Camping: A Great Family Adventure

Camping can be a great way to spend some quality time with your family. Whether you're just going away for the weekend or you will be gone for several weeks and going a long distance. Camping may be exactly what you've been looking for in a fun family vacation.

Planning your camping trip ahead of time is very important. You should consider the type of trip you are looking for. Are you wanting an active vacation with boating and horseback riding or something more relaxed with nature walks and peaceful fishing? You should also consider how far from home you plan on going and how many days you have. You can check your state's tourism websites to find local areas available for camping and another good site is www.koa.com/ for campground information.

What should you bring on your next camping trip? Check this link for a handy campers checklist: www.koa.com/familyzone/pdfs/camping_checklist.pdf.

In order to make this camping trip truly kid friendly and fun, make sure you include them in the vacation planning. Teach your kids to read a map and allow them to pick some of the driving routes and places to stop along the way. Also, give them a list of things to do once you arrive at your destination so they can pick out all of the fun things they want to do. Your kids may want to document their camping trip. Show them how to keep a travel journal or a scrapbook and allow them to take their own pictures to add to it. This is sure to become a treasured item, especially when they return home and show their friends and classmates all the fun they had.

What do you do during the drive or if you get stuck in the rain? Make sure you pack plenty of extra things for the kids to do. Some good ideas are travel board games, books and magazines, hidden picture books, word searches, and playing cards. You could also teach the kids to play License Plate Bingo, State Capitals Quiz, and Twenty Questions.

Some fun things to do while you're at the campsite include: group storytelling where one person starts a story and each person adds a little bit to it, follow the leader, nature-themed scavenger hunt, photo scavenger hunt, animal track search and identification, tree identification, make a pine cone bird feeder, and make campground picture frames.

A little advice from someone who's been there. Craig Cramer also gives these tips to making your next camping trip a little easier: bring your own small BBQ grill as the one's at the campsite can be a little disgusting, use Match light charcoal because it already has lighter fluid on it, bring lots of matches, pack plastic plates and utensils to minimize clean-up, bring your own firewood, pack a 5 gallon water container, and don't forget bug spray, sunscreen, and a first aid kit. Craig also mentions that state parks are usually cheaper than campsites and they are well maintained and clean. If you can find something close to a river or lake, they usually have a beach and fishing access, along with nature trails and other points of interest.

If you are looking for a great way to escape with the family and kids, camping would be an excellent way to unwind and relax. Be ready for some adventure, too! You never know what the great outdoors could bring!

KOA Camping Information - Camping 101, www.koa.com/familyzone/camping101/