How To Get Prepared For A Family Camping Trip
Camping is a fantastic way to bond with your family, no matter what age their children are, and it’s a great opportunity to spend some time in nature, which is known to be good for your mental health and emotional wellbeing. It’s also a nice way to get away from home and get out together.
Yet camping is not as simple as it might seem, at least not when you take your kids along with you. You need to prepare plenty before you can be sure you’re ready to go, but once you have prepared, you can expect to have the most wonderful time. Read on to find out more.
Research The Area
When you’re choosing somewhere to go camping, it’s important not to pick a place at random and hope for the best. Although if you were camping alone this might be possible, when you have others with you and lots of packed items too, it’s much harder to look for somewhere else if you realize you’ve made a mistake.
This is why it’s crucial to know where you’re going and what you can do when you get there. Although being in nature is the main focus of your trip, it’s good to know there are activities nearby should the kids get restless and need a change of scenery. For example, a Utah waterpark can be a great place to run (or swim) off some steam, and a cinema can be ideal for rainy days.
Many campsites can be reserved ahead of time. Do a bit of research by asking friends and looking online for great campsites near your home. If the place you decide to go accepts reservations, set that up ahead of time in order to avoid disappointment.
It’s also a good idea to research camping in general, especially if you have never done it before. Find videos about how best to put up a tent and what to do with your campfire, and ensure the kids watch these tutorials with you. That way, you’ll all have a good idea of what to expect on your exciting camping vacation.
Food Is Crucial
What do your kids like to eat? Are you going to be able to provide that during a camping trip? These are important questions to ask, and they will need to be answered – it is crucial to know what food you are taking with you on your camping trip. You don’t want to go hungry while camping! Honestly, the food is one of my favorite things about camping!
Not only will you need to prepare in advance to ensure you have enough of the right foods, but you’ll also have to think about storage when you’re there. You won’t have a fridge or a freezer, so keeping food cool is something to consider.
Pack The Right Clothes
You might think that, just because you’ve chosen to camp over the summer instead of fall or winter, you don’t need to think too much about what clothing to take. Some t-shirts and shorts will be fine.
When it comes to camping, it’s not quite as simple as that. It might be warm during the day but remember – you don’t have a nice warm hotel bed to go to, or even a room, come to that. Make sure you know what temperatures it is likely to go down to at night and pack enough warm clothes to ensure you can sleep comfortably and that the kids don’t get sick.
Examples of the kinds of clothes you can pack include long pants, woolen socks, and fleeces. Although it’s a lot more to pack and carry with you, you’ll appreciate the extra layers once you arrive, and it will mean that everyone can enjoy their trip a lot more.
Have you ventured out on your first camping adventure? I’d love to hear about your experiences.