Useful tips to consider when going camping with your kids

Going camping is a fun, healthy activity parents and children can do together. It gives them a chance to bond, get some fresh air and exercise and to take a break from all the gadgets and their screens.

But going camping with your kids requires a bit more preparation and more responsibilities. Kids are more sensitive, vulnerable and they have different needs than grown-ups.

Here are some useful tips to consider when you’re taking your little ones camping:

Safety tips:

• instruct your kids on what is allowed when going camping and what’s not (they should never start a fire or light candles in the tent, touch stoves, grills, get too far from grown-ups, etc.)
• bring flashlights and whistles with you. The whistle should be worn around their neck
• if you have a dog, tell them not to unleash it, because it might get lost or attacked by a wild animal
• buy a sunscreen lotion for your kids, preferably one that is also bug repellent
• never go camping without a first aid kit. This is a must-have item not only for when you are going camping with your kids, but when you’re doing it alone or with other adults, too

Location: Your ideal campsite should be an escape from crowded cities, people and traffic, so it is understandable if you want to go as far as you can, somewhere remote and quiet. However, if it is the first time, or among the first times you’re taking your kids with you, you might want to choose a location that’s closer to home, so they won’t get bored or tired until you get there. You want them to feel excited and have a great experience, and spending countless hours on the road to campsite is anything but fun. You should also set your camp close to a water source and in a grassy area and try to avoid dirt or gravel

Sanitation: Bring with you plenty of baby wipes, antibacterial wipes and set up a hand and foot washing station in the camp. Hygiene is very important, especially when children are involved

Tent: If you are going camping with your kids, you’ll most likely need to invest in a family camping tent. The most common types you can choose from are cabin-style tents and dome-style tents. While the first type offers more headroom, the dome tents are more solid when it comes to bad weather: storms, strong wind, etc. Another thing you can do if you want to maximize the space in your tent is to opt for bunk beds for your kids. Not only will they take up less space, but they’ll also be more fun for the little ones

Activities: Nature trips can be a lot of fun and there are myriad of fun things to do outdoor: camp-style cooking, singing around the campfire, hiking trips, fishing, bird watching, watching the stars, etc. But what if the weather is not on your side? Prepare in advance and find some inside the tent activities they can do as well: board games, coloring, reading, playing cards, telling stories.