Camping has the potential to be your family’s favorite style of vacation. You can learn about nature and embrace your inner self. It can be a rewarding experience to explore out in nature for a while. The following article has tips that will help you have a successful camping trip.
Don’t worry about over-packing for your kids. Going camping can get really dirty. Kids love getting into dirt. That all means that you will have very dirty children as the day progresses. It is almost impossible to prevent, but luckily, you will not need to worry if you have extra clothes on hand. Don’t be caught without something you need!
Let all the members of your family have a hand in picking your campsite. This will make everyone feel invested. The U.S. has dozens of great camping options. If it makes things simpler, list your personal preferences and then have the family choose from them.
Camping can be very dangerous or fun depending on whether you’re prepared or not. Be sure you don’t go camping until you are fully prepared with all the supplies you need. When heading to a new spot, be sure to research the area thoroughly so you know what to expect with regard to weather and wildlife.
Pack a first aid kit. Always keep the bare basics with you in the kit, and make sure that you have water purification tablets in it as well. Be sure to do your research and bring along any location-specific items you will need.
A cute way to add fun to meals is to make what is known as a “jungle meal”. Bring small cereal boxes, juice drinks and fruit, and keep them tied up high in the trees. Make your children “hunt” them in the wild; like a great outdoorsman. This is a great alternative way to keep your kids happy while camping.
Pack Everything
Ensure that you pack everything that you will need before leaving for a camping trip. You don’t need to forget something important like your sleeping bag or tent. Check and double check your list to ensure that you pack everything you need.
Try using dryer lint to help you start your campfire. Before you go camping, start saving lint from the dryer’s filter. Have a bag next to the dryer so you don’t forget to collect it. By doing this, you’ll be able to collect the kindling on the day you’re taking the trip.
Take along things to do while you are in the wild. Scavenger hunts, card games and fishing poles all add up to wonderful diversions to do in the wild. If you have kids going with you, you may want to go a little overboard with the things you take for entertainment.
If the area in which you’ll be camping is well known for wildlife that poses a danger, special precautions must be taken regarding your food. You have to wrap your food tightly and keep them away from the tent; some foods, you may have to forget. Doing so is going to decrease the likeliness of a random attack.
If you are going camping, whether with others or alone, a survival kit is essential. Pack an emergency kit that contains basic first aid supplies as well as anything needed for the specific location in which you are camping. If you think there will be snakes, you might want to include antivenom.
Make sure to prepare in advance before you engage in a camping trip. You should take sleeping bags and extra blankets. This is useful for nights where the temperature gets too cold or as extra padding when sleeping on hard ground.
Upon arrival at the campsite, find a soft, flat area of ground and pitch your tent there. It is important to feel as level as possible to maximize the comfort that you feel. Prevent water from getting in by placing a tarp or plastic sheet under the floor of your tent.
Oranges are great for camping since they’re healthy, easy to eat, and they also keep mosquitoes away. Use the peels to rub your body down. It is a low-cost, chemical-free way to keep bugs away.
Sleeping Bags Tend
Choose an appropriate sleeping bag for the conditions in which you will be camping. Lightweight sleeping bags tend to work better in warmer weather and heavyweight sleeping bags tend to work better in colder weather. The main goal with your sleeping bag is to conserve body heat, which means having a snug bag that hugs the body.
Before the sun goes down, make sure that you have your camp completely set up. If you’re driving an RV, find a safe parking spot. Seek out flat, dry ground if you are roughing it with a tent. If you don’t do this, you could find yourself in a precarious and unsafe area after dark. It will also allow prevent the frustration of not being able to see while setting up your equipment.
An orange peel can help repel mosquitoes. If you neglected to pack mosquito spray, fear not. Experts say that if you rub your body with the inside of the orange peel, it will keep the annoying bugs away. Mosquitoes hate the smell and will fly away for a few good hours; and you will be free of the nuisance.
Beef Jerky
Purchase camping pillows for a camping trip! If you use your bedroom pillows, the humid weather will make them feel hot and sticky. Those big pillows can also mildew, because they absorbs moisture. Camping pillows do not have these problems.
It is always a good idea to bring plenty of trail mix and/or beef jerky when you are planning a camping trip. After a long day of outdoor activities, you will often feel too drained of energy to prepare a hot meal, so the availability of nutrient-filled snacks, such as trail mix an beef jerky, can be a real lifesaver. They are also convenient because they keep well and don’t need to be refrigerated.
It is generally a smart idea to leave your basecamp or car with a fully charged cell phone. The best idea is to bring a couple of extra batteries to maintain your phone. A cell is the most important tool you have in an emergency, so be sure it works.
Kids generally love camping, but plan some activities for them ahead of time. Boredom is something that you will want to avoid at all costs while camping. Kids are often not used to outdoor activities such as pitching a tent or fishing. If they have not spent much time outdoors, show them the basics before you leave.
Gets Dark
Many people don’t realize that it is necessary to make a shelter before it gets dark. It’s hard to start pitching a tent when it’s dark outside. A flashlight or a fire will be essential. It is basically easier to get your campsite set up before it gets dark and you are not fumbling around in the dark.
Don’t go far from home during your first couple of camping trips. There may be unforeseen issues that you never considered they may force you to cut the trip short. Novice campers sometimes don’t pack enough food or clothing, which is a problem if they are far away. Many problems may arise for a new camper, so camping close to where you live can help you.
Duct tape is a great fix-all for camping trips. Tents are pretty durable, but they still have the tendency to get weathered and torn. Duct tape can seal up your tent and keep you dry, especially when the weather is not cooperating with you like you thought it would.
Matches that are waterproof are a key component of any survival kit. Use airtight container to hold the matches. You can make your own matches waterproof by putting them in nail polish or paraffin. A great container for storage is a film canister. A plastic medicine bottle also works.
Pack lanterns, flashlights and extra batteries when you go camping. You’ll need these items to help you be able to see after dark, which may be necessary at times. You can prevent accidents, such as falling or coming face-to-face with wild animals, if you have enough light available. It’s a good idea to bring along one flashlight for each person in your camping party.
After your trip, be certain you leave the campsite cleaner than it was when you found it. Bring enough trash bags for the anticipated clean up. Don’t forget to pack up your leftovers. One big camping rule is that only your footprints should remain when you go home.
Many people who are new to camping think that erecting a tent next to the campsite’s communal bathrooms is a good idea. While this might be convenient, you’ll soon find out differently. Bathrooms provide constant light and also have a lot of traffic running through them at all hours. When you camp by the bathrooms, it isn’t as convenient as you think.
Don’t forget to watch your children. Cars and campers will be pulling in and out, and there is always the possibility of little ones getting quickly lost in an unfamiliar forest. It can happen in an instant, so make sure they are always supervised.
Don’t miss out on the fun part of camping because you are ill-prepared. Even if you are an experienced camper, it doesn’t help to expand upon your knowledge. You can use the advice you just read to help you make better decisions when you camp.
