I’m one of those fathers that will take the kids out on a trip in the first chance I get. I also hope to a help another family camping in tents, that is the main reason why I’m writing these tips down.
My favorite time is when the kids holidays roll around, I will also use this time to go for an extended camping trip out in the wilderness.
Other than that, most of the time we just go on a weekend trip at our public campground. More often than not it works wonders and helps me and my partner bond with the kids more, while also teaching them how to live out in the wild by themselves.
Give Each Kid A Whistle
This is for safety reasons of course, tell them that if they ever get lost to blow the whistle and not move until someone comes for help.
Make sure you tell them not do blow the whistle intentionally either.
Assign Each Person Their Own Duffel Bag
This will make it 10x easier for everyone to find their clothing and equipment, instead of having everyone’s clothing or gear in the same bag.
This will only make it harder to locate items, meaning more stress on you while in the great outdoors.
Use A Footprint Cover
Your tents flooring is more susceptible to ripping when you don’t have a strong footprint protecting your tent.
More times than not I have pierced the bottom of my tent by not being careful. Don’t make this silly mistake and use a protective cover. Heck, even a tarp is better than nothing, and it’s also affordable.
If you want to have a professional flooring protector, the tents manufacturer have them sold separately.
Air Out Your Sleeping Bag
Your body heat is absorbed by the sleeping bag while you sleep, by airing it out during the day your allowing the moisture to dry up while the sleeping bag will also hold its insulation abilities a lot better.
That will make your sleeping bag last longer as well, this is a good idea if you want to get the most lifespan out of it.
Wildlife Safety
It is your responsibility for the safety of you and your family as well as the entire campground, to take care of your rubbish and your food.
Your food should always be secured at night time.
And remember that food should NEVER be inside your tent. Never feed the wild animals and I would also suggest you that you teach the kids to not feed wild animals as well.
Note: Bears are smart, they know what ice chests look like and what they contain. Please make sure that if you place it in your car overnight, that it CAN NOT be seen. Under a towel or blanket will work perfectly.
Use The Buddy System
Even if you have 2 kids, they can buddy up. Each child should have a buddy that you have assigned.
This is for safety reasons. Anything can happen even if one goes to the restroom, so it is only necessary to ensure that their buddy goes with them on short trips as well.
If a child is in danger, the whistle will work or one kid can run back for help. Either way at least there’s two ways that they can get help, and not just one.
Spend A Little More Time Researching A Tent
Before you go out and waste your money on the first tent you see, spend a little time on your research, that way you absolutely know that you’re getting the best bang for your buck.
I don’t care how much money you spend on a tent. Oftentimes you can get a high quality, cheap tent that will outlast a more expensive one. It’s best to do your research first.
I explain what to look for when searching for a decent tent in this article.
Conclusion
I never get bored of going out in the wilderness and spending a weekend with my family while I teach my kids how to have fun and stay safe at the same time.
There are a lot of parents who neglect their kids, and more times than not, neglect their partner as well. This is by no means their fault.
With people working 40-50 hours a week, sometimes their weekend is the only time to relax. Organizing, preparing and executing a weekend trip can seem like an impossible task.
It CAN, however remember that I am here to help. You may want to do a camp in your backyard first. It’s free, you don’t need much time to prepare, and my favorite perk of them all – there’s no travelling needed and no alarm clock trying to wake you up at 5 a.m!
If you need a good tent, this guide will show you how to choose the right one.
Otherwise, leave a comment below and tell me what your favorite tip was! 🙂
What a great idea about giving kids a whistle! A very inexpensive way to alert someone when lost or in danger. Camping with kids is enjoyable, but anything can happen when out in nature. Thanks for the excellent information!
I know right. I wish I thought about it earlier, but it is essentially a life saver when used correctly. Thanks for the kind words Linda, much appreciated 🙂
-Brandon
This is such an interesting article.I have never gone camping myself but my husband has been growing up like this, and we always plan to do it one day. Czech people love the nature and go camping quite often…I am not raised up to be in contact with nature while a kid so hope our kids will 🙂
Hello Arjola! Thank you for this comment. I had no idea that Czech people enjoy the great outdoors as much as I do 😀 I hope your husband gets you and the kids into camping then though, because it is REALLY fun.
Take care,
Brandon