13 Hacks for Camping With Kids

Camping with your kids could be fun. Or it might not. Why? They could drive you crazy! Camping with kids is a different experience from camping with adults. There are several things that you need to take care of.

How do you handle little kids on a camping trip? How do you make the trip so much better? Here are 13 hacks for future camping trips with your kids.

READ: 15 Camping Hacks Every Camping Family Should Know

1. Have A Camping Test Run At Home

You can have a small minicamp at home before heading for a real camping trip. You can use your backyard for this mini camping run. Set up your tent in the backyard and bring along sleeping bags and other camping items.

This makes it easier for your kids to get adapted to the real campground. It helps you to see how well your tent will fit the items you will be carrying with you. It also helps you to foresee obstacles that will prevent you from having a successful camping trip.

SEE: 12 Amazing Benefits of Camping with Family

2. Go Along With Your Kids’ Favorite Snacks

Snacks and goodies make camping trips more enjoyable for kids. They can enjoy these snacks during hikes, campfire storytelling time, and outdoor activities.

Camping isn’t all about eating camp-like food outdoors alone. Kids may not get satisfied with such food alone, unlike adults. Snacks keep them happy and better motivated to enjoy the camping trip.

3. Take More Than Enough Clothes For Your Kids

Camping trips with kids are unpredictable. Your kids could quickly get muddy, and they could get their clothes dirty. You might have to change clothes twice or more in a day. If you do not take along enough change of clothes, you could get stranded.

Take more than enough clothes, and your kids will have enough change of clothes regardless of what camping activity they partake in.    

4. Take Along Some Plastic Bags For Dirty Clothes And Items

Plastic bags make it easy to separate dirty clothes and keep them away from staining other garments. Dirty socks, underwear, and tops can be kept in them and stored away from other clean clothes.

5. Pack For All Kinds Of Weather

No matter how well you study the weather charts and listen to weather predictions, things could change anytime. The day could be hot and the night cool.

It’s advisable to go with both cold and warm clothing for your kids. You can also go with a cute raincoat and umbrellas for possible rainfall.

Also Read: 5 Helpful Tips for Camping With A One-Year-Old

6. Prepare Your Meal Ingredients Before Leaving Home

Preparing and chopping up meal ingredients before leaving home will make it easier for you to cook at the campsite. This also reduces the time taken to prepare each meal. Kids may not have the patience of an adult when waiting for meals to get ready.

Pre-packaged stuff makes camping trips more fun for kids.

7. Go Along With Toys, Board Games, Teddy Bears, And Other Fun Items

Take along board games, toys, teddy bears, and other fun items that your kids love. The fun they get from playing with these items outdoors is unlike what they’ve experienced before. Kids get bored easily, and you need some fun items to keep them occupied.

These toys and games can also keep the kids busy when adults are engaged in other activities.

8. Set Up A Portable Hand-Washing Station For Your Kids

Kids get dirty a lot, and you can’t be taking them to the bathroom whenever you want to clean them up. A hand-washing station will do the trick.

Save them from dirt, germs, and bugs with this simple hand-washing station. Hand sanitizers are good, but they won’t do the trick. Moist wipes are not enough. There is nothing like a soap and water combo.

9. Have Various Activities Planned For Camping With Kids

Have a list of activities before embarking on the camping trip. You can organize art competitions, outdoor sports activities, races, hide and seek games, treasure hunts, obstacle courses, map-making, and more.

These are games that you may not typically practice at home. Partaking in them at the campsite will make your camping more fun and memorable. Be sure to take a lot of pictures and videos. You’ll enjoy going over them later.

ALSO READ: 18 Exciting Camping Activities for Toddlers

10. Bring Along A Double Camping Cot To Save Tent Space

A double camping cot can be set up like a double bunk bed in dormitories. This camping cot will accommodate two older kids and save you space in the camp. It also adds fun to the camping experience as it can be a first-time thing for your kids.

Some double camping cots can even be separated into two single cots if you wish.

11. Add An Extra Floor Insulating Layer To Make The Ground Softer And Warmer

You might be used to the hard camping ground, but your kids might not be used to it. Make their sleep better by adding an extra insulating layer.

You can add blankets, floor mats, or yoga mats. These will make the ground softer and warmer.

12. Let Your Kids Participate In The Cooking

Camp cooking is a unique experience. Make your kids’ camping experience better and more memorable by allowing them to participate. Little things like fetching spices and stirring the pot are helpful. They don’t need to go all out to help you.

As they help you, it makes things easier for you, and it is fun for them. It will also help them learn how meals are prepared.

13. Stick To The Same Bedtime Routines For Your Kids

Having the same bedtime routine for your kids will help them to sleep earlier and better. If you sing bedtime lullabies for them or read bedtime stories, you should do the same.

If they have a warm drink before bed, prepare the same for them at the campsite.

According to medical researchers, having a bedtime routine helps kids sleep better and improve their mental health.

 

Conclusion

The above hacks will vastly improve your camping experience with your kids. Camping with kids isn’t that different from camping with adults. You only need to take care to monitor them well and handle their needs.