If you’re an avid camper, then you’ll know the fun it can be. It’s an excellent way to reconnect with nature and spend some quality time with family and friends. However, if you’re going camping with your kids for the first time, you might be searching for some hacks to make the process as stress-free as possible.
The good news is, there are a couple of hacks that you can follow to ensure that the experience is both fun and safe for everyone. The hacks our experts have compiled include everything from packing several ratchet tie-down straps to investing in a comprehensive first aid kit. What does your next outdoor adventure need?
Organised Camping Can be Fun
One of the top advantages of taking your kids camping is that they get the chance to spend some time in nature. Not only does this take them out of their usual environment filled with many stressors, but it also allows them to learn new things and go on adventures.
Camping with children is not as easygoing as it is with a group of adults, so use our expert tips to get it right for everyone involved.
- Get Organised
Camping with children is all about being organised. That way you’ll know where everything is without having to empty all your bags to find a snack. Consider these camping organisation tips:
- Give each child their own backpack filled with items they may need on a normal day, such as a bottle of water, snack bar, hat or cap and a torch or headlamp.
- Pack all your supplies in clear airtight containers—that way you’ll be able to see where everything is, which is helpful when in a hurry. This includes your food and first aid kit.
- Make each child responsible for their own sleeping bag and other gear (unless of course, they’re toddlers).
- Set Up a Kid-friendly Campsite on Arrival
When it’s just you and a partner or a few adult friends, setting up your campsite might simply be putting up one or two tents. However, with small children in tow the setup should be different.
Here are some tips to consider when you’re setting up your campsite.
- If the children are sleeping in their own tent, place it close to yours for easy access in an emergency.
- If there are more than two tents, consider pitching them in a circle, to give your kids comfort that it’s a safe area.
- Hook a tow strap from one tree to another in the campsite. Hang several outdoor lanterns along the strap to provide efficient lighting for everyone.
- Create a Washing Station
While the idea of camping is all about roughing it and getting away from the features of modern living, there are some essentials to keep in mind when you’re camping with kids. A washing station is essential to keeping hands and feet clean and preventing contamination.
Here’s how to do it:
- You’ll need a basic plastic or tin washing basin and a big bottle of water.
- Find a shady space in the camping site and create the washing station by placing the basin on a level piece of ground.
- Place a towel, soap and antibacterial wipes next to the basin.
- Tell all the kids where the washing station is and make it a rule that hands and feet must be washed before eating as well as before bedtime. Anyone touching strange plants should also wash their hands.
Keep the first-aid kit near the washing station. Having a setup like this in place will reduce the run around when there’s an emergency!
- Create a Snack Station
Children can get very cranky if they’re hungry, which can make for miserable hours while dinner is being cooked. To avoid this, create a simple snack station:
- Pack snacks for each child in Ziplock bags or clear airtight containers.
- Create a space—off the ground and in the shade—where you can place the snacks along with some juice boxes and water bottles.
- Ensure that each child knows how to close their snack container to avoid insects from getting in there.
- Avoid sugary snacks and rather opt for fresh slices of fruit and veggie sticks as well as toasted sandwiches.
- Bring Entertainment
Children of any age might find the whole camping experience boring at first. It’s crucial to pack a few items that they can entertain themselves with:
- Squirt guns
- Binoculars
- Camping Bingo
- Magnifying glasses to look at bugs
- Card games
Final Thought
When you can convince your whole family to get in on the camping experience, it can easily become a regular family event. Additionally, teaching your children that it’s a fun experience by being organised is another way to ensure that everyone will have fun and that you won’t be stressing over what could go wrong all the time! You deserve to have fun too!