The Easter holidays are just around the corner.
If you have a fun camping trip with the family planned, you may want to consider these tips for making the experience run smoothly for both parents and kids alike.
5 tips for camping with kids, from family bloggers:
Buy or rent the right camping gear
Camping gear is expensive. If you’re new to outdoor living, having to go out and spend money on everything from folding chairs to sleeping bags and more, you will very quickly ratchet up costs.
Colleen Lanin, of the blog Travel Mamas, suggests renting your gear instead.
“Renting gear not only makes sense from a budgetary standpoint, but it’s also a great way to try different types of gear before you invest in purchasing for the long term. You will need a tent, sleeping bags, sleeping pads and a camping stove. It makes sense to purchase gear that you can also use for other family activities, such as an ice chest and camping chairs,” she shared.
Have a trial run in your garden
Nikki, from the Family Travel with Ellie, said in a blog post that it might not be the best idea to throw your kids into the deep end right away.
“You need to get your kids ready for the experience, so they know what to expect. Otherwise, they probably won’t end up enjoying themselves too much. To prepare them, have an overnight camping trip in your backyard. Make sure to set up the tent, start a campfire, and even eat outdoors.
“It is also a good idea to limit the number of home amenities your kids can rely on. Doing this is also a great way to teach your kids simple outdoor and camping skills,” she wrote.
As a bonus, you’ll have a chance to tests out all your equipment and familiarise yourselves with how to put everything together, making the camping process run more smoothly when it comes around.
Leave the tech at home
If you’re taking the time to escape into the great outdoors, it’s probably also best to give your phone, tablets and anything else a bit of a break. This will also be good for the kids who spend most of their day in front of a screen, especially if they spent the previous year doing online schooling.
Carly, of the blog Mom of Two Little Girl,s said, “While many people prefer to unwind after work by scrolling through the phone, you can never go wrong by being outside. If you need anything, it’s usually just a Bluetooth speaker to accompany you through the wild. This may appear harsh and difficult for you but trust the process.
“Allow the kids to whine a little bit, but you’ll be surprised at how they spend their time exploring nature – honestly, let them be bored, boredom breeds creativity.”
Pack some old school toys, board games and perhaps a Bluetooth speaker. These will help start family bonding.
Don’t forget the hygiene
Keeping clean has never been the main focus of young children. However, as a parent, you probably worry about the places they’ve been and the things they’ve touched, especially if they come home with sticky fingers and mud stains.
Corinne, from The Pragmatic Parent blog, shared all her cleanliness tips for camping holidays, ranging from having a foot- and handwash station set up outside the tent to carrying hand sanitiser and hygiene wipes for easy clean-up.
“A hand and foot washing station is absolutely essential for every campsite, especially when you are camping with kids.
“To set up a hand-and foot-washing station, just bring a double water jug that has an open/close spout that controls the water flow. You can find these at your local big-box store and sometimes in a local grocery store. These collapsible water jugs (make sure you get more than one because you’ll need it) work too and are reusable.
“Bring a washing basin – a plastic bin or even a baby bath with a flat bottom – adults and kids can step into and wash off dirty feet. Set the washing basin on towels or a blanket so that when you step out of the basin, you can immediately dry off your feet.”
Go with friends
Being with just your family in the wilderness can become overwhelming, instead, bring along friends and family. Whether they have kids or not, it’ll allow your children a break from their regular routine, the opportunity to socialise and interact with children their own age and make friends too.
The parents will also have more help by sharing responsibilities like meals and dishwashing.
Emily Krause, of the blog A Mom Explores, shared insight into this: “If I could have changed one thing about our trip, I would have planned it with another family. I loved the bonding time we got with our kids, but let’s face it. Entertaining a baby, toddler, and little kid 24/7 in the woods is a grind.
“Going with another family would have helped keep the kids busy, and it’s always nice to have other parents to work alongside. Everything feels more fun that way!”