Tag Archives: Camping

5 Tips for Camping with Children

Camping is a fun activity for your family. But what if you go with children? This may mean added responsibility on your end. But you do not have to worry. You can definitely still have fun in nature even with your kids running around.

Below are 5 tips to help you and your children enjoy the outdoors.

1. When you’re with older children, plan with them. Ask them where they want to go and what they want to experience. Involve them in the process so they both learn how to plan and also so they get to do things of interest to them.

2. When you’re with younger children, it’s best to have a “test” camping situation in your backyard before you actually go to the site. Teach your kids how to set up the tent. If they’re older, you can even teach them how to cook (while protecting the environment). In this way, they’ll learn skills that will last a lifetime and that they can teach their own kids someday.

3. Children must familiarize themselves with how to survive in the outdoors. Guide them. Teach them about safety and outdoor ethics. And just because you’re at a camping site, it does not mean that the chores end there. Show them ways to protect the environment by bringing reusable jars, rather than plastic bags, for their mouthwash and toothpaste. Tell them to not spit in the river or the lake.

4. Make sure you pack appropriately. When you’re with tykes, bring lots of extra shoes and clothes. Expect them to get wet and dirty. Bring insect repellent and sunscreen. Keep the first aid kid in your bag. You can also bring those travel toys like pocket scrabble or checkers in order to keep them entertained.

5. Ask your child if he or she wants to bring a familiar toy. A stuffed bear or a blanket will give the child a familiar sense of home in the tent as camping, particularly during the first time, can seem unnerving to a child.

Camping with children can be a challenge, but the reward’s are many fold the difficulties.  Not only will camping allow you to bond with your child, it will also give you the opportunity to teach him or her to enjoy and help protect nature.

If you have a family, you have to read Maeyahn’s piece about camping with kids at state parks site NDParks.com.

Related Posts:
Considerations for the best camping tents

Camping and Food Safety

One of the most enjoyable things about camping is getting to enjoy the great food that can be prepared over a campfire. Many people also use their portable grills to supplement their cooking methods and there’s nothing like the taste of a juicy BBQ in the middle of the woods. But cooking while camping is definitely not like cooking in your home kitchen and as such, there are extra precautions you have to keep in mind to keep your food safe.

Your most essential piece of camping gear when it comes to food safety will be your cooler. You want to have a nice big one that you can use to store all your uncooked meats. Also think about bringing a smaller cooler just for drinks so that you don’t have to constantly open and close the lid of the larger cooler. Any meat you have should be firmly wrapped and packed tightly with lots of ice. Remember that block ice is generally better for camping than ice shavings, so use that if you can. You can also freeze certain things like prepared soups or stews ahead of time and these will also help to keep your cooler properly refrigerated. And if something has thawed you should cook it right away since there is no way to refreeze it properly without risk of germs developing.

Always make sure to cook your food properly as its better to over-cook something than to undercook. The wilderness is not the place you want to get food poisoning so keep a constant eye on your food to make sure it hasn’t gone bad. Camping tents are the perfect place to keep your cooler if you have set up in shade, so use your shelter for storage when appropriate. When in doubt, you should never eat anything that looks or smells suspect, so always bring an array of canned foods in case your meats go bad. Never sacrifice safety for hunger, and if you prepare properly by bringing adequate supplies, you won’t have to.

Benefits to Owning Tent Trailers

Everybody can use a much needed vacation whether it is to get away from the routines of life or the stress of work.  Unfortunately, vacations can put more stress on us because of the amount it costs to take them!  For many it just isn’t reasonable to go on a vacation every month or weekend.  The costs of hotels and airfare aren’t budget friendly.  Owning a trailer tent can make a weekend trip much more reasonable.

Most of us live pretty close to a wilderness area of some sort whether it’s the beach or the mountains or even the desert.  The possibilities are endless.  On the other hand, not all of us are meant to be serious campers.  We like the comforts our homes and lives offer.  Tent trailers offer a nice compromise.  Although they aren’t made as luxurious or as spacious as a RV they offer a nice in between.

First, they are much more affordable than a motorhome or RV.  Some RV’s can be more than a home mortgage.  You can get a tent trailer for a few thousand dollars or less making it much easier to fit into the budget.  Ok, you might be cringing when you think about a few thousand dollars.  The fact is even going on a big vacation once or twice a year can cost close to that but you will be able to enjoy this for many years to come.

Second, they are much smaller.  They are designed to be compact and easy to transport.  Many even are made to be stacked on their sides so you can store them easier when they are at home.
Third, they are a better option than a traditional camping tent especially if you aren’t such an outdoor enthusiast.  Camping with tents is great if you love sleeping on the hard ground and waking up with condensation built up all around you.  While a tent trailer is still just a tent it has a few extra perks along with it.  It is raised up off the ground so you aren’t going to wake up with a rock lodged in your back.  Also, because it’s up higher off the ground you don’t have to worry about accidentally pitching it where all the water runs off when it rains.  You also won’t have to worry about getting a ground covering either.

Lastly, it gives you a great excuse to get away even if it is just for the weekend.  Pack up a bunch of those non perishables you have in the house, grab some clothes and a few basic camping supplies and hook up the tent trailer.  It is that easy. We all could use more excuses to relax and have a little fun.  Enjoying the outdoors is a great way to do so.

Related Posts:
Considerations for the best camping tents

Check The Weather Before Packing Your Camping Equipment

The type of camping equipment you may need for a safe, enjoyable outing depends on quite a few different things, such as your health and age, the type of weather you are likely to encounter, and where you will be camping at. A young, healthy person could take a sleeping bag, throw it on the ground and be perfectly happy, while folks who have trouble getting up and down, whether from age or health, would need at least some camp chairs and a cot if not a camper to sleep in. So you do need to consider not only yourself, but also those going camping with you to make an appropriate decision on some of the equipment.

A tent is essential camping gear as far as I am concerned. The weather, as well as the time of year and climate for where you are going can determine the type of tent you need. If it will be rainy or a super cold, even snowy climate, you may need a bigger tent, as you will no doubt be spending a good majority of your time in it. This could also mean you need a heater that you can use inside the tent.

Whether you are able to have a campfire to cook over, or you may need a propane camp stove is something you should to find out ahead of time. Most of the parks where you can camp are set up with campfire pits and some even have BBQ grills for you to use. Find this out before packing your cooking gear as you use different pots and pans to cook over an open fire.

Of course, if you have a camper, that usually has all the gear you need, but if you do not, gather up the tent, sleeping bags, cots, a cook stove, heater (if needed), pots, pans, cooking utensils, plates, cups, eating utensils, and chairs to sit on around the campfire. Take the bug spray so you get to eat more than the mosquitoes do. Do not forget the food or it will be a really short trip.

Related Posts
Considerations for the best camping tents

Your first sleeping bag

Guest Post:

If you’re new to camping and are in the market for camping sleeping bags, you’re going to have to make sure you get the right kind for the kind of camping you plan on doing.  If you don’t know exactly what kind of camping you’ll be doing or what temperature ranges you might find yourself in, you really should find those things out before you commit to laying any of your hard earned money down.  There’s just no sense in spending money for a sub zero rated sleeping bag if you’re only going to be spending your time camping by the beach in July and August.  In fact, with that kind of sleeping bag in those kinds of conditions, you’ll probably be miserable.  Make sure you get appropriately rated equipment for the kind of environment you’ll be spending your time in.  And if you think you’ll be camping in everything from summer beaches to winter snow camping… well then you just might be in the market for more than just one bag!

The other thing you might want to consider is who you will be camping with and whether that makes a difference.  What I mean is if you are just going camping with your buddies and it might be cold weather, you’ll probably want to get a mummy style sleeping bag.  On the other hand, if you’re planning on enjoying the outdoors with your boyfriend, girlfriend, wife or husband, then you might want to think about getting the kind of sleeping bag that can zip together and make a double bag.  This way you have the option of having a single bag if you ever camp alone, but if and when the two of you camp together, you can really enjoy the experience “together”.

Still, the same suggestion applies as was mentioned above; make sure your double sleeping bag is rated to the appropriate temperatures you’ll be camping in.