The experiences you had camping as a kid are probably motivation enough to do all the work required to take kids on a camping trip. Someone did it for you. You are more than happy to pass on the gift.
When you are camping with kids there are a few extra precautions you need to take to ensure everyone has a safe, enjoyable experience. Worried about mold growing in your RV during the offseason? Book space in a climate controlled RV storage. Climate controlled camper storage will keep your camper safe from harsh temperatures and moisture from the elements. You can pick up your camper from a storage facility like Northshore RV & Boat Storage and hit the road.
Here are a few tips for camping with kids.
1. Do a test run in the tent.
Pitch a tent in the backyard. It might seem strange, but this experience will better prepare you for the actual camping trip. Make notes of the things you need. Use this time to establish the camping version of your kids’ bedtime routine.
What kind of night light do they prefer? What sleeping arrangement involves the least amount of conflict? Are the sleeping bags fresh and ready for the trip?
2. Plan fun.
Here is the tough part. If the adults on this camping trip are stressed, the kids will feel stressed as well. Create an itinerary with a relaxed structure. Don’t expect everything to go perfectly. Remember, every time something goes wrong, your kids get to learn how to adapt.
Bring toys for any downtime. The kind of toys you’ll want to bring vary depending on the location you will be camping at. You can bring glow-in-the-dark frisbees, a life jacket — safety is fun — and other water toys, and simple screen-free entertainment like a hacky sack.
3. Give your kids some responsibilities.
Remember the stress-free element of this camping trip you are committed to. It is time to relax expectations of perfection even further by letting kids help with all the work that goes into setting up a campsite. You can explain how to pitch a tent to them all day, but they won’t learn a thing until they get hands-on experience.
Let them think through their own packing list. With your help, they can choose what kind of clothes they want to wear and which toys would be good for outdoor fun.
They can even help keep the campsite in order. Just like at home, dishes need to be cleaned and put back in place, toys need to be picked up, and laundry needs to be hung out to dry.