Camping with Kids: 5 Tips to Ensure You Triumph Over Nature

Memorial Day weekend has long been considered the unofficial start of summer. In 2013, AAA estimated that 34.8 million people would drive 50 miles or more on that holiday, and vacation traffic only gets worse by the Fourth of July and after, when the weather really starts to heat up. Anyone who lives near the coast or by a lake knows the roadways become gridlocked with RVs and campers, trucks pulling boats and jet skis, and cars saddled with roof-racks carrying more bicycles than you will find at the Tour de France. Where is everyone going? Camping, of course.

Spending a week at a campground in the summer is about as homespun and traditional as Grandma’s apple pie. While it’s not for everybody (look hard and chances are you will spot that city girl trying to light a fire in high heels), it’s something that all kids should experience. As a parent, however, camping with kids can become a bit trying, especially if your child doesn’t adapt well to mosquitos, raccoons or sleeping on an air mattress. If you want to make it out alive, you need the survival guide to camping with kids:

Man vs. Nature

Choose the right location. If you’re a novice camper, don’t pull a Thoreau and hike the family into the middle of the woods, miles from civilization. The whole man versus nature thing is overrated. Besides, what are you going to do when you run out of supplies, and there’s no camping store around?

Do What You Want to Do

This is not only your children’s’ vacation—it’s yours, too. Find the time to do the things you enjoy. Whether it’s fishing for Largemouth Bass in Lake Delton or hunting at the Big Racks Hunt Club, devote a day or a portion of a day to doing what you want. The mini-golf will still be there tomorrow, as will the waterslide attraction and ice cream stand. If you plan to hunt, consider taking the online Wisconsin hunter safety course. This course is designed to help you meet mandatory hunting education requirements. It features professional narration, animations and an online shooting range. It’s the perfect way to sharpen your skills.

Pack cards, Scrabble, Yahtzee, checkers and any other board game you have stuffed in that old and unused game closet at home. Some campers even bring TVs, video game systems and more electronic devices than one could ever need. While camping purists scoff at these items, many campgrounds have Wi-Fi. If you’re planning a two-week vacation, there’s no harm in packing an electronic device for downtime use. Just set a limit to how often your kids can use it—such as just at night or when you’re taking a mid-day catnap.

Include the Little Necessities

Packing for a camping trip is an art form. First, you have to arrange all the gear in the automobile. Second, the cooler needs to be fed with ice and packed and re-arranged on a daily basis. Third, you have to pack all the items you need for the trip. Batteries, matches, bug repellent, suntan lotion, shower shoes, toiletries and zip-close bags are just a few that come to mind.

Pack More than Hotdogs

While eating hamburgers and hotdogs is fun for a weekend, if you’re setting up the tent for the long haul, you’re going to need a few more camping recipes. Chili and spaghetti are easy meals to whip up on a Coleman stove. Or assemble tinfoil dinners before you head out, then stick them in the fire for an easy no-mess meal. Also, skip the instant coffee and pack a French Press.

Bring Downtime Activities

Pack cards, Scrabble, Yahtzee, checkers and any other board game you have stuffed in that old and unused game closet at home. Some campers even bring TVs, video game systems and more electronic devices than one could ever need. While camping purists scoff at these items, many campgrounds have Wi-Fi. If you’re planning a two-week vacation, there’s no harm in packing an electronic device for downtime use. Just set a limit to how often your kids can use it—such as just at night or when you’re taking a mid-day catnap.

Photo courtesy of Flickr:

Photo courtesy of Flickr: