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Do you remember being a kid camping?Have you ever wondered about how to take your kid camping? Do you remember going with your own parents? What are the things that stand out in your mind? These are likely the same type of thing that will stand out in the mind of your own kids. It's not that I'm some sort of child expert or anything but I do have kids of my own and I know what they like. I assume that they're normal average kids and so most kids feel the same way about things as mine do.
You can't just throw your kid in the car and head off on a camping trip and expect them to have a great time. You have to have at least some plan for them. Part of that plan should be to let them feel included in camping activities like cooking or getting firewood and that sort of thing. Kids are after all just a smaller version of ourselves and they want to help and feel included in things.
Naturally things like cooking and anything at all to do with the fire need to be supervised very closely but It's my belief that it's these things that will stand out in their mind when you do take your kid camping. You can take them for a hike or a swim or have them look for different sorts of insects or leaves. It's really amazing the type of thing that will hold a kids' fascination. However kids are kids and you can only keep their attention for so long on any one activity, after that you need something new.
Be prepared to have any activity you choose for them last for about an hour. After that most kids need something new. Don't think you can jump in the canoe for a three hour trip and your kid is going to love it. They likely will love it but not for three hours. Also be sure to have them included as a participating member. Give them a small paddle and allow them to try to help. I remember going camping with my young lad for a weekend with some fellows from work. My little guy ran around the whole weekend with a folding saw getting firewood for us. Of course I went with him every time he used it and made sure he was safe. He was only strong enough to get wood that was punky and rotten but it sure did make him feel important to help, he still talks about it today. The most important thing is to make them feel included. While it's certainly very nice to hit the trail and relax, when you take your kid camping you have to be prepared to do things. Kids just have too much energy to just sit around with you. I still can remember when I was a kid camping with my parents. I don't remember playing with toys or anything like that. I remember sitting around the fire at night eating and telling stories. Include your kids in those activities, they'll remember it always. Click on the how to take your kid camping link to return to the top of the page, click on camping help to reurn to the last page or click on camping, camping equipment, camping tents to return to the home page.
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