Going camping? Preparing for your camping trip.
Camping is such a great family vacation. If you are going to take kids with you, it will give them some precious memories. Anyone who went camping as a child can vouch for that. No matter what you actually do during the trip, or what the weather ends up being like, it is always a great adventure when you are a kid.
Don’t forget to bring the essential things. You will need to bring a tent unless you are planning to stay in a cabin or camper. You will want some kind of minimal shelter for yourself and your family. Depending on where you are going, there are a number of things you are going to want decent shelter from.
Some of the absolutely necessary tools of camping are chairs, flashlights, pillows, sleeping bags, batteries, and a hatchet. If you are camping in a tent, consider getting yourself an air mattress. It will really improve the entire trip if you get a decent nights sleep.
Get organized so you have the necessary tools for starting a campfire. Gather old papers or thinner cardboard boxes. Take a lighter and matches. I prefer to bring both a camping saw and a hatchet. I also like to take my own wood. You might not be able to bring in your own wood depending on where you are going to be camping. Some parks have regulations about it because of diseases.
You are going to need to think about how you are going to cook your meals. Consider packing a cooler for food, propane tanks and stove, silverware, plates, soap, a dish rag and a plastic tub for cleaning dishes. Not every state park has a place for campers to wash dishes. I usually buy plastic and paper dinner wares.
Consider what kinds of clothing you will likely need for the trip. If you are going hiking make sure you have some comfy hiking boots. You don’t want sore feet. Bring shorts if it will be warm and long pants if it is supposed to be cold. Your clothes may get dirty or ripped so don’t wear your best clothes. Don’t forget to include a swim suit, rain jacket, sweatshirt and a hat. Those are must have supplies for any camping trip.
Remember to also bring all of your personal bathroom products for you and your whole family. Put all of the daily use items into convenient bags. Make sure you bring shampoo, cotton swabs, bars of soap, deodorant, shaving cream, and disposable razors. Don’t forget to include contact lens supplies if someone wears them. Don’t forget to bring towels for all of you. If you intend to be gone more than a couple days, you are going to want something to hang the towels on to dry out. Don’t forget to include any necessary medicines.
Some other things that you could bring to make the camping trip even more enjoyable would be campfire popcorn, battery powered lanterns, binoculars, cameras, mosquito repellent, marshmallows and chocolate bars, bottled water, cocktails, cigars, Aloe Vera lotion, band aids, sun tan lotion and a radio.
Bring activities for the little maniacs. You are going to have a lot more fun on your trip if the kids have plenty of things to occupy their time. Anyways, half the reason you are going away is for them to have fun too. One guy that I know takes recordings of ghost stories to play around the campfire after dark. You could also bring a softball, baseball, football, Frisbee or a kite. Bring anything you can think of that can be done safely outside. Make the most of the wide open areas in most campgrounds.
Create a personalized camping list. There will be things that you consider essential that I haven’t mentioned. Make a complete list so you won’t forget anything. Some people can’t go anywhere without taking a camera, fishing gear or insect repellent.
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