by John Hamilton
Summer has hit in full force where we live and with my kids at home, I’m always looking for new activities to keep my children engaged and busy. Along with sports like softball and swimming, we go to the park or see a movie. But the best times we have is when the family goes on a camping trip. When I was young, my family took camping trips so this is always a fond memory for me.
There are so many summer activities that we look forward to when the temperature rises – swimming, softball games, trips to the ice cream parlor. Another highlight for our family is camping. Since I was a kid, many of our family vacations were spent in a tent or camping trailer, and now we have started that tradition with our own kids.
If you are new to camping, start simply. You can alway start to ‘up the ante’ as you and your children gain experience. With younger children, start with an overnight camp out in your own backyard. The benefits include nearby food and restroom facilities and the comfort that if someone gets scared or foul weather rolls in, a safe and secure bed is not far away.
I’ll begin with a word of advice for the novice camper. Start in the backyard. The bathroom and food are handy, but sleeping under the stars will create memories for a lifetime. And if you insist that the electronics (MP3 players, electronic games, DVD players) stay in the house, you just might reconnect with some of those old fashioned activities like Go Fish and ghost stories.
Some campgrounds require a reservation and the most popular can be booked solid a year in advance so do your homework. If you need a fire pit or bathrooms with running water, check that out too. Much of this can be done right from your PC over the Internet so let your fingers do the work.
Beyond the research you should do on the campground itself, be sure you do a bit more work on packing. Here is where a good set of checklists becomes invaluable. A list of what to pack and a list of food you will bring and what you will buy locally will save hours of effort and prevent you from freezing some night when the weather turns cold and you forgot proper clothing.
You can always use the experience of others to learn how to plan a great camping trip if you are new to camping. Many websites offer great tips and included among them is almost always the need to bring a pocket knife, a cooler and a deck of cards. You might also want to bring a board game or two.
You can make camping as simple as being in your own backyard or go on a bigger trip but whichever route you go, be sure to relax, focus on family and have fun. When you do that, you’ll be making memories everyone will cherish forever. Now that’s summertime fun!
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