A family camping at Joe Brown Park during a Family Campout event

Going camping with your family can be a great bonding experience! Lots of families love the idea of unplugging and spending some time together around a campfire, but they aren’t sure how to do it. As many first-time campers have experienced, a camping trip can turn from fun to frustration very quickly. Here are some pointers to help ensure that your first time camping with your family goes smoothly.

Location: Picking the right campsite is vital to a successful camping trip

• Most importantly for your first camping trip: Go somewhere that you can leave easily if it all goes to heck!

• Go somewhere that has features you will enjoy (Ex. hiking trails, swimming, etc.). You can search through lots of campsite options and make reservations on Reserve America.

Supplies: Always plan ahead

Food: Keep it simple

• Bring food that’s easy to make at a campsite. Hot dogs and s’mores are easy and require very little cleanup. They also create family time around the campfire.

• Double-check that you’ve packed everything you need to cook and eat all of the food.

• Remember to store all food securely overnight so critters don’t get into it. If you’re in bear country, this is especially important! Even if you don’t have bears, you probably still have raccoons. Nobody likes being woken up in the middle of the night by the sound of a raccoon ripping into your snacks.

  
  

Check out our articles on easy camping recipes for more ideas!

Tents: Practice

• If you don’t already have a tent, borrow or buy one. You don’t need the fanciest tent around. A basic Coleman Sundome is a great first tent.

• Practice setting up the tent at home first. This will make sure you know how to set it up properly and that you have all of the pieces you need for it.

  
  

The bigger the tent, the bigger the frustration when learning to set it up. Don’t buy a giant tent.

Clothing and sleeping: Comfort over style

• The main thing to remember here is only bring clothing that you won’t mind getting dirty. Expect to do some laundry when you get home and don’t worry too much about stains.

• If you don’t have sleeping bags, just bring enough blankets to be comfortable with the overnight temperature. You can even bring some extra blankets to use as padding to sleep on.

If you need to buy some camping essentials, check out the camping section at Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shop. They’ve got a lot of great camping gear available both online and in-store.

Final tidbits: safety is always a priority

• Pack a basic first-aid kit. If you don’t already have one, you can purchase one at a local outdoor store or an online retailer like REI.

• Remember all prescribed medications that your family needs. Don’t forget the inhaler or EpiPen!

• Remember to check the forecast so you can plan appropriately.

That’s it! If you plan ahead and follow those guidelines, you should have a smooth first family camping trip. If you would like to practice your camping skills before going on your first family campout, contact us to find out more about our Camping 101 events this fall.

Good luck!