Camping this weekend - with kids?

Question

tent camping 5yr old and 3 yr old. Going with another family also. We've been before but love to refresh my mind about the little things Im gonna foget.

easy foods, snacks, games...ect..??

Answer 1

Lots of sunscreen and skeeter repellant.  SMORES too!

Answer 2

Plenty of dry clothes, especially socks.

Answer 3

I don't bring anything extra for my 4 year old since he stopped needing diapers. He eats what we eat, goes where we go, and spends his time in the woods enjoying the scenery and nature just like we do. Last trip we sang and danced around the camp fire, swam in a lakelet, caught grasshoppers, played horsey on a tree limb, and made ice castles out of a snow patch with a yogurt cup.

Answer 4

Make sure the kids have a way to get to their own snacks and drinks while you are walking.  Little bags of trail mix can be customized - cheerios and pretzels for one, cheetos and peanuts for the other...you get the idea.

Make sure they have something to do other than just walk - a game like 'find the squirrel' or "who can find the most different leaves" is fun and educational - so long as you aren't in a rush.  

When mine get tired I use my walking stick and play "little engine" - have them grab one end of the stick and move it in a circle like a train's wheels "I think I can, I think I can" will get the tiredest kids moving and get their minds off being tired - for a minute anyway.

Have a plan for rain!  Gear up and take some imagination toys - dolls, action figures whatever the kids like.

Around the campsite the kids might like to make "fairy houses".  Use sticks, acorns, bark, leaves and other found items to make little homes that can just decorate the forest...you might be surprised how creative the kids can be.  

Take a small "boo-boo" kit - neosporin, Dora bandaids, etc.

Give the kids jobs at dinner time or set-up time - carry water, hand you tent stakes, gather wood, etc.  They'll be under your feet otherwise.

Make sure the kids have a whistle around their neck just in case they wander off - they can blow a whistle louder and longer than they can yell.  

Let the kids each have a flashlight at bedtime - it's fun and makes them feel safer.  Show them how it works and take extra batteries - they'll probably leave it on all night.

I'm leaving out all the regular stuff - food, sunscreen, bug spray, toothbrush/toothpaste, stuffed animal to sleep with, tent, clean undies, etc.  I'm assuming that bit is covered.  Just sharing some things we do when we camp.