DIRT DOESN'T HURT: FAMILY TENT CAMPING
© Lain Ehmann
I love the great outdoors. Luckily I married a man who loves them too. I figure our children had little say in the matter, having been exposed to outdoor adventures from an early age. Tent camping is one of the activities that our family enjoys most.
Camping opens up a whole new world for families with children of all ages. What kid doesn't like to run around, explore, and get dirty? (Note: if you don't like dirt, don't try camping. Dirt happens...a lot.) Nature is a constantly changing arena that beckons kids and parents alike to delve into it with both feet. Searching for crayfish in a creek or seeing raccoons try to figure a way into your garbage beats a night in front of the tube any time.
While camping may not be for everyone, just about anyone who has an interest in learning to camp can be successful at it. Common sense, good planning and a sense of humor will go a long way in netting an enjoyable, memory-filled camping adventure.
BE PREPARED My oldest son, being the fine Boy Scout that he is, knows that every camper's motto should be "Be Prepared." This means planning long before you load the family into the car.
Begin by deciding where you will go, how long you will stay and what you hope to do while you are there. Stick close to home for your first couple of trips until you feel comfortable with your camping skills. Also, by limiting your first trips to two or three days, you can avoid the unpleasantness of a longer camping taken before the larger kinks are worked out of your camping system.
Camping is an activity in and of itself. You set up a tent, build a campfire, cook, sleep, etc. It requires certain skills that need to be learned, and it invokes a sense of thrill as you deal with varying circumstances in each trip, such as weather, the campsite itself, animals and other potential challenges. It is unlikely, however, that you will go camping and just sit in your campsite and do nothing else. You will most likely want to seek out other activities in which to take part.
When my family goes on short, local trips, we generally stick with simple, readily accessible activities such as hiking, swimming, fishing, canoeing and attending nature programs offered by the campground. However, when we go on longer trips, farther from home, we take advantage of being in a different part of the country and seek out activities that we would not otherwise have a chance to enjoy, such as touring historical sites or checking out natural wonders native to the area. Most campgrounds have lists available of such attractions for your convenience.
