Introduction
 There are few activities that can bring more
excitement and joy to a family than camping trips. Those who love camping usually plan
the event long in advance and await the day of its commencement with great anticipation.
There is something almost magical about setting off for your destination, as if you are
able to abandon one world to live in another for a while. The concept of escape unleashes
components of the family’s imagination that never seem to surface in any other
way.
Planning a Family Camping Trip
One of the most important factors for a successful camping trip is planning. Planning for
a camping trip is not a complicated task, but it is one that should not be neglected. The
following are a few ideas to guide you in planning your trip.
| Research the area where you would
like to stay. Find fun activities to do at the campground and in nearby areas
before you go on your trip. Have alternative activities available in case some of your
planned activities fail to go as planned. |
| Use an online map service to
get driving directions and maps of the area. |
| Call the campground or park for
information about the location, facilities, and activities available. Ask if
they have any maps of the campsites and other useful information that will help you on
your trip. This information may help to confirm that this is the location for you, or it
may change your mind altogether about camping there. |
Make reservations for your campsite
early
(see Making
Reservations). |
| Plan out the meals for your entire
stay. Be sure to consult with your family on what they would like to eat during
the trip. Make a schedule for when you will have each meal. Additionally make a list of
all of the ingredients you will need for each meal. This list can be used when purchasing
your items, when packing the food for the trip, and when you prepare the meals at your
campsite. |
| Make a checklist of the items that
you plan to bring on your camping trip (see the Sample Checklist of Camping Supplies to get ideas for
your list). This list should include everything that you want to bring with you. The
checklist will be used at home when you are ready to pack up for the trip. By running
through the checklist once before you leave, you can ensure that your supplies will be as
planned. If the list is incomplete or if you fail to check it before leaving your house,
you can almost guarantee unpleasant surprises on your trip. |
These guidelines should help you get a good start on your camping
plans. Your planning will likely vary somewhat from what is described above, and it
should. By adding and adjusting these ideas above to fit your personal needs, you will be
able to develop a plan that works for you. These suggestions are here to guide you toward
that end.
Making Reservations
Make reservations for your campsite early. If you have never gone
camping before it may surprise you to know that if you don’t make your reservation
early, you may not get a spot at all. Different rules and schedules apply to national
parks, state parks, and private parks. It is necessary to be aware of the specific
requirements that apply to the type of park where you will be staying. Find out when it
is best to make a reservation.
These sites can be used to make reservations for many state and
national parks. You can browse their locations, find available sites, and book your
reservations online.
For private campgrounds and other parks that are not available through
these sites, you will need to contact the specific park for reservation
information.
Being Organized
Find a way to organize all of your supplies and equipment for camping.
Large plastic containers with lids can be used to keep similar types of supplies together
and easier to find. Containers with different colors or sizes can also help to make your
supplies easier to categorize and identify. Organizing your supplies in this way will
make them much easier to find when you need them.
Camping Etiquette
It seems that there is always a group of campers somewhere near your campsite who defy
common sense and make a complete nuisance of themselves. Sometimes it is just that they
are unaware that their behavior is not appropriate for the situation, while at other
times they are intentionally loud, disruptive, messy, and downright rude. While I
won’t elaborate on the behaviors or acts that I have witnessed, I feel a duty to
just say, “please don’t be like that.”
Here are a few simple things you can do to keep your neighbors happy.
Some things to remember with camping etiquette are:
| Don’t speak loudly enough for your
closest neighbors to hear you after the park instituted lights out time. |
| Avoid walking through other people’s
campsites at any time (day or night). Whether you see people there or not, allow
them to be entitled to a little space that they can call their own for the duration of
their stay. Try not to walk through other campsites on the way to the bathroom or
wherever you may be going. Take the long way around whenever possible. |
| Keep control of your trash. Be diligent in
picking up the garbage. Although some would argue, nature’s beauty is not enhanced
by man’s ability to produce refuse. |
| Avoid building enormous fires. Don’t
make fires so large that they rival the trees in height. This can be extremely dangerous
and it will attract the attention of everyone including the park ranger (who won’t
be impressed when he comes to talk to you about it). |
| Don’t do anything gross to the
bathrooms. I guess that’s enough said about that one. |
Keeping It Fun: ideas for camping with kids
There is little challenge in keeping things fun for the first day of
camping. A little work may be required to keep things fun as time progresses, however. Be
sure to plan several activities and bring a variety of games to play. Make sure to give
your kids opportunities to explore and play.
Here are some additional ideas to help you keep things fun throughout
the trip.
| Share responsibilities. It
is little fun to be the one who does all the work while everyone else is off playing
games, chasing birds. Make it a point to share responsibilities so that the work is
divided evenly. Rotate jobs if necessary to maintain “fairness.” Be sure that
everyone in the family is given the chance to join in the fun. |
| Have well planned meals.
Determine as a family what your meals will be long before taking your trip. This will
leave no excuse for dissatisfaction. When everyone knows what to expect with the food,
they are more likely to be happy with the meals. As an optional bonus, a few treats can
make the family thrilled with the menu which can certainly boost the morale. |
| Leave some unstructured time
available for your family to do whatever they want. Don’t plan your trip so rigidly
that every passing minute is locked into a scheduled event. It is good to leave some open
time once or twice a day at least to allow everyone to be involved in whatever makes them
happy. |
| Allow the kids to
participate in some of the “grown up” camping tasks. You may be the
best at staking down the tent and tying knots in rope, but don’t deny the kids a
chance to try it too. These seemingly mundane tasks can be very significant to the
children. Give the kids a chance the unique tasks that make camping all that it
is. |
| Be adaptable to unexpected
situations. When plans fall through, look for something else to do and accept it
with optimism. Don’t allow simple disappointments to spoil the positive spirit of
camping. |
Checklist of Camping Supplies
Use this checklist as a sample for making one of your own. Undoubtedly there will be
items that you will wish to add to the list and some that you will leave out to suit your
needs.
|
Checklist of Camping Supplies
|
| |
Hats |
| |
Pants |
| |
Sandles |
| |
Shoes |
| |
Shirts |
| |
Shorts |
| |
Socks |
| |
Sunscreen |
| |
Sunglasses |
| |
Sweaters |
| |
Swim suits |
| |
Tennis Shoes |
| |
Underwear |
| |
Electric air inflater |
| |
Flashlights |
| |
Swimsuits |
| |
Toilet Paper |
| |
Beef jerky |
| |
Air mattress |
| |
Pillows |
| |
Firewood |
| |
Matches |
| |
Folding chairs |
| |
Cooking table |
| |
Sleeping bags |
| |
Lantern |
| |
Camping stove |
| |
Portable toilet |
| |
5 Gallon Water Containers |
| |
Axe |
| |
Rope |
| |
Twine |
| |
Binoculars |
| |
Hand broom and dust pan |
| |
Bug killer spray |
| |
Insect repellant |
| |
Can opener |
| |
Canteens |
| |
Tools |
| |
Duct tape |
| |
Fanny packs |
| |
Back packs |
| |
Firestarting cubes |
| |
Fly swatter |
| |
Mosquito coils |
| |
Pocket knife |
| |
Sewing kit |
| |
Twist ties |
| |
Wasp and hornet spray |
| |
Tent |
| |
Mallet |
| |
Tent light |
| |
Tent mat |
| |
Tent tarp |
| |
Driving directions |
| |
Camping information |
| |
Maps |
| |
Marshmallow stick |
| |
Coats |
| |
Phone charger |
| |
Camera |
| |
Video Camera |
|
| |
Soap (bar) |
| |
Hair dryer |
| |
Hair brush |
| |
Shampoo |
| |
Conditioner |
| |
Hair Spray |
| |
Make-up |
| |
Mirror |
| |
Toothbrush |
| |
Toothpaste |
| |
Sharp knifes (steak knives) |
| |
Butter knives (silverware) |
| |
Forks (silverware) |
| |
Spoons (silverware) |
| |
Plastic knives |
| |
Plastic forks |
| |
Plastic spoons |
| |
Buckets for dishwashing |
| |
Dish soap |
| |
Dish towels |
| |
Dish scour pads |
| |
Sponge |
| |
Dishes |
| |
Foil |
| |
Grill scraper (for barbeque) |
| |
Hand towels |
| |
Hot pads |
| |
Water kettle |
| |
Lighter (long barbeque lighter is best) |
| |
Freezer size plastic zip bags |
| |
Sandwich size plastic zip bags |
| |
Frying pan |
| |
Cooking pot |
| |
Paper bowls |
| |
Paper plates |
| |
Plastic cups |
| |
Paper towels
|
| |
Propane |
| |
Spatula |
| |
Wooden or plastic stirring spoon |
| |
Serving spoon |
| |
Table cloth |
| |
Tweezers |
| |
First aid kit
|
| |
Table cloth clamps |
| |
Trash bags |
| |
Folding Table |
| |
Bath Towels |
| |
Beach Towels |
| |
Medicine |
| |
Shaving razor |
| |
Shaving Cream |
| |
Deodorant |
| |
Lip balm |
| |
Tent stakes |
| |
Mobile phone |
| |
Ice Chest |
|
| |
|
Conclusion
Camping with your family is a wonderful experience when you come
prepared. It is an excellent opportunity to teach children to enjoy nature and to share
new experiences. With sufficient planning and organization, your trip is sure to be a
success that is enjoyed by all.
* The Family Fun Shop is not affiliated with Reserve America or recreation.gov.
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