Take your kids camping
ParentDish.com posted a quick article about camping with kids and it links to some good resources for planning your kids’ first camping trip. Although I’m not a parent myself I have spoken with neighbors who are considering their first family camping trip and one of the concerns is that the kids will have some sort of meltdown in the great outdoors.
Of course every child is different and some can handle bugs and dirt a little better than others but honestly you never know how kids will react until you give camping a try. Some children may do just fine during the day’s activities but when it’s time to sleep in the great outdoors they may get a little scared by nighttime noises. For others the sight of a single bug may send them running for the car.
My advice is to pick out a spot close to home for your first family camping trip. Many folks cheat a little and set up a tent in the backyard for that first “real” camping trip but I’m not sure this commits you or your kids enough. Instead, choose a campground within an hour’s drive from your home so kids get the idea that they’re going on a trip. Choose a location with plenty to do during the day (hiking, fishing, swimming, etc.) so the kids are nice and tired at night. And if the whole sleeping-outdoors-thing doesn’t work out - no worries - at least the drive home in the dark won’t be too far!
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