#campingtips&tricks

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How to Survive a Summer Camping Trip With Teens

Summary: Planning a summer camping trip with teenagers can be challenging but rewarding. This guide offers practical tips to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for both parents and teens. From selecting the right location to engaging activities and tech-free time, learn how to make your next outdoor adventure a success.

Choosing the Ideal Campsite

Selecting the right location is crucial for a successful camping trip with teens. Countries like France and Italy offer diverse camping options that cater to different interests. Whether your family prefers a beachside retreat or an activity-packed site, it's important to involve your teens in the decision-making process. This not only increases their interest but also ensures that the activities available are to everyone's liking. Tips for Picking the Perfect Spot: Activity Options: Look for campsites that offer a variety of activities. This could include water sports, hiking trails, or cycling paths. Accessibility: Choose a location that is easy to reach to avoid long, stressful travels. Good transport links are a bonus. Amenities: Ensure the campsite has essential facilities like showers, toilets, and possibly a store or café.

  Making the Campsite Fun

Transforming your campsite into a cozy and inviting space can significantly enhance the camping experience. Designate a communal area for everyone to gather, eat, and play games. Simple additions like fairy lights, comfortable seating, and a central fire pit can make a big difference. Creating a Comfortable Campsite: Lighting: String up some LED fairy lights to create a warm ambiance. Seating: Bring foldable chairs or inflatable sofas for comfortable seating. Central Fire Pit: If allowed, set up a fire pit for evening gatherings and cooking.

Engaging in Outdoor Activities

  Keeping teens engaged with outdoor activities can be the highlight of the trip. Utilize the natural surroundings and the facilities provided by the campsite to organize games and explorations. Activity Ideas: Sports: Bring equipment for soccer, frisbee, or volleyball. Nature Hunts: Organize a scavenger hunt to explore the local flora and fauna. Water Activities: If near water, consider kayaking, paddleboarding, or swimming.

Unplugging from Technology

Encouraging a tech-free environment helps everyone connect with nature and each other. Set specific times when gadgets are allowed and try to keep the focus on outdoor activities and interpersonal interactions. Benefits of Unplugging: Improved Relationships: More face-to-face interaction can strengthen family bonds. Increased Relaxation: Less screen time reduces stress and improves mental health. Enhanced Creativity: Teens often become more creative when they disconnect from technology.

Packing Essentials

Proper preparation is key to a stress-free camping trip. Pack strategically to cover all bases from basic hygiene to entertainment. Must-Have Items: Basic Supplies: Include sunscreen, insect repellent, first aid kit, and toiletries. Entertainment: Pack items like playing cards, musical instruments, and books. Cooking Gear: Bring necessary cooking equipment and a cooler for food storage.

The Benefits of Bringing a Friend

Consider allowing your teen to bring a friend. This can enhance their enjoyment and give you some breathing room. Ensure the friend is a positive influence and compatible with family plans.

Conclusion

A well-planned camping trip with teens can be a delightful experience. By involving them in the planning process, creating a comfortable campsite, and balancing activities with downtime, you can create lasting memories. Remember, the key is flexibility and open communication to ensure that everyone has a great time.

Article by: Lisa Jeeves Read the full article

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Beginner Camping Tips

Even the most seasoned of campers was once a beginner. Face it, we all have to learn sometime. So, we have put together these useful tips so that a beginner camper can come up the learning curve a little faster. Maybe this information will help you to avoid some painful experiences, and better enjoy your first few camping trips to the great outdoors.

Make, Use, and Maintain a Camping Checklist (see example above but create your own list) By making and using a camping checklist you have at least given some thought to your trip and done a little bit of upfront planning. By using the list you will be much less apt to forget something critical to your trip. Take the list along with you and add to it as you think of things that you wished you had brought. This way your list gets better with each trip, and it makes it that much easier to plan the next one. Be Familiar With Your Camping Gear If you have bought a new tent, lantern, cook stove, or some other gear its a good idea to try these out prior to your camping trip. There is nothing worse than trying to set up a new tent for the first time when its starting to get dark. This is also true for trailers or tent trailers. Become familiar with their set up prior to your trip, and get some experience backing them up, so that you do not have a tough time when you get to the camp ground. Set Up Camp Before Dark Arrive at your campsite early enough the first day so that you have plenty of daylight to get your tent and other equipment set up. This will get you off to a good start so that you can relax and enjoy the outdoors. Be aware that it gets dark much earlier when you are deep in the forest. Plan Your Meals Before the Trip Plan your meals before you leave on the trip. This way you will know what food to buy, and what you will need in order to prepare it. Try to avoid getting stuck stopping at a convenience store, far from the city, where items are limited and often very expensive. Bring the Right Clothing When packing your clothes make sure that you have enough clothing in case someone falls into the lake and gets all wet or something else unexpected happens. Be sure and bring a swimsuit and towels if swimming is in your plans. Make sure to have some sweatshirts, light coats, and rain gear in case it gets cold and wet. Pack enough, but do not overdo it. Remember you are probably space limited on what you can fit in your car, and to some extent you are roughing it so you really do not need near as much stuff as normal.

Is Your Tent Big Enough? There is nothing worse than having your family all packed into your tent like a can of sardines. Even though you are roughing it, you can still enjoy a little bit of comfort. If your tent is large enough and you even splurge for some air mattresses you can be sleeping nice and comfortable. We have a 9 ft x 15 ft dome tent that fits our family of four very comfortably. What I like best about having a bigger tent is that it gives us room to walk around the beds, and still have space to stack clothes or luggage. Even though this is a pretty large tent it folds down to a small size and hardly takes up any space, so unless you are backpacking, I would recommend going with a larger tent just to be on the safe side. Make Your First Trip Close to Home I would recommend going to a campsite pretty close to home (within 1-2 hours) for your first trip. That way if anything too terribly wrong happens, then you can just drive home. Its always good to get some recommendations on places to go from some of your friends that are experienced campers. They will probably know some good places to go for your first camping trip. Be Sure and Take Flashlights Make sure and take flashlights and check their batteries prior to the trip to make sure that they are good and strong. Flashlights will be helpful if you are changing in a dark tent or if you have to get up in the middle of the night and go to the bathroom. We do not want you stumbling around the woods in the dark do we? Lanterns are also very handy, especially if you want to light up your campsite and play some games around the picnic table. These now come with small screw-on propane tanks that are inexpensive and very easy to use.

Check on Fire Restrictions or Burn Bans Check ahead of time and make sure that there are not any fire restrictions or burn bans at your camp ground. If you are looking forward to a good old campfire (and what camper is not?) than you could be greatly disappointed if a burn ban is in effect. However, if a campfire is a go, then make sure that you bring some firewood, and some kindling or newspaper to get your fire going, along with some type of lighter. Some parks have firewood available for sale, but not all do, and most parks will not allow you to pick up twigs and branches off the ground to burn.

Check Weather Conditions Prior to Your Trip If severe weather is predicted for your camping area, and you can schedule your trip another time, then do it. There is nothing worse than being confined to your tent or slopping around in the mud for a few days. Obey All Park Rules Remember to obey all park rules and be courteous to other campers. Sound carries much further in the forest, so keep your voice down, especially at night. At the end of your stay, leave your campsite clean and ready for the next camper. Note Your Favourite Campsites at the Camp ground Once you have been to a camp ground that you like and scouted around some, make note of the campsites that you like the best. This way you will remember them for future trips, and if you can reserve a particular site, you will know which ones you are most interested in. We love to camp, and we hope that your family will also find it fun. Hopefully, some of the tips that we have shared will make your trips more enjoyable. Have a safe trip! Article by Rich Herman, Rich loves the outdoors and travels extensively with his family. He specializes in family-friendly websites. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/286277 Read the full article

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What to pack for Summer Camp

What is a summer without going to a summer camp? Summer camps are great places for bonding, get-together, unwinding and getting to know people that you want to be friends with. This is why camping is an essential activity that families, schools and friends should always be looking about when summer days are about to come. There are no necessary expenses, no need to travel far and the nature will give everything you need and you go home relaxed with mind cleared off baggage. However, for the first timers, there is always the lack of ideas on what to pack for summer camp. Especially for kids, who always depend from their parents for their necessary package, they are usually at lost what to bring for themselves once their teachers decide to spend their last days in school in a summer camp for kids. There are always a lot of camping activities that students and families can go to but it would be nice if you could find the best summer camp among the camps that are open in your area. Qualities of a Good Summer Camp: If you want your kids or your families to enjoy their short vacation in a natural setting, look for the best summer camp in your area. If the place is too far from your home, check some camping sites that are near your home but can meet your requirements and can give you quality bonding and discovering time with your kids. Here are the features to look for when looking for an ideal camping site. Length of camping time the camp offers. There are camps that offer only half day camping just for children know what is camping all about and there are summer camps with programs that accept few days stay. Offered programs. Some camps run different programs that can enhance the skills and talents of your kids. There are also camps that have game activities for the families. Location of the camp. It would be better if you can find an ideal summer camp that is only few miles from your home. This is not to bore your kids with your travel time and feel safe being near your home. The location must also be accessible by vehicles or near the road. Safety status of the summer camp. You would not want to live in a camping site with lots of wild animals roaming the area or near a ravaging lake. Always think about your family's safety so check this feature first before signing in. Restrictions. Some camps are lax with what the campers can bring while some camps provide restrictions on food, beverages or even with sound gadgets because summer camps are usually located near wildlife reserves or national parks. Check the accreditation. An accredited summer camp is following a health and safety standards and this is an assurance that people who go in there will be safe. Consider that you have found the best summer camp let's see now what things you can pack for your summer camping with your kids. Essential Things to Bring In a Summer Camp: Medicines. If you have kids with you, medicines or first aid kit are a necessity and don't go without any kinds of medication you can use for emergency cases. Especially if your camping site is known to be visited by bugs and mosquitoes, don't forget to bring anti-mosquito lotion or better bring along a mosquito net. Proper clothes. You and your kids should bring along thin and comfortable clothes for summer tracking. However, you must also bring with you few jackets because weather can abruptly change in camps. Calculate the days of your stay so that you will know the amount of clothes you will need. Don't forget the socks, pyjamas and gloves. Torches. Most camping sites have their own source of power so light is usually not a problem. However, you may need torches or camping lamps in case brownouts occur. Or if you want to discover nature during the evening with the kids, torches are needed. Some campers prefer torches that are not rechargeable when camping and you may also do so. In this case you must bring along extra batteries for emergency cases. Pocket knives. These should be handled by adult or teens. Knives can save lives and can be so much functional during crisis. Essential food. Don't expect that there could be a store in your camping site so bringing your own food is a very sensible idea. You can also consider taking your own portable gas stove. Better, check with the camp management what you need to bring. Tents. Some camps do have the cottages for lodging but not all camps have them and this you must check out. For kids, they can have their own small camps to make them enjoy camping in a real world. In reality, what to pack for camping trip doesn't need to be too complicated or too costly in a sense that you can only spend a day or two in a camp and don't need to bring in so much stuff. But as they say, summer camps have unpredictable and surprising ambiance that we cannot actually fathom so taking along stuff that can provide our basic needs would be very significant. However, avoid overdoing it especially if the place has many amenities you can avail from. Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Edward_Joseph/280755 Read the full article