Beat the Credit Crunch and take the kids camping

What to do with the children outside in July…….

BEAT THE CREDIT CRUNCH AND TAKE THE KIDS CAMPING!

 

Schools out for summer this month!  And the holidays are going to be long and hot this year so don’t pay for an expensive family holiday abroad!! Beat the Credit Crunch and go camping!

 

With a little bit of planning and tons of enthusiasm, a camping holiday can be one of the best experiences you’ll have as a family.  Just think of all the things the kids will see right outside the tent -  birds and animals, plants and trees, streams and ponds, insects,  wildflowers and lots of other kids their own age to play with. 

 

Take a little time to plan a successful and enjoyable camping trip when your children are young and you’ll set them on the path to a lifetime of outdoor adventures.

 

Here is the little Terra Top Ten Tips to camping with kids.  Have fun!

 

1.      Get the kids interested in the trip by getting them involved. Build their excitement and anticipation and plan the camping trip together.  Get them to help out by looking for places to go on the internet and then build their map reading skills by asking them to look them up on the map.

2.      Ask the children what they would like to do or learn when they are away.  Depending on their ages get them to write a list and plan certain things you can all do each day of your trip.

3.      Dip a toe in the water before you go by trying to experience a few outdoor activities with your kids. Get them familiar with the outdoors in order to eliminate their fears. Take a walk in your local woods, visit a nature reserve or go fishing at a nearby pond or stream or simply go on a picnic.

4.      Buy some magazines  on camping or borrow some books from your library – you can get them for all ages and even if they can’t read they will love looking at the pictures and imagining it’s them.

5.      Try a campout in your garden before you go for the first time.  This will  

o         Teach the kids how to set up a tent

o         Try their hand at some outdoor cooking

o         Experience a night outdoors in sleeping bags

o         Show them how to use some camping equipment

o         Get accustomed to the many night sounds 

6.      Take the necessary gear and supplies – although you may find you’ll need a bigger car! Apart from the usual camping gear, including the kitchen sink, don’t forget you’ll need:-

o         Warm clothing - it may get chilly especially in the evening so take plenty of layers

o         Lots of extra clothes, raincoats, wellies and spare pairs of shoes

o         Insect repellent

o         Sunscreen - they'll be outside all day in the promised sunshine!

o         First aid kit - for those little accidents

o         Toys, games, activities for outdoors as well as just in case it rains

o         Familiar bedtime items - pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, dolls etc

o         Flashlight/glow sticks in case they are afraid of the dark- rechargeable ones are great

o         Lots of snacks and drinks

7. Make your travel fun

o        Don't travel a great distance for your first camping trip and make it quite short – perhaps only two or three nights

o        Take toys and activities to keep them busy

o        Play car games such as spot the license plates, singing etc

o        Take plenty of snacks

8.  Camp chores are actually really great fun for kids.  They will love helping you put up the tent, filling water containers, hammering in tent   pegs and cooking sausages outdoors. You can even make the camp chores extra fun with contests for best meal of the trip, most organised gear, fastest clean-up and so on.

9. Create memories – give them their own disposable camera each, remembering to take extra films and batteries.  If your children are old enough encourage them to keep a daily journal, capturing their thoughts and feelings about the trip and the activities you did, include drawings, bark rubbings, pressed flowers and photos.

10.  This is the UK after all so always plan for wet weather days and alternative activities.  It won’t hurt to do something inside once in a while.

 

And don’t be daunted what to buy for your first camping trip - Little Terra knows how difficult it can be choosing the right items, especially when taking small children and have selected essential kit such as camping equipmentsleeping bags and camping mats that have been designed for children

 

Your children’s first impressions of the outdoors will last a life time so don’t skimp!! it's important they're not marred by a cold night in a sleeping bag designed for sleep-overs or a poor fitting backpack. Quality gear for your children will help you enjoy your outdoor adventures better too.