We waited until our kids were a bit older (3 and 5 years old) to go camping. Before that, it seemed daunting, and the possibility of the total annihilation of parents was real. When we felt we were ready, we started with a one-night trip. To make travel as easy as possible, the campsite we chose was fairly close. We have two smaller tents, and we needed to separate one parent with a kid per tent. This resulted in trips between the two tents at bedtime, as each kid wanted to try both tents. Since then, we got one large tent, and I can’t wait to try it out.
The key to smooth camping trip is to take.. everything.
Few toys, few books, tons of fun snacks and food. Drinks (including water for cooking), warm clothes, swim clothes, and PJs. Cooking equipment (pot for heating water, gas stove, cutlery, plates, cups, etc.). Bedding or sleeping bags. Lamps/torches for the night. Bug repellent and sunscreen. Cosmetics and towels. Wood for the fire. Coals for the grill. Grilling accessories, spices, and supplies. S’mores supplies. Tents, mattress, pillows. Swiss army knives, lighters, pump for the mattress. I also take a tablecloth, as the campsite tables are usually dusty. Campsites often (unless remote) have a store or a gas station nearby, so some of these supplies can be purchased upon arrival.
To make it even more fun consider these suggestions:
1. Involve kids in chores (pitch tent, pump mattress). It’s an adventure! Our little ones loved to be involved and to have responsibilities. That said, we had to help doing these chores quite a bit.
2. Pack board games & favorites (hopefully you still have some space in the car:)).
3. Headlamps & glow sticks for night fun. You can also bring candles, or anti-mosquito candles.
4. Bring a familiar pillow or stuffy for bedtime.
5. Embrace the mess – it’s part of the fun! It’s inevitable and impossible to control, even without kids involved.
At the end, the kids had fun and loved it. They didn’t whine to go back home or complain about nature. It seems every activity, even a toilet trip, was interesting. Next time, we might even try staying two nights 😉
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