Family Fun Blog

For a fun and economical family vacation that lets the family spend lots of quality time together, consider a family camping trip. Get kids involved in the chores … make it a contest and they will enjoy chores even if they are past the “wanting to help” stage. Maybe a prize for the most firewood collected, or quickest clean-up. Tell stories of “how hard things were when we were kids” while you go with them to carry water, etc.

Be prepared for rainy times. Take along flashlights and plan on stories to tell (maybe scary stories) … you might even want some scary sound effects to go along with it. If you have a bright, battery-powered lantern, you can also take beads and make beaded bracelets, or maybe friendship bracelets, during any rainy weather.

Be sure to enjoy a nature hike together while camping. Older kids (and some younger ones) might enjoy looking for insects, animals, plants, and more in field guides. If your youngsters enjoy insects, try making a bug house (see our craft section for instructions) to take along to house their finds.
Plan a campfire and camp songs or stories for nighttime, and don’t forget the ingredients for s’mores. Every kid should make s’mores at least once! Take along a stick for roasting marshmallows. Prepare your s’more by placing a square of a chocolate bar on half a graham cracker. Place the toasted marshmallow on top of the chocolate, using the other graham cracker half to sandwich it on the bottom half as you withdraw the stick. Let the chocolate melt a moment, and enjoy!

Most importantly, prepare for every eventuality. Make a packing list. It’s a good idea to keep your list if you enjoy camping … you can add to it as you gain experience and you may eventually want to laminate it to re-use. Some things are almost always needed, like sunscreen and a first-aid kit. Not having these can ruin the fun. Other things will depend on your destination, like bathing suits or blankets for sitting around the fire. If you’re just getting started with camping, you may want to pack things to make it less work, like paper plates and plastic utensils for at least some of the meals.. For that matter, it’s a good idea to plan all of your meals and think through their preparation, so you remember things like mustard, salt, and aluminum foil if you will be needing them.

Speaking of food, pack plenty of easy snacks. The great outdoors tend to make everyone hungrier than usual, and kids are no exception! Enjoy your camping trip!