10 Safety Tips For Families Camping In The Wild

I’m a parent myself, and I damn sure know the struggles of keeping the kids safe while staying on your toes, which takes away relaxing time and puts more stress on you, which I absolutely hate.

You simply can not keep them by you at all times, however you can minimize dangers or stop them from happening all together by performing simple tasks that is going to keep you and your family out of potential dangers while you are all out having fun.

#1 Staying Hydrated

More often than not we forget to drink!

It’s highly important that we stay hydrated out in the wilderness, with humans only capable of surviving 3 days without water intake, makes this a very important reason to NEVER overlook this simple task.

 

#2 Safe Food And Water

Eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water is a deadly risk that shouldn’t need to be taken. There’s a few small steps you can take that will ultimately stop these infectious diseases from happening.

• Pack food in waterproof bags or containers
• Place them in a cooler
• Wash hands and bench tops often, and sanitize your hands for extra protection
• Keep cooked foods away from raw food
• Don’t undercook your meals
• Have a water treatment tablet or something similar

 

#3 Exploring The Outdoors

It’s important that everyone sticks together while out hiking and exploring the great outdoors.

Keep kids close, don’t take risks, bring proper equipment with you (eg. if you’re going mountain biking, bring helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, and life jackets if you’re near water).

Avoid poisonous plants and know your limits. A step in the wrong direction or mistakenly stepping on a slippery rock can lower your chances of coming out uninjured.

I recommend that you NEVER hike or swim alone, for the simple fact that one slip can determine whether you live or die, this is especially true if you plan on hiking near cliff faces.

Please read: Adults can handle extreme heat, however children’s sweat glands aren’t developed as well as ours, so heat can be a problem for them. If you go out hiking I would recommend going in the cooler parts of the day, morning or evenings.

 

#4 Avoid Wild Animals

Wild animals can carry diseases and are oftentimes dangerous.

It is only necessary to stay away from them, do not touch them and do not feed them Here’s a good guide to help you avoid a bear attack.

However it IS okay to watch them from a safe distance while they’re in their natural habitat. Don’t forget to keep all foods in sealed containers and preferably kept in the car.

 

#5 Use Insect Repellent

Just like wild animals, insects can also carry diseases (mosquitoes and ticks are a good example).

Check for ticks often and remove them asap. If possible, wear long pants and long sleeves. I recommend you wear light clothing to spot the ticks more easily.

Avoid these disease-carrying insects in the first place by bringing along some insect repellent that contains DEET and applying it to exposed skin.

 

#6 Stop Hypothermia Arising

Hypothermia is a real thing, while humans are only capable of surviving 3 hours in extreme conditions, it is only necessary keep warm in cold temperatures.

Keep your clothes loose but layered, this is to stop condensation from building up underneath your clothes.

We lose 70% of our body heat through our head, and also through our most weakest exposed body parts.

Be sure to keep your head covered, wrists, neck, ankles and knees. Just from performing these simple actions, you will be well on your way to a warmer trip.

Learn How You Can Stay Warm In Your Tent

 

#7 Prevent Sunburn

While the extreme cold can be deadly, the suns UV rays are no different.

With thousands of people dying every year due to skin cancer and other related sunburn illnesses, it’s not worth taking the risk and not applying any sunblock to yourself.

It’s easy to put on, and does an excellent job of keeping you safe, you’ll be stupid not to use it.

And don’t think that the suns UV rays can’t get you on cloudy or hazy days, because they actually can.

I usually avoid the sun during the midday, this is when the suns rays are the strongest. Remember to use a wide brim hat and sunglasses for additional protection from the sun.

 

#8 Water-Related Illnesses

After swimming in the river, lake or stream it is essential to take a shower afterwards.

The amount of germs and bacteria in these bodies of water are in the thousands. So please don’t swallow the water and tell the children to not do this as well.

 

#9 Be Prepared For Weather Changes

Storms can occur in ALL seasons, not just Winter.

If you are out camping with your family then you better be prepared for any temperature drops or sudden wind and rain storms.

This is a common mistake I see too many people doing at public campgrounds when their tent blows away or the poles break, making them cut their trip short.

 

#10 Pack Accordingly

You don’t know if you will end up lost or if wildlife will get into your supplies while you are out exploring.

Pack extra food just in case you want to stay another day, or something happens to your main food supply. Bring a lot of portable foods and snacks because you will need to keep your energy levels up as you hike through the wilderness.

 

My Final Thoughts

Just because you’re in a public campsite or nothing dangerous has happened in the area you are camping in, that doesn’t mean you are invincible, or a ‘god’. Because Mother Nature is not someone to mess with.

Camping with the family is a great activity to do, especially if you are working on bonding with the children, however safety in the wilderness shouldn’t go out the window just because you’ve been camping for years and consider yourself a camping master.

Even I take safety in the great outdoors seriously, and I still do until this day.

Because no one wants to see their children or close family friend suffer due to a fatal injury that could have been avoided. So please take safety seriously, if you enjoyed these tips then I bet you’ll like my 15 critical camping safety steps.

Otherwise, if you enjoyed this article, please leave a comment below 🙂