Camping offers the perfect setting for family bonding. Before planning a camping trip, there are several things to think about including where you will camp, making reservations for where you will camp and what activities you will do. Follow these tips to enjoy the best family camping trip possible.
Decide where you will camp. That sounds easy, but if you are bringing the kids, you need to evaluate whether you want the type of campground where all the comforts of home, like showers and toilets, are available or if you want to go to a campground that allows more roughing-it.
If everyone is relatively new to camping, choose to go to a state or national park. If you have more experienced campers in your group, choose to camp in a remote area that requires hiking to get to. This is ideal if the family is planning on staying close to the campsite. If you want to explore local towns or historic sites during the day, remote camping may not be the best option.
Make reservations online or by telephone for your site ahead of time. State and national parks take reservations up to a year in advance. The sooner you make reservations, the more of a chance you have of getting the best spot for your family. Some campgrounds are first come, first served. If this is the best option for your family, be sure to arrive as early as you can. Arrange your arrival for a weekday to avoid any disappointment that might come by waiting to camp on the weekend.
Pack all of your camping gear, kitchen items, clothing and personal items well ahead of time. Make sure to bring extra batteries, flashlights, matches, and first-aid kids, too. Once you plan and pack for your trip, make arrangements for activities for the kids to enjoy with you. Plan recipes to make that are family-friendly for the duration of your camping trip. You will save time and get more of a chance to enjoy the trip if you plan all meals ahead of your arrival.
Scavenger Hunts and I Spy are great games for camping trips. These games are easy to adjust for kids of all ages. Recipes that go beyond hot dogs or hamburgers are worth putting together ahead of the camping trip, too. There are plenty of campfire recipes online for delicious meals like breakfast burritos, mac and cheese, pigs in a blanket, chili cheese fries, and lemon chicken. S’mores are always a favorite so be sure to pack plenty of marshmallows and chocolate in your cooler.
Making a meal plan for the camping trip ensures you pack all the ingredients needed so everything is ready to get placed on the fire. Season any meats ahead of the trip, wrap them and pack them in a cooler to have them ready to go.
Family camping trips should be a great bonding experience. With the right planning, there will be plenty of time to bond, have fun and make memories.
One popular camping site is the Jellystone Park Larkspur that is between Denver and Colorado Springs. It is a yogi bear themed campsite which makes it quite attractive to families with young kids. This site offers a lot more that simply land to park a camper or pitch a tent. It has a wide variety of housing available such as cottages, safari tents, teepees and even yurts. The Pike National Forest is available for adventuring during the day or alternatively, there are activities available such as archery, fossil digging and geocaching on the camp grounds.