Kids can be tricky at times. As a parent, you might be hesitant to go camping, road-tripping or doing any kind of travelling with your kid. Staying at home is always comfortable and safe. It's so easy to convince yourself that you're fine just where you are. But. If you love camping with all your heart and the only thing that stops you from going is your kid, give me a chance to convince you that prolonged travelling and/or camping with kids is very doable and absolutely not scary.
In this post, you'll find a few suggestions to what to consider when camping with kids and how to make it enjoyable for everybody.
Snacks.
Fun snacks can brighten up even the longest ride. My husband and I always get coffee, the little one sometimes goes for a juice if she is in the mood for it. Most of the time we'd have some peanuts and pumpkin seeds in the car. More rarely we might get some cookies.
Yoghurt is another great option that's perfect for long rides. It's a way for your kid to get a quick fix and some calories while you get your main meal sorted out.
Entertainment for the ride.
A variety of different activities can ensure a smooth and enjoyable road trip. My daughter packs her own bag with some guidance. The rules are: she has to pick 1-3 small books, whatever toys she wants to play with as long as they fit in her backpack and one stuffed toy to cuddle with at night.
So far she's been very efficient in this task. If you are also letting your kid pack their own things, encourage as many different types of toys as possible. The more diverse they are, the less boring it'll be.
Consider a bracelet or an old necklace as well. They are almost hypnotic.
Slime is another great entertainer. For both kids and adults.
There is also a variety of simple apps that can occupy your kid's attention. I only use those in emergencies: if I need 30 minutes to get the vlog uploaded, finish a post or during exceptionally long rides when we've been driving for 5 hours and there are 20 minutes to go but the frustration is unbearable.
The apps that I like are puzzles of different complexity, colouring games, memory exercises and games that expand the vocabulary. Here, for example, she is learning animal names. In German for some reason. The app offers English, Russian and German so she picked the one that sounded cooler. Can't blame her. German is on my 'wish-to-learn' list as well.
There is also an adorable game that lets your kid try different professions. I play it myself sometimes. All of those games are free and can be easily searched for and filtered through the App Store on your phone.
Take breaks during the drive.
Getting to your campground often takes time. Making a stop or two to burn energy can go a long way.
Entertainment for the campsite.
There are usually a lot of things that need to get done before you can relax. Cooking, setting up your camping tent, arranging your things and what not. Make sure you have some activity for your kids that they can enjoy outside by your side. Sofi loves digging in the sand at the moment so we bring some things to make it fun. Also, any plastic toys can be enjoyed outside and washed afterwards.
Bring a lot of clothes and let them be filthy.
Kids love dirt, water, sand, mud - you name it. It's super fun and stimulating. Try not to ruin this fun by preventing them from getting dirty.
I do struggle with this sometimes. But the general rules are: don't throw sand/dirt in the air, don't put it on your hair and try not to touch your face with dirty hands (be prepared that they'll forget this rule immediately, it's all right, just keep reminding them), don't try to get into the hole that you've dug out and bury yourself by putting sand/dirt on top, also don't do it with the dog, cause she loves this sort of things as well. Pretty much everything else is allowed and encouraged.
Trust me, if camping is not messy, it's no fun. It's much better to have a few extra outfits than stressing over this one.
Bring a potty/toilet.
We never go camping without it. You can spot it on top of the suitcase. It's quite big, but it's the only one we've got.
You wouldn't believe the variety of silly bathroom situations that might happen when you're out of the house. Just trust me on this one.
Bring medicine.
If you have a kid, I'm sure you know that sometimes they can get "sick" for 24 hours and wake up as new. It has definitely happened to us multiple times on our camping adventures. Having a thermometer and Tylenol is very comforting in situations like this. If you are interested in a full list of things that we have in our first aid kit, I have a separate post just about that. You can find it right here.
Let go of the routines.
Don't try to keep your kid's sleep/nap/feeding on the schedule that you have at home. It's not going to happen. The sooner you make peace with that, the better you'll feel in the process.
Eat whenever you feel like eating.
Any weird thing that you want to try, try.
Eat at night, play at night.
It's an hour past their bedtime but you're all extremely awake? Remember that the world at night is ten times cooler for kids because it's full of flashlights, stars and grown-up things that they don't get to do because they go to sleep earlier than you.
Make it fun.
Explain the safety rules and show them your trust.
Simple things like don't go too far, don't pick up sharp objects, look where you're going, don't put anything in your mouth even if it seems edible and immediately seek help from mommy or daddy when in doubt.
After making sure that they know how to behave, give them some space. Your trust is crucial for your kid. Let them exercise their independence to a reasonable extent. They'll be experienced campers in no time.
Safety circle.
In situations when you can't keep an eye on their whereabouts, safety circle is very useful. Staying inside can be a fun game and there is zero frustration involved if you explain the reason for it.
Keep in mind that kids are very clever and have limitless imagination so don't be surprised if they start attaching additional circles to the initial one.
Be straight with them about the hazards.
Inform them about animals and insects that must be avoided. Instruct them to stay calm upon encountering something like this and immediately retreat to the safety of their parents.
Also, no shame in staying in the car/tent after dark in certain areas. Just explain them why.
Remember that the reason you're travelling is having fun, getting away from the routine and making memories.
Camping is a great way to see new places, meet new people and experience something different.
Make sure you remember that.
Loosen up. Get childish. Put yourself in their shoes.
Take every opportunity to experience something new. Let them teach you how to enjoy the world around.
Learn from their curiosity. Pay attention. Pretty soon you'll start to see the world in a different way.
Travelling with kids is a privilege. It has tested my patience and maturity but at the same time, it has given me so much. It has taught me true joy. The world around us is fascinating! Unfortunately, we forget this as we age.
I really hope this post was helpful. If you are a parent that's not sure whether or not to travel with their kid, I am begging you: do it. It'll have its challenges, but you'll come back a wiser person.
Have a great day, beautiful stranger. Thank you for your time.
In this post, you'll find a few suggestions to what to consider when camping with kids and how to make it enjoyable for everybody.
Snacks.
Fun snacks can brighten up even the longest ride. My husband and I always get coffee, the little one sometimes goes for a juice if she is in the mood for it. Most of the time we'd have some peanuts and pumpkin seeds in the car. More rarely we might get some cookies.
Yoghurt is another great option that's perfect for long rides. It's a way for your kid to get a quick fix and some calories while you get your main meal sorted out.
Entertainment for the ride.
A variety of different activities can ensure a smooth and enjoyable road trip. My daughter packs her own bag with some guidance. The rules are: she has to pick 1-3 small books, whatever toys she wants to play with as long as they fit in her backpack and one stuffed toy to cuddle with at night.
So far she's been very efficient in this task. If you are also letting your kid pack their own things, encourage as many different types of toys as possible. The more diverse they are, the less boring it'll be.
Consider a bracelet or an old necklace as well. They are almost hypnotic.
Slime is another great entertainer. For both kids and adults.
There is also a variety of simple apps that can occupy your kid's attention. I only use those in emergencies: if I need 30 minutes to get the vlog uploaded, finish a post or during exceptionally long rides when we've been driving for 5 hours and there are 20 minutes to go but the frustration is unbearable.
The apps that I like are puzzles of different complexity, colouring games, memory exercises and games that expand the vocabulary. Here, for example, she is learning animal names. In German for some reason. The app offers English, Russian and German so she picked the one that sounded cooler. Can't blame her. German is on my 'wish-to-learn' list as well.
There is also an adorable game that lets your kid try different professions. I play it myself sometimes. All of those games are free and can be easily searched for and filtered through the App Store on your phone.
Take breaks during the drive.
Getting to your campground often takes time. Making a stop or two to burn energy can go a long way.
Entertainment for the campsite.
There are usually a lot of things that need to get done before you can relax. Cooking, setting up your camping tent, arranging your things and what not. Make sure you have some activity for your kids that they can enjoy outside by your side. Sofi loves digging in the sand at the moment so we bring some things to make it fun. Also, any plastic toys can be enjoyed outside and washed afterwards.
Bring a lot of clothes and let them be filthy.
Kids love dirt, water, sand, mud - you name it. It's super fun and stimulating. Try not to ruin this fun by preventing them from getting dirty.
I do struggle with this sometimes. But the general rules are: don't throw sand/dirt in the air, don't put it on your hair and try not to touch your face with dirty hands (be prepared that they'll forget this rule immediately, it's all right, just keep reminding them), don't try to get into the hole that you've dug out and bury yourself by putting sand/dirt on top, also don't do it with the dog, cause she loves this sort of things as well. Pretty much everything else is allowed and encouraged.
Trust me, if camping is not messy, it's no fun. It's much better to have a few extra outfits than stressing over this one.
Bring a potty/toilet.
We never go camping without it. You can spot it on top of the suitcase. It's quite big, but it's the only one we've got.
You wouldn't believe the variety of silly bathroom situations that might happen when you're out of the house. Just trust me on this one.
Bring medicine.
If you have a kid, I'm sure you know that sometimes they can get "sick" for 24 hours and wake up as new. It has definitely happened to us multiple times on our camping adventures. Having a thermometer and Tylenol is very comforting in situations like this. If you are interested in a full list of things that we have in our first aid kit, I have a separate post just about that. You can find it right here.
Let go of the routines.
Don't try to keep your kid's sleep/nap/feeding on the schedule that you have at home. It's not going to happen. The sooner you make peace with that, the better you'll feel in the process.
Eat whenever you feel like eating.
Any weird thing that you want to try, try.
Eat at night, play at night.
It's an hour past their bedtime but you're all extremely awake? Remember that the world at night is ten times cooler for kids because it's full of flashlights, stars and grown-up things that they don't get to do because they go to sleep earlier than you.
Make it fun.
Explain the safety rules and show them your trust.
Simple things like don't go too far, don't pick up sharp objects, look where you're going, don't put anything in your mouth even if it seems edible and immediately seek help from mommy or daddy when in doubt.
After making sure that they know how to behave, give them some space. Your trust is crucial for your kid. Let them exercise their independence to a reasonable extent. They'll be experienced campers in no time.
Safety circle.
In situations when you can't keep an eye on their whereabouts, safety circle is very useful. Staying inside can be a fun game and there is zero frustration involved if you explain the reason for it.
Keep in mind that kids are very clever and have limitless imagination so don't be surprised if they start attaching additional circles to the initial one.
Be straight with them about the hazards.
Inform them about animals and insects that must be avoided. Instruct them to stay calm upon encountering something like this and immediately retreat to the safety of their parents.
Also, no shame in staying in the car/tent after dark in certain areas. Just explain them why.
Remember that the reason you're travelling is having fun, getting away from the routine and making memories.
Camping is a great way to see new places, meet new people and experience something different.
Make sure you remember that.
Loosen up. Get childish. Put yourself in their shoes.
Take every opportunity to experience something new. Let them teach you how to enjoy the world around.
Learn from their curiosity. Pay attention. Pretty soon you'll start to see the world in a different way.
Travelling with kids is a privilege. It has tested my patience and maturity but at the same time, it has given me so much. It has taught me true joy. The world around us is fascinating! Unfortunately, we forget this as we age.
I really hope this post was helpful. If you are a parent that's not sure whether or not to travel with their kid, I am begging you: do it. It'll have its challenges, but you'll come back a wiser person.
Have a great day, beautiful stranger. Thank you for your time.
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