“Every August we camped on the shores of Diamond Lake in southern Oregon. I remember catching my first trout,” author Michael Rutter writes in Camping Made Easy. “On other trips, we visited Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks, Mt. Rushmore, San Francisco, Alberta, Victoria Island. It was a blast, and I wouldn’t change a thing. We pulled together as a family in sun, wind and rain. We drew together and learned something about the outdoors and ourselves. Do yourself a favor, go camping with your kids.”
Ready to venture outdoors with your children? Kids require a little extra care, but they’re worth it. Before you pack up for the woods, take a test run.
Test run first
To prepare kids, start out with backyard or living room camping. By doing a test run in your own yard, you can get an idea of what problems your child might face on a real trip, such as noises, darkness, fear of the tent collapsing, etc.
“During your test run, take some notes about your children’s comfort, attention span, interests and objections,” write authors Roger and Kimberley Woodson in The Parent’s Guide to Camping With Children. “Are your children too warm in their sleeping bags? This may mean adjusting sleeping arrangements for your real trip. Are they drinking and snacking more than usual? Their increased activity level means pack plenty of snacks and fluids.”
After your test run, address the negatives. When children ask about potential problems, it’s okay to let them know that you don’t have an immediate solution. Ask your children for ideas about topics that arise, such as: What do we do if there are no public restrooms nearby? What if the tent blows over? What if it rains? Where do we put the trash?
If your children are scared of animals, take time to learn about wildlife together. Check out animal books at the library and read about where animals sleep, what they eat, when they come out of hiding, etc.
Your real trip will be most successful if you include your children in all aspects of packing, preparing and setting up — even on your test run. Assign duties that each person will be in charge of for the trip. The Woodsons suggest having each child select a favorite meal to have while camping. They can help pack and later prepare the meal with you.
The real thing
If your destination is a few hours away, let each child fill his backpack halfway with whatever possessions he chooses, such as toys, coloring books, crayons, travel games, etc. A few days before you leave, spend time looking at magazines and books about your destination. Allow your children to give their input on where they’d like to stop along the way.
Now that the logistics of packing and testing are out of the way, spend your trip enjoying and learning about the outdoors. No matter how old your children are, they can always learn something new on an expedition. You’ll be able to teach them lessons that they’ll never learn in the classroom, such as everything in life has its own role and importance (acorns sprouting new trees and earthworms aerating the soil).
Educational activities you can do together
• Collect leaves, rocks and shells
• Observe animals and identify tracks
• Watch cloud formations
• Trace nature (tracing paper, pencils or crayons)
• Play “I Spy”
• Take pictures
• Bird watch
• Make acorn necklaces
• Go on scavenger hunts
Q&A
Q: When are children old enough to camp/hike?
A: Backpacking: By age 5, children can carry their own small packs and have the maturity to “keep moving.” They tend to get excited about little things close at hand rather than enjoy the sweeping vistas that adults love.
High-altitude backpacking: At 8,000 feet or higher, the suggested minimum age is about 10 for moderately strenuous climbs.
Winter camping: By age 6, children should have the maturity to accept the inconveniences of a snowy winter weekend in a tent.
Campgrounds: No age restrictions.
—Herb Gordon, author of The Joy of Family Camping
