Many people have a negative view of camping. This, however, is not really the truth. By taking the time to properly plan, you can avoid nasty bugs, eat well and have a wonderful time. Learn more about planning an enjoyable trip by reading on.
Let all the members of your family have a hand in picking your campsite. Openly talk about the various options available to you. There are so many options around the U.S. that it can actually be difficult to pick one! If necessary, select a few locations yourself, then let the family decide among your choices.
When you’re camping, always look for shelter prior to dark. After the night falls, pitching a tent, locating firewood and making food can be difficult. This is especially important to those who are not accustomed to the darkness associated with the great outdoors. Avoid this hazard completely, by finding adequate shelter long before the sun goes down.
A survival kit should be packed and carried on you everywhere you go. You need to pack a flare gun, utility knife, matches and a first aid kit. These are essential items for your survival if you ever get lost. Remember to carry it with you and do not leave it in your camp.
Sleeping Bag
Check the weather updates for the camping site that you choose to go to. There are dozens of websites that can tell you about local climates. Armed with the forecast, you can prepare yourself with appropriate clothing and camping gear.
When camping, bring the sleeping bag that appeals to the season that you are in. A bag that is intended for winter conditions will surely cause you to overheat when you are trying to sleep in summer weather. On the flip side, bring a sleeping bag meant for summer camping will make you very cold during your winter camping trip. You could even experience hypothermia.
If you are taking kids camping, have them eat a “jungle breakfast.” Portable foods, such as boxed cereal, juice, and fruit, can be tied to trees. Once the kids are awake, they can go search for their food. This adds a little sprinkle of adventure and excitement to any camping trip.
Chances are, your family and your belongings are going to end up getting dirty. If you’re prepared beforehand then you won’t be so stressed out when things start to get dirtier. Enjoy your time and don’t afraid to be messy. You can get cleaned up when you return home.
Try to add an activity having to do with swimming to your camping trip if at all possible. You might long for a good shower when you are camping. You’ll feel much cleaner by swimming in cool water. Therefore, you aren’t going to miss your home shower as much.
Make sure to pack plenty of extra clothing for your children. Camping can be very messy. Kids love the dirt. Expect them to be all shades of dirty as the day moves on. You don’t want to interrupt their fun, it’s a joy of camping after all; but, keep some extra clothing with you for them. It is important to be prepared.
Always set up your camp before nightfall. Quickly locate a good parking place if you’ve brought along an RV. When you find a camping area, make sure that your tent is pitched on a flat area that isn’t near any unsafe ledges. If you do that before it gets dark, you can get a good look at your immediate surroundings. You will be able to see due to the sunlight and you will have an easier time.
Choose a tent large enough for everyone that is going to sleep in it. Being stuffed into a tent can make it almost impossible to get any sleep, and you certainly do not want to be stepping on people if you have to get out during the night.
Talk with your children about the dangers associated with camping before you leave home. It’s easy to look at photos online of harmful plants like poison ivy so that they are aware that they should not touch them when they’re camping.
A jungle breakfest is a great way to add excitement to your trip. Take mini-boxes of cereal, juice boxes and fruit out into the woods, and tie them to the trees. When your kids get up, have them hunt down their breakfast. This will add some adventure and fun to their day.
If you are a camping novice, you should initially stay near home. You may encounter problems with your equipment, or you may decide to come home early. You may come to realize that you should have packed different clothing, or need more food. A variety of issues could arise if you don’t know what to expect, so being close to home can prevent you from feeling stranded and stuck.
Dryer lint is a great item to bring if you are trying to start a campfire. Start storing your lint in a bag a couple weeks before your trip. You can simply stuff it all into a plastic grocery bag you keep near the dryer. The morning of your departure, all you need to do is grab the bag and depart, kindling sorted!
One smart thing to bring along camping is duct tape. Just like around the home, it has many uses while camping. It is perfect for fixing an air mattress. You can also use it to patch up a tent, tarp or sleeping bag. It can be used on feet to help fight off blisters during long hikes. Injuries can even be bandaged with it.
Always have an emergency kit on hand when camping with family, or even staying alone. There are certain things you’ll need to include at certain locations (i.e. a snake bite kit.) However, there some basics you should always have with you. Species specific antivenom should be packed to protect against animal bites.
When you reach your campsite, pitch your tent on the softest, most level ground you can locate. Pitching your tent on bumpy, rocky ground or on a slope won’t make for a very comfortable night’s sleep. Just lay a tarp at the bottom of the tent to stop water from going into your tent or damaging your tent.
By now you should see that you can have a lot of fun while camping. Use the things presented here to help you plan an outing into nature. These tips will assist you in enjoying the positive aspects of camping while circumventing the negatives.
Be prepared for your next camping adventure by taking precautions on conserving flashlight batteries. You can easily press the “on” switch on a flashlight when digging in your camping bag. To prevent draining the batteries, place them in your flashlight backwards. This way, if the button is turned on, the flashlight will not light and your batteries remain full.
