So, you’ve planned or are planning your first family camping trip! Yay! How exciting and such a fun adventure for your family. Sometimes tent camping with kids sometimes gets a bad wrap and can be seen as more trouble than it’s worth. This can be especially daunting when you’ve never been camping before.
“A bad day camping is still better than a good day working.”
– John Muir
My husband has been camping since he was a little kid. However this would be everyone else’s first camping trip EVER. There I was with my husband and three kids, heading off tent camping to a state park in the mountains. Let me tell you, when we set out to do something as a family, we try to do ALL the things, ALL the way.
As a first-time camper, I had many things to learn and was frankly, a bit terrified, but excited to go on a new adventure. My husband and I both knew that camping with kids could be challenging, but we learned quickly what worked and what did not. I am going to share a few tips here that will help you avoid the camping fails we are all afraid of.
Try to choose a campsite that fits your needs
Many times we are reserving a campsite, sight unseen, when we plan camping trips. You want to try to make sure you choose a campsite that is as flat as possible. Trying to pitch a tent on unlevel ground can be frustrating. If you aren’t careful, water can run towards your tent in heavy rain. If it is going to be super sunny or hot, look for one with trees for shade. You don’t want to turn your tent can turn into an oven. Choose a campground with bathhouses, which I highly recommend with kids. Try to choose a campsite that is close but not too close to one. This makes nighttime bathroom trips quicker, but not so near it’s disturbing your sleep. Consider as well if you will need electric hookups or access to water at or close to your campsite, some places offer this and other do not.
Check out your camping gear and supplies before you leave home
Open and set up your tent in your yard at home or a nearby park first. Literally drag everything out and set it up how you imagine you might at a campsite. This is especially helpful if you’ve got a lot of kids. Lots of kids come with lots of stuff – that’s just how it is. It’s helpful to see it all laid out before you get out in the wilderness and can’t do much about it. Have good sleeping bags that will cover you for any nighttime low temperatures. Camping gear, especially your tent and bedding, is not an area I like to just take a chance on. Just one hole you didn’t see in the top of your tent and an unexpected rainstorm can really put a major damper on your trip …see what I did there – rain, damper…HaHaHa. Oookkk, moving on. Same thing goes for the bottom of your tent, leaky air mattresses, ripped tarps, etc. And do not forget check your batteries and propane for your camping stove or charcoal for the grill!
Store your food and drinks properly
This is another category I would pay a lot of attention to. More than once we’ve had food get water-logged from melting ice in a cooler. We have also had food spoil because kids like to open and close coolers a million times a day. It can get expensive quick if things spoil! Our mistake was using those bags of ice from the store – instead of large blocks of ice. Bags of ice are fine for keeping drinks cold, but for storing your food, it is better to freeze water with salt in them into big blocks of ice. It melts a lot slower and water needs to be drained less frequently. You could use dry ice, however it comes with its own safety issues that you can read about here. Try using separate coolers, one for food and one for drinks. When you pack your food cooler, place frozen meats in the bottom on top of ice blocks, then things like condiments, cheeses, and more delicate things like lettuce on top.
Have some activities in mind or planned for periods of boredom or rain
Kids can get bored and rain can be unexpected. Think about some things you all can do as a family AND some activities kids can do on their own. We really like to explore the campground or go for a hike, depending on the terrain and weather. Sometimes parents need a break or rain decides to fall and you get stuck inside the tent for a while. We keep drawing materials, playing cards, bubbles, and a few travel games (like a mini Connect 4 game) in one of our rubber camping totes. We also bring a book or or a Kindle-like device, if you choose, but remember you will have to have a way to charge electronics. And that is one reason why I’m a physical book kind of gal!
Bring lighting for once the sun sets
Do not forget about this one! No one wants to be left in the dark with only a small flashlight to be your only way to see in the middle of the night. We have a few battery-operated lanterns, smaller flashlights for each child, and headlamps for us adults. We use headlamps the most when we have to take kids to the bathroom in the middle of the night so our hands can be free to use. At a camping store we found a string of soft LED lights to hand inside the tent to have some light while everyone is settling down for bed. They are battery-operated and just one button to turn off once the youngest ones have fallen asleep. DO NOT use propane lighting sources inside your tent to avoid breathing difficulties and fires!
Be ready for the bugs
You are camping outdoors – there will be bugs of all kinds. It tends to be more of a problem during warmer months but could also depend on where you are camping. Do not forget your bug repellant spray or cream – there are numerous DEET and DEET-free varieties to choose from. We always have citronella candles to help keep bugs away around the picnic table. Sometimes we bring tiki torches that burn citronella oil depending on how big the site is. I use peppermint oil spray for spiders – I strongly, strongly dislike spiders – so I know this works! Mosquitoes seem to be everyone’s nemesis though. Somehow, I get bitten every single time, no matter what repellent I try to use. It seems only long sleeves and pants work for me regarding those little suckers.
Random side note: There is a cool book called Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears: A West African Tale that your kids may enjoy despite the little buggers!
Try to pack the proper clothing
This one makes me laugh because I am cold natured and my husband is a walking, talking furnace. And, we have gotten caught without proper shoes or outer wear and just had to make do. After you’ve checked the weather for the length of your stay, try to pack accordingly. I always have a bit more than my husband because I am cold natured, but our kids have the most because they get dirty – FAST. If your campsite has laundry facilities nearby you might not have to pack as much. Even though we have not been camping in Florida or places where it can rain whenever it darn well pleases, we ALWAYS prepare for it. For some reason, we always seem to get caught in the rain at some point. Now, we only pack ponchos instead of full on raincoats, but depending on your space and predicted weather you can pack boots too.
Check the weather in the days leading up to departure
This is a big one guys! You don’t want to be stuck in your tent the entire time because someone didn’t check the weather forecast for that area. We were caught in a bad thunderstorm in the middle of the night and our tent started leaking! My poor husband went outside the tent trying to nail down a tarp over the top while our kids were screaming and crying thinking they were going to die. I laugh now, but it was not so funny then.
Checking the weather, and keeping an eye on it, helps you adjust the things you packed in terms of clothing, gear, and supplies. It is no fun at all having everything you brought soaked through.
You can do this!
I know the thought of tent camping with kids can make you have second thoughts, but I encourage you to give it a try at least once… maybe twice. With some simple preparation and the tips I have shared above, you and your family can enjoy your first time tent camping. Both the trials and successes will help you improve and master it with each subsequent adventure. These experiences will make for some awesome memories and funny stories down the road and that in itself is worth the trip!
What are some of your tent camping fails or funny stories? I would love to hear about them! Leave a comment below!