. Wear light colored clothing so ticks can be seen. Tuck shirts into pants and pant legs into socks. Do not wear shorts on the trails. If a tick is attached to your skin, grab it with tweezers and remove it. Do not crush the tick's body, as this can force bacteria into your skin. Wash the area thoroughly with soap and water. If you think part of the tick has remained in the skin, or if you think the tick has been attached for longer than 48 hours, seek medical attention. Be alert to a subsequent fever or skin rash. Report these to the doctor.
Always plan where to meet should one of your family members get separated.
Check your first aid kits before each trip. Replace any missing items, like band aids, and check expiration dates on medicines and ointments.
First, the whole family gets involved together in making out your camping check list. Everyone's excitement and anticipation will increase. Making out your check list months ahead is one way of really starting your vacation early.
Second,check listshelpyou organize and pack your camping gear. The check list reminds you what to bring, and where to pack it. When you are getting ready to go, you can easily see what errands you need to run in order to pick up those last few items.
Third, check lists help you remember to take everything with you.
Camping and Wildlife
Communing with nature means living amidst wild creatures. Songbirds, chipmunks, squirrels, deer and antelope are all great fun to watch. So are skunks, opossum, coyotes and bears if you are able to camp in their neck of the woods. But wild is "wild" and wild animals are happiest and healthiest when the are left wild. Here are some tips for safely enjoying the wildlife around you.
Do not feed or approach wildlife. This can lead to abnormal and potentially dangerous animal behavior.
Don't corner a wild animal. This might cause it to attack. Back away slowly if the animal does not flee.
Report sick or aggressive animals. Many areas are affected by rabies.
Prevent animals from getting into your food. Consider placing it in your vehicle, or hanging it in a tree (12 feet high, 4 feet from tree trunk).
Do not attract animals to your campsite by leaving food out. Keep your campsite clean and free of food smells by disposing of all food wastes in the park trash receptacles. Lock all opened food in plastic containers or in your car. And never, ever, leave food in your tent. That includes candy and cookies. You'll sleep more soundly if you know everything is safely out of animals' reach.Click here for Survival/First Aid Kits
Obviously the type of camping gear you'll need depends on several factors - how long you're planning to camp, what time of year it is, what type of activities you're planning around your trip and where you're camping. Let's start with the campsite itself, which is a necessity for most any camping trip: Tent (make sure to bring the poles and stakes), Sleeping bag, Lightweight tarp to use as a ground cover beneath your tent, Blankets/sheets, Pillow, air mattress or sleeping pad, Air pump, Repair kit for mattress, Extra stakes, Brush/dust pan to clean out your tent, Tool kit (with tent stake puller, mallet and axe), Flashlight with extra batteries, Bungee straps, Duct tape, Backpack.
Next up, it's cooking essentials: Cooler with ice, Propane stove, Coffee pot/tea kettle, Thermos, Matches/Lighter, Campfire grill, Plates, bowls, Utensils, including a knife and cooking tools (spatula, big spoon), Measuring cups, Tablecloth, Fire starters/newspapers, Dishwashing detergent, Skewers for the grill, Tongs, Towel, Folding table, Cups, Cutting board, Pots/pans, Can/bottle opener, Sponge, Aluminum foil, Storage containers, Paper towels, Trash bags, Bottled water (a few gallons), Zip Lock bags.
Food Suggestions:
Coffee/tea Salt and pepper Cooking oil Trail mix Various seasonings Sugar/sweetener Plastic bags Bread Butter
Old comfortable shoes/boots, Jeans, T-shirts, Shorts, Socks, Bandana, Sweatshirt/jacket, Rain gear, Sleepwear, Hat, Dirty laundry bag, Swimsuit, Sunglasses.
Most often forgotten: Prescription medication, First-aid kit, Sunscreen/chapstick, Extra batteries or light bulb Compass,Bug repellant, Candles, Maps/directions, Cellphone/charger Battery, jumper cables, Pocket change, Camera, Fishing/Hunting licenses.
You'll be glad you brought:A deck of cards or other games, Camera Reading material, A battery-operated radio, Maps, Ice, Backpack, Extra snacks, Waterproof Fishing/Hunting licenses First Aid kit:Personal medications Aspirin/Tylenol, Band-Aids, Gauze pads, Antibacterial ointment, Snake-bite kit, First-aid manual, Road flare, Tissues, Adhesive tape, Tweezers, Bee sting kit, Hydrogen Peroxide, Burn ointment, (Aloe) Antiseptic wipes, Scissors, Bug spray.
What type of camping-gear and how much you buy is dependent on many factors. The main factors include the type of camping you intend doing, and the degree of comfort you wish to have. In general you should get the best quality gear that you can afford. Also you should get gear that performs in the maximum environmental conditions you anticipate with a margin for excessive conditions. Also don't buy more gear than the type of camping you are doing requires. If you anticipate progressively undertaking harder expeditions then it is economically sensible to invest in gear that is capable of accommodating your plans. There are many great and innovative products that have great performance and weight characteristics. Remember that whatever you choose you may have to carry it on your back.
Packing up the car for a camping trip? In addition to sleeping bags and fishing gear, you'll need to safely transport a stash of food for your outdoor adventure. If you're hitting the road in an RV, do a safety check in your kitchen-on-wheels. Before you roll out, check out these safe food handling tips for camping and RV's.
RV Kitchen Safety
Before you rev up your RV's motor and hit the road, make sure your mobile kitchen is ready for the trip. These tips reduce the risk of meal mishaps as you travel highways and byways.
If your RV has not been used for awhile, check the quality dates on canned foods left over from last year. If canned foods have been exposed to freezing and thawing temperatures over the winter, discard them.
Store uncooked rice, cereals and pasta in resealable food storage bags or airtight plastic containers to prevent spillage and insect infestation.
Make sure all food preparation areas in the vehicle are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
Check the refrigerator. Set the thermostat properly and clean thoroughly before using. See Fridge & Freezer Cleaning for more information.
If your RV has a propane system, turn the refrigerator off while traveling for safety. Most manufacturers claim that the temperature in the refrigerator will raise only 2 degrees in 6 hours if it is not opened often. Use a thermometer to check that the temperature is below 40°F.
RV parks may have inadequate voltage, and this can play havoc with appliances. Use a volt checker to monitor your power line. This protects appliances from power surges and gradual drains from power fluctuations.
