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Camping with kids is quite honestly an undertaking even for the most experienced parents. It's even more a feat of strategic pre-problematic planning to accomplish a smooth trip, if younger children are joining the outdoor adventure. There are two words that parents who are planning a camping excursion with children need to keep in mind: safety and diversions. With safety and diversions at the forefront, you'll ensure the best getaway possible.
Safety
Regardless of whether children are accompanying you on a trip or not, you should always have a First Aid kit packed and be certain to keep it regularly maintained. Being ill prepared for dealing with burns or cuts just begs for such an occurrence. In order to be armed to combat minor medical emergencies, include gauze bandages, a box of Band-Aids, scissors, medical tape, small bottles of iodine or hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol, a tube of burn ointment containing aloe vera, and a tube of antibacterial ointment. A couple other medical items you may want to include as necessities are a thermometer, Tylenol, and an anti-itch topical cream, in case your child has a brush with poison ivy.
Unless you're planning on eating MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) from an Army surplus store cold, a campfire will be a concern in regards to safety. Do not leave a fire or your children unattended, and especially not when both are in the same area. It sounds like common sense, but accidents do happen in a miniscule amount of time. If you need to return to your vehicle or enter a tent, take your children with you.
Communication is essential in heading off disasters before they happen. If your children are old enough to comprehend safety issues, discuss with them the potential dangers of fire. Most children have been introduced to fire safety by the time they're in the second grade, thanks to local fire departments safety awareness programs. However, it's a good idea to talk about it on the way to the campsite so that it's fresh in your children's minds.
Some other topics for discussion you should consider are explaining why it's wise to stay close to the campsite unless with an adult, being careful around water, and potential hazards in nature. If you have older children, you may want to think about implementing a buddy system. The idea is that each person in the group has a buddy who they are responsible for, each should know where the other is at all times, and each should not be out of sight from the other. It helps to minimize the chances that someone will become lost. If fishing or boating is part of your camping expedition, life jackets are a must on the water. To prevent any calamities with hooks, bait hooks for your children until they are able to do it with care. Make a game out of spotting poisonous plant life. A great idea for the car ride to the site is to study with your children what poison oak or ivy look like as well as other non-toxic plants, then see if you can pick them out once there.
Nature is full of edible items not normally found on the average household table, but it is important that you talk to your children about not eating wild berries or other edible items unless you have seen and approved them yourself. Then be sure to thoroughly wash any food before you consume it. If you're unsure of the safety in consumption, then by all means, do not eat it.
If your children are to spend the night in another tent separate from you, it's a good decision to face the openings of the tents. To give your children a stronger feeling of security, run rope between the tents within their normal arm reach. Have them practice a few times before nightfall using the rope to guide them from tent to tent and let them know that it's there in case they need you in the dark. Supply them with individual flashlights for additional security.
Diversions
To give yourself a few minutes or so of quiet time in order to linger over a cup of coffee in the morning or bask in the natural atmosphere, prepare individual creativity boxes for your children. Before you leave on the outing, convert old shoeboxes into personalized assortments of projects. Wrap them in wrapping paper, construction paper, or plain, brown paper and decorate them with glitter or stickers and mark them clearly with your children's names. Include items such as blunt scissors, crayons, coloring books, reading books, glue, and paper. While you're out on a nature hike or simply strolling through the woods, encourage your children to collect leaves, pinecones, twigs, and flowers to commemorate your camping trip.
Use the experience as an educational one. It's a great opportunity to speak to your children about the development of plant life, how fish breathe under water, how and why a spider spins a web, or explaining the tension supports of a tent. Science isn't the only subject you can teach them more about. Point out geometrical shapes in nature. Have them count separate points on leaves. Make a suggestion to write about their camping experience or note observances they've made. Take the opportunity to support their use of adjectives when describing what they've seen. Discuss with them snippets of history and get their imaginations going by talking about pioneer life around the campfire. Ask them questions about what they think settlers' travelling experiences were like.
Involve them in the details of camping. Ask them to help you with tasks to prepare for the trip as well as when you're there. Expect the progress to be slower, but be patient. Making them feel included and teaching them how to do a task not only increases the bond between parent and child and provides a learning experience, but it keeps them occupied and minimizes potential dangerous situations.
For younger children, bring along a few comforts of home like a favorite doll, blanket, or toy. It gives them a sense of security when faced with a new location. Notice when they are particularly interested in something and use the opportunity to expand their vocabulary. Remember that simple games such as peek-a-boo and singing songs provide entertainment whether inside or outdoors.
For older children, there is no greater titillating thrill than to tell ghost stories around a campfire. Keep them distracted from being too spooked by building the ever-popular camping snack, s'mores, and keep in mind that suspense is the key, not gore. You don't want to find yourself cramped in a tent later on.
Above all, have fun!
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