Great Tips For Having The Best Camping Trip With Your Kids

The sound of peace, the fresh smell of trees, the serenity, the calm, and all the beautiful view in front of you. Camping will always be a great experience, no matter how old or young you are. Camping with your kids is no exception, it is a great way to bond with your little ones.

But camping with young kids may need a little more attention, as well as keeping some necessities in mind while packing. Forgetting things while packing is something inevitable.

So to keep everything in order you better start by having a packing list.

This way you will be able to write down anything you need, and while checking it every now and then you will notice if something is messing.

An other thing you may want to consider,especially if this is your first camping with your kids, is to plan a short trip, and to stay close to home as possible. Doing so leave your kids time to adjust, as well as heading home asap if anything ever happens.

1) Tent:

Having a tent is one of the most important items you need while camping. While camping with your kids and family, you may want to consider a big large tent.

Nowadays you can find tents that even has different rooms in it.

Having a large tent means that your kids can have all their toys with them, they can change their clothes while standing up, and of course the best of them all, you all will feel comfortable and not crowded inside.

2) Air Mattresses and Sleeping Bags:

While camping alone you may only need a sleeping pad and you are ready to have a good night sleep. But camping with kids is a little bit different. Kids cannot sleep on a sleeping pad only. They are still young and fragile.

So the best choice is to go for air mattresses. They are soft and will guarantee you a comfortable night.

You can get a manual air pumps or an electric air pump that plugs into the cigarette lighter of the car. Make sure to blow up the mattress well few hours before.

An other thing you should keep in mind, are sleeping bags. Having different sleeping bags for each one will make things easier for all of you. You can check some cute sleeping bags made especially for kids.

3) Lights:

Camping alone means one light is more than enough. But camping with kids may be a little bit challenging.

Whether it is for reading, a bathroom trip, or just when your little one get scared, having enough sources of lights will be very useful.

You can get headlamps for each one of you, as well as flashlights and lanterns.

4) Water:

A large water cooler can save your life. You and especially your kids need to stay hydrated.

A large water cooler will keep your water fresh and cool. You can use it for drinking, washing your hands and faces in the early morning, or just cleaning up all the mess made by the kids.

You can keep it in some near place where everyone has a direct and easy access.

It might be a bathroom or spigot close to where you are camping, but having a water cooler near you will make it easier for you to get water whenever needed without actually needing to walk for it.

5) First Aid Kit and More:

First aid kit is important and you should absolutely not go camping without it.

A first aid kit means you should be prepared for any kind of situation you may come across.

Whether it is bug bites, sunburnt, or a small scratch, you need to be prepared.

Make sure you have enough sun hats, a sunscreen, a bug repellent, and an anti-itch stick.

You may also want to bring some essential medicine for kids, for fever or stomach ache. Make sure to have an allergy kit as well as the basic first aid kit.

You can check this post, to know exactly the items that should be in your first aid kit.

6) Camp chairs:

A lot of people tend to forget camp chairs. Well you better make sure they are on your packing list.

Camp chairs will come handy when you want take a post-hiking break to roasting marshmallows, or to set next you tent to read a book. You can choose camp chairs especially made for kids.

7) Activities inside the Tent:

The less electronics in camping is better. But that’s not the case with small kids.

You may come across bad weather, or you kids like to wake up early, before everyone else.

There are many ways to keep them entertained. For small kids that cannot read, then you may reconsider electronics. Bring your Iphone or Ipad and don’t forget kid’s headphones. For kids that can read, make sure they have enough books ot card games.

You can choose UNO or Pictureka. Also if you want to get your kids interested in crafts, then this might be the perfect time to do that.

You can teach them how to make friendship bracelets. String games are also a great way to kill some time.

Whatever activity that may keep your kids entertained inside the tent, do it.

8) Outdoor activities:

The whole reason for a camping trip is to let kids have fun and also keep them busy and entertained.

You can bring their scooters and bikes with helmets of course. Hiking gear for some adventure.

And also some activities for the campsite, such as books, games or just a little family bond time under the light of the moon.

If you are camping next to a river or a beach, make sure you bring their swimwear and your fishing gear, and also see if they are any boat rentals. It as always fun to be in water.

9) Food:

There will be no food near your campsite, well at least not close enough to go back and forth each time.

So bringing food is very important. Make sure to have some fun food that the whole family can enjoy, such as popcorn.

You can also try some campfire recipes.

Consider bringing enough supplies for sandwiches and breakfast.

Non-perishable milk and dry cereal are you new best friends. The fresh air, all the playing and activities will exhaust your kids and make them hungry.

So you absolutely need to have enough snacks. It should not be something fancy, just some  dried fruit, nuts, trail mix will do the trick.

10) Enough clothes:

I’m sure you thought of clothes. But did you think of bringing some extra? Well kids tend to get dirty easily.

While camping getting dirty is something normal and acceptable for kids and adults. But it is always better to have some extra clothes if your kids get wet or get too cold.

It’s true camping with kids means lots and lots of things. But it is all worth the trouble. Your kids will enjoy and appreciate the trip more than you will ever do. It is something that they will always keep in their hearts.