Camping with Kids - Article for Kidz on the Coast

Camping with Kids

by Christine McPherson (March 2009)

Camping is all about getting back to basics and spending time together. There’s no better way to enjoy your family and to build memories with the kids than camping! It is so lovely to work as a team setting up camp, taking a peaceful family bush walk, preparing a meal to cook over the fire, and then sit back with a cuppa all whilst the kids toast marshmallows and sing songs together around the camp fire.

Why is camping with the kids sometimes NOT like that in so many ways?

Here are a few tips to make your next camping adventure a little more like the above perfect picture.

1. Don’t travel too far! Pick a location that is easy to get to, allowing plenty of time for setting up camp without the pressures of darkness.
2. Keep the family well fed and hydrated. It is always helpful to have fed the family first before trying to work together to setup your campsite. Hungry bellies after a long journey, is a sure recipe for disaster – not just the with kids but for marriages too!
3. Have designated jobs for each person. Keep them age appropriate and give lots of encouragement along the way.
4. Keep the children’s bed time roughly the same as home. If the kids go to bed late and get up with the sun, it will definitely make for tired, cranky little people. This in turn makes for tired and cranky parents. It is also a good idea to make sure their bedding is comfortable and warm. The whole idea of getting away together is to enjoy each other, therefore I urge you that this is a big one for a successful camping trip!
5. Bring toys and activities that compliment and engage the children with the environment. Our three year old brings his Tonka trucks to dig around in the sand or dirt. He also collects sticks for the fire in his dump truck. Our seven year old brings a sketch book to draw in and collects leaves, shells etc. They all enjoy cooking and love to flip the pancakes or make a cake in the camp oven.
6. Be organised. Having a camping box ready to go with all your pots, pans, cups, plates right down to the foil, glad wrap, pegs, sunscreen etc makes packing a whole lot easier. A tick sheet with your essential items is also helpful. A dirty clothes hamper is also very useful in keeping your tent area tidy and makes sorting back at home a breeze. Any measures you can take to be organised before, during and after the trip are well worth the effort of adding to the pleasure of the adventure.
   
   

We love camping as a family. It can sometimes be a challenge but overall it is well worth the effort. If you are still a little hesitant or want to make sure your next camping trip is pure comfort then why not consider hiring one of our camper trailers with a queen bed, lights, water tank, power, bunks, table and chairs all supplied for your comfort. You may also like to check out one of our family camping tours to Barrington, Gloucester or even the NSW Outback. All the hire and tour information is on our website http://www.hitthetrack.com.au/ All that is left now is to give it a go