I grew up camping with my family. At least my parents took me camping when I was very little. Then we had a long break. And then when I was 12 and my youngest brother was 2 my dad decided to take us all camping in Colorado. My mom stayed home on that trip and so I was second in command of my three younger siblings. I was also official navigator in a time when navigation meant AAA maps. At one point my dad handed me a camping guide book and told me to find a campsite and figure out how to get there. We camped all over the western US in Colorado, Wyoming Montana, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington state, South Dakota....
The first time we took our kids camping my youngest was about 7 months old. We've been camping regularly ever since. The first time we took my mother-in-law's camper and she slept in the camper but we slept in a tent, even the baby, nuzzled up next to me on my sleeping pad.
Getting our kids involved in scouting was a really good move. BSA has taught them a lot of outdoor skills but also having adult mentors who are not mom and dad has really done a lot for our teenaged boys. Adult leaders can set expectations and get follow through when kids will push back against mom and dad. Plus scouting is just a lot of fun. Our boys' troop camps once a month, all year round (thought they stay in cabins in New England in the winter).
I heartily agree about doing all the laundry before you go. We came back from camping on Thursday and on Friday I think I did a dozen loads of laundry. All the clothes and towels, plus blankets and pillowcases which got wet and even muddy. It was a wet week so there was more laundry than usual.
I love that your dad entrusted you with choosing a campsite! What a treasure trove of memories you must have from so many years and such a variety of camping locations. I’m impressed that you began camping with babies; I do think that many activities we believe in our minds will be too difficult with very young children are actually not so bad once we get out and do them!
Love the idea of "breaking the script." I felt that way today, getting to see the eclipse in totality! It's so interesting that I happened upon your post about camping, because my three year old has been talking so much about camping! Just subscribed, and saving this post for your tips!
Ah yes the eclipse today was a perfect example of pulling us out of our usual routines. So memorable, so incredible. Best of luck to you on your camping adventures!
These are all great tips! Particularly "go with friends." We've enjoyed the camping trips we've done with just our family, but the trips when we go with friends who have kids around the same ages as ours--people who also enjoy the imperfect beauty of the tent camping experience--have been the best trips. I love that unique camaraderie that forms among families who are all camping together.
Great advice for the novice campers out there. Thanks for sharing your wisdom, Shannon.
Thank you.
A walk in the woods by bill bryson is another good one
Thanks for the suggestion, Phil! I’ll have to check that one out.
What lucky children you have!
That is so kind!
I grew up camping with my family. At least my parents took me camping when I was very little. Then we had a long break. And then when I was 12 and my youngest brother was 2 my dad decided to take us all camping in Colorado. My mom stayed home on that trip and so I was second in command of my three younger siblings. I was also official navigator in a time when navigation meant AAA maps. At one point my dad handed me a camping guide book and told me to find a campsite and figure out how to get there. We camped all over the western US in Colorado, Wyoming Montana, Idaho, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington state, South Dakota....
The first time we took our kids camping my youngest was about 7 months old. We've been camping regularly ever since. The first time we took my mother-in-law's camper and she slept in the camper but we slept in a tent, even the baby, nuzzled up next to me on my sleeping pad.
Getting our kids involved in scouting was a really good move. BSA has taught them a lot of outdoor skills but also having adult mentors who are not mom and dad has really done a lot for our teenaged boys. Adult leaders can set expectations and get follow through when kids will push back against mom and dad. Plus scouting is just a lot of fun. Our boys' troop camps once a month, all year round (thought they stay in cabins in New England in the winter).
I heartily agree about doing all the laundry before you go. We came back from camping on Thursday and on Friday I think I did a dozen loads of laundry. All the clothes and towels, plus blankets and pillowcases which got wet and even muddy. It was a wet week so there was more laundry than usual.
I love that your dad entrusted you with choosing a campsite! What a treasure trove of memories you must have from so many years and such a variety of camping locations. I’m impressed that you began camping with babies; I do think that many activities we believe in our minds will be too difficult with very young children are actually not so bad once we get out and do them!
Love the idea of "breaking the script." I felt that way today, getting to see the eclipse in totality! It's so interesting that I happened upon your post about camping, because my three year old has been talking so much about camping! Just subscribed, and saving this post for your tips!
Ah yes the eclipse today was a perfect example of pulling us out of our usual routines. So memorable, so incredible. Best of luck to you on your camping adventures!
These are all great tips! Particularly "go with friends." We've enjoyed the camping trips we've done with just our family, but the trips when we go with friends who have kids around the same ages as ours--people who also enjoy the imperfect beauty of the tent camping experience--have been the best trips. I love that unique camaraderie that forms among families who are all camping together.
Unique camaraderie is the perfect way to describe it. There’s nothing else quite like it!
This is wonderful advice. I listened to Last Child In The Woods a couple years ago - wow!