As a kid, I (Vicky) never went camping. It was just something we never did, I think my mum’s fear of spiders may have been the overarching reason. However, Mr ESLT did go camping, albeit infrequently when he was small and loved it. Therefore, when the kids came along, it was something he really wanted to do with them. So, he bought all the necessary camping gear, booked a campsite and off we went. I must admit I enjoyed camping with kids a lot more than I thought I would and they thought it was the best thing since sliced bread referring to the tent as ‘ our camp’ and suckling down sausages from the campfire morning, noon and night.
Camping really is an activity the whole family can truly enjoy providing you prepare for properly. Mr ESLT did A LOT of research regarding what equipment we would need. This included both the basics and the extras to ensure the kids weren’t bored, wet or miserable resulting in them never wanting to go again. He did a great job and here are some of the key things we found we needed to do when camping with kids.
Consult and Plan The trip With The Kids
When planning for a camping trip, consulting kids, especially teenagers, on activities they want to do during your camping trip will truly boost their morale. Asking them for activities they want to do will psychologically tell them that they are personally considered in the trip and it matters to you that they enjoy it.
Also, involving your kids in the planning of activities is also one way of telling them non-verbally that they are responsible enough to be consulted in the planning and therefore, they also must act responsibly and accordingly during the whole trip. It also means that they will not huff and puff at the choice you made and potentially spoil a day out or even your whole camping trip.
As we have two children, we have learnt that both of them must either agree on the activities that we do while camping or get to pick an even number each. If you are a family of two or more children you will know that if this is not done, it can cause World War III. Luckily our children are both young enough to still like the basic children’s activities. These include woodland walks, beaches, soft play centres, children’s amusement parks etc.
Therefore, our days out and the activities we choose while camping rarely ends in arguments. We are keeping our fingers crossed that their agreeance continues as they get older and move into their teenage years.
Educate The Kids and Think About Camp Safety
Safety measures are one of the most important things to consider especially when camping with kids. It is inevitable that when camping, certain mishaps are likely to occur especially in the wild outdoors. For families who have had a great time with their first few camping experiences and are planning to make it a regular activity, it never hurts to learn more about first-aid. A bit of google research or reading a good old fashioned book will do the trick.
If you have small children also read up on paediatric first aid. This will be useful not only when camping but in daily life too. Not only will you learn about what to do when an accident or a mishap occurs, but you will also learn about how to possibly prevent these accidents and mishaps.
Educate your kids on the basics of first aid too. Your kids are never too young to learn how to save lives. Point out to them the possible hazards of the camping trip, how to avoid these, or what to do when these hazards occur. Study your campsite. Point out to your children which routes to take when lost. Educate them on reading (if possible) the signs and directions provided by the wild outdoors.
Pack medicines for kids with special health needs such as those with asthma, allergies or diabetes. Make sure you have extra doses (roughly three more days worth). Include medicine for rashes, fever, diarrhoea and some aspirin. A parent can never be too careful when it comes to your kids and the wild outdoors where you can be at the mercy of unpredictable weather conditions, insects etc.
Take All The Food
Take enough food for the amount of time you are going camping for and then roughly three days more too. You may eat more than you originally thought you would, you may decide to camp for a little longer if you are able etc. Whatever the reason, extra food is always a great idea, especially when camping with kids.
I don’t know about your children but mine need a constant supply of snacks otherwise they become extremely hangry and there’s nothing worse than hangry kids. So don’t forget to pack healthy snacks alongside the usual camping/BBQ food.
Think in advance what food you are going to pack. It’s pointless packing a lot of fresh food if you have no way to keep it refrigerated. You will need to consider what equipment (both storage and cooking) you have before hitting the shops for supplies.
Also, keep things simple and basic, unless you absolutely love cooking of course. Otherwise, someone always gets lumbered with all the preparation and cooking while everyone else gets to relax, play etc. Plus who doesn’t love simple BBQ sausages and burgers, especially kids?!
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