Have Fun Hiking with Children

Hiking with children is a much different experience than hiking alone, or hiking with adults. When you hike as a family, there is a lot more time and preparation involved, and it can sometimes feel more like a chore than a fun family experience. In addition, hiking with the family tends to be slower, shorter and most certainly louder than hiking alone.

Still, hiking with your family can be very rewarding. It can provide an opportunity to bond with your family. It can provide opportunities for you to teach things to your family, and experience new things together.

In addition to all of that, children tend to enjoy being outdoors. They like to explore trails and enjoy wildlife. They look with fascination upon things like moss or wildflowers.

One of the key things about hiking with children is to start out easy. You might hike in your backyard, for example, to start with. From there, you might take a hike in a park or other easy trail. Wherever you decide to hike with your children, make sure that the trail is appropriate to the child’s age and abilities.

You will also want to teach your children about hiking safety. show your child what poison ivy looks like, and talk to your child about how some berries and mushrooms, although they might look good, may not be safe to eat.

As is the case any time you hike, make sure that you follow the basic hiking guidelines. For example, dress in layers so that you’re prepared for different types of weather. Bring enough water to avoid dehydration. Bring some snacks along with you.

You might also wish to come up with some extra activities for your children while you’re hiking, in case they get bored. Be ready to play a few games of “I Spy.” Consider a scavenger hunt, where the child has to find certain things along the hiking trail. Teach your child some camping songs that you can sing along the way, as well.

With some thought and preparation ahead of time, you can make hiking with your family a pleasant and educational experience.

Fun Family Camping Activities

Camping can be a relaxing experience for a family. Unfortunately, “relaxing” can often mean “boring” for a child. For this reason, you will want to have some camping games and activities handy so that you can enjoy the camping experience as a family.

One of the most enjoyable family camping activities can be the campfire. Younger children enjoy gathering sticks and branches to be used as kindling. Make sure, of course, that they don’t wander too far, or that the campground rules don’t prevent you from gathering fallen branches and such. In addition to gathering wood, children may enjoy learning how to properly build a campfire. If you’re especially dedicated, you might try to master the art of starting the campfire without matches or a lighter, although this can be rather arduous. Once the campfire is built, you can roast hot dogs or have s’mores.

There are some toys that are especially useful when camping, as well. A Frisbee or flying disc can be a fun camping activity. A baseball and glove might be useful, too. If the campground has a volleyball court, you might bring a volleyball as well.

Many families bring bicycles when they camp. If your whole family brings their bikes, you can ride all around the campground, or even bike to some of the surrounding attractions. Even just bringing the kids’ bikes allows them to get around and perhaps meet other children that are camping.

Coloring books or handheld game systems are also useful when you’re camping. You can use these inside the tent when it’s raining outside, for example. You can also use them when you’re traveling on your way to go camping.

You can also play card games or board games with your family when you’re camping. Obviously you want to choose games that don’t have lots of little pieces that could become lost. Also, if it’s especially windy, you probably won’t be able to play card games, at least not outside. You may still be able to play them in the tent.

Take some time before your next camping trip to identify some of the fun family camping activities your family would like to participate in.

How To Teach Your Child Fishing Safety

There’s nothing quite like taking your child on a fishing trip, whether you’re camping or just going for the day. Passing on a hobby like this from one generation to the next is not only fun, it’s also an excellent opportunity to spend time with and bond with your child.

Still, there are some safety issues you’ll want to keep in mind when you’re fishing with your child. Here are some tips on how to keep fishing safe and fun for everyone:

• Start with life jackets or personal flotation devices. Whether you’re on shore, a boat or a dock, a life jacket can keep your child from drowning.
• Discuss the safety rules with your child ahead of time. Explain to her that there can be no horseplay. Tell her to look around before she casts, and to keep her shoes on at all times.
• Make sure you’ve got certain equipment with you. For example, a first aid kit is an absolute necessity. In addition, you’ll want to bring a fish net with a long handle, which you can use to reach out to someone who is in the water.
• Keep cool and hydrated. Make sure that both you and your child drink a plentiful amount of cold water or sports drinks. This helps stave off dehydration and heat stroke.
• Keep protected from the sun. Use sunscreen lotion. Wear hats to keep the sun off your brow. Reapply the sunscreen lotion regularly. Consider using a high SPF sunscreen for your child, especially if she sunburns easily.
• Use insect repellant. Insect repellant keeps Mosquitoes, bees and other insects at bay.
• Think safety at all times. If an activity seems like it might be even a little bit dangerous, don’t do it.
• Keep an eye on your child. Never let your child out of your site, and be constantly watching for danger.
• Demonstrate how to use fishhooks, how to tie them to a line, and how to put bait on them. Show your child that you are handling the fishhook carefully, so that he will handle his fishhook carefully when the time comes.

Prepare Your Family For Camping

Camping is an exciting family experience that your children will remember for their entire lives. That first time the family goes camping is critical, as it can set the tone for all future camping trips. Because of this, you want to make sure that the trip is as positive as it can be for your child. Here are some ways to do that:

Do a test run

Thoroughly prepare your child for the camping experience. If your child is prone to anxiety in new settings, consider setting up the tent in the backyard and sleeping outside for a night or two. If that isn’t an option, consider setting up a small pup tent inside the house and allowing the child to sleep inside.

Consider a separate children’s tent

Older children especially enjoy their privacy. If you have teenagers in your family, they may not want to sleep in the same tent as mom and dad, or as their younger siblings. Allowing the children to sleep in a separate tent if they wish may be the perfect solution for this problem.

Have clear rules and expectations

When you go camping for the first time, your children probably don’t know what to do and what not to do. Discuss these things with your child ahead of time. For example, if you intend to use a chore list (sometimes known as a “kaper chart,”) go through the list ahead of time so that the children know what they’ll be doing while camping.

In addition, you need to cover the basic safety rules ahead of time, as well. Talk with your children about fire safety. Teach them to recognize plants like poison ivy and poison oak.

Keep them interested

Bring along some toys and games for your children in case they get bored. Try to bring family activities, such as board games, if at all possible. Bring plenty of books, coloring books, crayons and other sorts of toys and activities.

Make it truly memorable

Try to plan some unique activities. Make s’mores. Let your children roast their own hot dogs. Do some fishing. Find things to do with your children that they can’t do when they’re not camping.

The Cabin Tent Solution

When we first were married, we’d often go camping in a little 2-person dome tent that was barely big enough for the two of us. After three children, however, a little dome tent doesn’t cut it anymore. Several years ago, after our third child was born, we upgraded to a cabin tent, and we’ve never looked back.

Cabin tent features

Cabin tents can hold anywhere from 8 to 24 people. According to the instructions, you can sleep 16 people in our cabin tent. Now, we haven’t tried that, but I can tell you that this tent is just right for a family of 5, their two dogs, and all of their camping supplies. We even have a separate room with a camping toilet. That room doubles as a dressing room, too.

One of the best things about our cabin tent is the fact that we can actually stand up inside of it. The walls are rather steep, giving us a huge amount of standing room. While there are bigger dome tents that can sleep many people, I definitely prefer the cabin style for this reason.

Our particular cabin tent has 3 rooms. The adults sleep in one room, the children sleep in another, and the third room is a changing room and bathroom. Even though the walls are very thin vinyl fabric, it gives us a feeling of privacy and security.

One downside to the cabin tent is the weight and space it takes up in our camping gear. The tent bag weighs nearly 50 pounds, and it uses a good portion of space in our truck. We’d have a hard time using this particular tent if we wanted to camp at a site to which we needed to walk.

Cabin tent care

A few basic precautions will ensure that your tent gives you good service year after year. Here are some ways to make sure your cabin tent lasts for years to come:

• Avoid having an exposed fire or flame near the tent.
• Secure any loose flaps so that they are not torn off in a strong breeze.
• Do not hang any heavy items on the sides or inside the tent, since they could snag or tear the fabric.
• Wipe any spills with the recommended stain-removing solution.
• While dismantling the tent, disengage each item without using force.
• Dry the tent thoroughly, clean it of any twigs or leaves, fold it as per instructions, and store it in a cool dry place.

Family Camping Play Tent Solution

Camping can be a wonderful experience for a family. It can be a time to relax and just enjoy one another’s company. If your children are like mine, though, that relaxation lasts for about ten minutes. Once the children are bored, they get into all kinds of mischief. You need something for them to do when there’s nothing else scheduled.

One of the downsides to camping is the potential for bad weather. A campfire is great, but you can’t very well sit around a campfire roasting marshmallows when you’re in the middle of a torrential downpour. You’re stuck, inside your tent, until the rain lets up.

What do these two problems have in common? They can be solved using a children’s play tent.

All about children’s play tents

Children’s play tents come in a wide variety of designs and styles for both outdoor and indoor purposes. They are portable, easy to assemble and dismantle, and are made of water-resistant fabric like nylon or plastic. Some favorite shapes are domed, tunnel, castle, school bus, fire engine, bulldozer, and playhouse. Camouflage, wigwam, and fictional-character theme-based tents are very popular, too.

There are several models and brands of children’s play tents to choose from, including:

Pacific Play Tent: These play tents are made from flame-retardant, 70-Denier nylon with shock-corded poles for easy assembly. The two most popular models are the “Me Too” and “T” styles. They average approximately $25 to $30 apiece.

Lucy and Michael Play Tents: Both of these tents are high-end, intricately designed, colorful play tents. They are made from fun fabrics and have sturdy pine supports. These tents are significantly more expensive at $300 to $350.

Playhut Play Tents: These are light, portable tents covered with cartoon-character graphics. They have a flap door and tunnel port with a twist-n-fold patent technology for easy folding. The price is about $30.

The SpongeBob Squarepants Play ‘N Fun tent costs around $40 and is a combination of play tent with a slumber hideaway, bean-bag toss game, roll-out play mat, cabana with roll-up flap door, and crawl-through tunnel port.

Dora the Explorer Hideaway Tent: Made from non-woven nylon binding for spot cleaning, this tent has an EZ-Twist technology for easy set up. It also has a tunnel port and costs about $20.

Spinmaster’s Create: This tent is Spiderman-shaped with an inflatable bed. The poles are joined with common elastic for easy assembly and durability. It costs approximately $30.

What To Do On Your First Day Of Camping

If you’re preparing to camp for the very first time, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to figure out what exactly you need to do. Here are the primary things you’ll need to do in order to make that first day smooth and enjoyable:

Check in

When you get to the campground, you’ll need to stop into the office. If you have a reservation already, you will sign in, fill out a registration form, get your campsite number or choose your campsite, and pay for your stay. You will also be asked how many people will be camping, the license plate of the vehicle that will be parked at the campsite, and other information. You will probably be asked to provide identification, as well.

If possible, take a look around the campground to hand-pick your campsite. You want a campsite that isn’t completely out in the sun, that isn’t too close to the bathrooms, and that is on fairly high ground. If you’re camping with children and would like to be near the playground or beach, make sure you indicate that when you check in as well. Pick a campsite that has room to cook, and that is near a water source.

Setting Up

Once you’ve arrived at your actual campsite, it’s time to do some setting up. You’ll want to set up your tent, screen tent or other dwellings first. As you unload your vehicle, you’ll be unloading your camping equipment into these locations.

Choose a spot for your tent that is dry and elevated, but not on a slope. Keep the tent away from your campfire and from your cooking area, if possible. Often, a far corner of the campsite will work best for the tent.

If possible, try to have a sack lunch ready, rather than having to try to cook while you’re setting up camp. This gives you the afternoon to get things set up, before you need to worry about cooking.

Unpack

Once the tent is set up, you’ll unpack your camping gear. Place your sleeping gear in the tent, and your cooking equipment near where you’ll be cooking. Unload and set up your camping chairs, and stack your firewood somewhere near where your campfire will be.

Enjoy Yourself!

Really, that’s all there is to it. Once you’re set up and unpacked, you can start enjoying a nice campfire, a game of Frisbee, or whatever other activity you’re interested in.

How Screen Tents Improve the Camping Experience

Camping is a great way to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life for a few days. When you’re camping, you can fish, make s’mores, have a campfire and tell ghost stories. You can also get bitten by hundreds of mosquitoes.

When mosquitoes are thick, you might consider using a screen tent.

Sometimes known as a “screen house,” this piece of equipment can dramatically enhance the enjoyment of your camping trip. It can provide you with comfort, protection, and an appearance that adds appeal and charm to your campsite. In addition, they protect you and your food from insects and wind-born particles like leaves and other air-born particles.

The most basic type of camping screen tents is the canopy, which is normally made from a canvas or vinyl-type material stretched over a framed roof covered with tent poles. There are some canopies that come without walls.

Make sure your canopy has screened walls, or that screened walls can be added to it. There are screen tents with zip-out walls, and ones with built-in walls. Having zip-out walls gives you added flexibility, but these tend to be more expensive.

A screen tent can become the centerpiece of your campsite, and the hub of your camping activity.

For example, you might use your screen tent to store all of your outdoor gear and food supplies, such as coolers, backpacks, hunting, fishing, or bird watching gear, water jugs, unlit stoves, lanterns, pots and pans. You can also add a picnic table in the center of the tent, and you have an immediate kitchen, pantry, and storage closet.

For added charm, you can decorate your screen tent with colorful lights in the evenings. The benefit of using ornamental camping lights is that they give you a soft, warm, glow - exceptional for activities like dining or playing cards.

Make sure you choose the right location when setting up your screen tent. Don’t place it too close to the fire, and don’t place it on the outskirts of your campsite, as it will be the center of activity.

Big Tent Camping Basics

Pup tents and dome tents may be fine for the individual or the couple wanting to get away to nature for a few days, but what do you do when you have a family of five?

Fortunately for bigger families, there are a number of different types of big tents. Each has its own features and characteristics.

Cabin Tents

These are the most common type of big camping tents. Cabin tents typically sleep up to 16 people at a time. They usually have dividers that create walls, breaking up the tent into a number of rooms.

Cabin tents have large windows, and may even have a screened-in porch just outside of the entrance. Most of the time, cabin tents are tall enough that an adult can stand up inside without having to bend at all.

Cabin tents come in a number of different designs, shapes and sizes. There are square, rectangular and hexagonal cabin tents. There are cabin tents with a mesh roof and a rainfly, and ones that just have a single roof. There are cabin tents that sleep as few as 8, or as many as 24.

When you are looking for a cabin tent, here are some characteristics and extra features you want to look for:

• waterproof floor
• rain fly for weather protection
• lantern loop
• extra storage room
• windows with inside zips
• multiple doors for easy entry and exit
• insect protection screenings

Eureka Tents

This is another type of big camping tent. Eureka tents are freestanding, have spacious headroom and steep walls. Eureka tents have removable floors, doors that can be used as patio sunshades, and fully-enclosed inner hanging rooms.

Commercial Tents

A different type of big camping tent, a commercial tent, isn’t for sleeping. Instead, commercial tents are used to provide shelter from the elements during special events such as festivals, company outings or picnics, fundraisers, and even fairs. Commercial tents are made from long-lasting vinyl or sturdy canvas and can vary in size from 9’ x 10’ to 120’ x 400’.

Teaching Children to Fish

Sport fishing can be a wonderful and enjoyable activity for the whole family. Whether you’re camping or just going fishing for the day, bringing the kids along provides bonding opportunities and passes the hobby along to the next generation.

Still, teaching kids to fish can be a challenge. You want to make sure they have a good time, so that they’ll want to do it again. You want them to be successful, and you want them to learn.

Here are some things to keep in mind when teaching kids to fish:

• Start out somewhere well-stocked. If a child is going to be interested in fishing, she needs to experience some success early on.
• Help and instruct your child, but don’t do it all for her. Show them how to tie a lure, and let them try. If they get stuck, help out until they can get themselves.
• Make your child comfortable. Dress him in layers, in case the temperature drops or rises. If you’re fishing on a boat, make sure there are seat pads for him to sit down.
• Share your success with your kids. If you snag a large fish on your line, ask the kids to help you reel it in.
• Keep it active. Children get bored easily. Make sure there’s something for them to do, and somewhere for them to stretch their legs. Fishing from a pier or from the shore is often the best way to do this. Make sure there’s food and drink, as well.
• Keep it safe. Put life jackets on your child if you’re out over the water. Bring a first aid kit for those fishhook accidents.
• Be patient. Like with any other time you teach a child something, you’re going to have to be patient while the child works through it. Try not to criticize her, but guide her gently instead. Praise her for listening and for following your instructions.

Keep these few principles in mind when you take your kids fishing and you increase the likelihood that everyone will have a good time, and that your kids will develop an interest in fishing.

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