Camping may seem like something only children enjoy, but camping still offers a fun day well spent, even for you. If you have the desire and knowledge, you can still have a good time and a great experience. Here are some tips to help you out.
Make sure to find your shelter before it gets dark. Once it is dark in the woods, pitching a tent can be next to impossible, finding firewood can be difficult and preparing food hard. This is especially true if you are an urbanite whose sight is not used to the pitch dark. Don’t let this happen to you, and have a shelter set up before dark.
Sleeping Bag
Your sleeping bag should be seasonally appropriate. If you bring a sub-zero sleeping bag to go camping in mid-summer, you might find that you are sweating all night long. The opposite is true as well, as you need a good, heavy sleeping bag when you are going to be enduring very cold conditions. You would in fact be risking your health and safety.
Let everyone know they have a say in the campsite and should help pick a favorite spot. Discuss what state you want to visit. Try to keep a small list, as there is such an abundance of spots to choose from, it can be hard to pick one. You could even pick three or four possible destinations and allow a family vote from there.
Make sure that you both carry a survival kit and then get in the habit of always having it with you. Survival kits must include water purification tablets, a knife, a first aid box, flare gun and waterproof matches. This kit may keep you alive if you are lost and these items are indispensable for a survival situation. Never leave the kit behind, even for a short excursion.
When it comes to children, don’t hesitate to over-pack. Camping can be messy. Children seem to be magnetically attracted to dirt. This means you should prepare to have dirty children. Know that you must accept that fact, but have a change of clothing for them so they can be comfortable. There is nothing like being prepared!
Ensure that your tent is large enough for all of the potential occupants. This helps you to have a more comfy night’s sleep, and trips in and out of the tent will be less disturbing for those who are sleeping.
If you’re going to be taking your children camping, attend a first-aid course. In the unfortunate case of an accident, you will be prepared to handle the situation. Do your research properly. Are there any poisonous snakes, plants or any other things you should know before you head out?
Check the weather updates for the camping site that you choose to go to. There are websites available to provide information about the typical weather of the area for the time of your planned trip. By knowing the weather, you can ensure you pack the proper equipment and clothing for your camping trip.
If you’ve brought the kids along, feed them a “jungle” breakfast. Pack breakfasts of cereal, juice and fruit in bags and hide them somewhere on the campsite. Let younger children wake up and hunt for their breakfast. This is a fun way to bring excitement to the morning.
Oranges taste great, but they can also help keep mosquitoes away from you. Just keep the peels in a plastic bag after you eat the orange and then use them to rub on your skin as the sun begins to go down. It is a cheap and effective way to keep the mosquitoes at bay.
Bring everything that you will need before starting out on your camping trip. For example, your trip can be ruined if you forget your sleeping bag or tent. In order to ensure that this does not happen, make a checklist before you head out and cross off the items as you pack them.
If camping is new for you, start somewhere nearby. There may be unforeseen issues that you never considered they may force you to cut the trip short. You may come to realize that you should have packed different clothing, or need more food. First-time camping is a learning experience and anything can happen, so find a campground near your home.
Pack enough of the right kinds of food. Make sure to bring food that won’t go bad while you are on your trip. Getting food poisoning can bring an abrupt end to a camping trip. Learn the right type of food preparations meant for camping before you go.
If you are camping with children, keep a picture of them handy. This picture could be used to help find them if they were to get separated from the group and lost. Keep pictures of your children on you when ever you are far from home.
Camping can be a great experience or it can be a miserable one. How your camping experience turns out is down to one key factor: preparation. If you know how to prepare for everything that may pop up, you’ll be able to better enjoy your trip.
Duct Tape
Make sure that duct tape is part of your supply arsenal while camping. Tents may be durable, but eventually they can rip. If you have duct tape, you can fix tears and sleep safely and dryly even if your tent suffers damage during an unexpectedly exciting day.
Seal all of your tent’s seams when erecting your tent. You can purchase tubes of sealant at a sporting goods store, or your tent may have included some. This will prevent rainwater or critters from getting into your tent.
With just a little bit of advice, you can relive the wonderful childhood memories of those exciting camping trips of yesterday. Use this article to capture that feeling of camping that you once had when you were younger.