About 13% of adults report going camping because it helps them spend more time with their families. Could camping help you in this way? In all likelihood, the answer is yes. During a typical week, family life can be hectic. After school activities and different work schedules can keep kids and parents from eating dinner at the same time, for example. It can become easier than you think to go days without saying more than a sentence or two to each other.
Do you plan on having a family camping vacation this year? Here are a few tips you should keep in mind in order to have a great — and memorable — time together.
1. Have Activities to Do
You may love the idea of your kids not tapping away at their iPhone every 10 seconds. If there aren?t activities for them to do, though, relaxation can quickly devolve into boredom on your tent camping trip. Coming up with things to do doesn?t need to be difficult — pick up some used books from a book sale for quiet time reading, some beads or paint for fun crafts, and a few board games for bringing everyone together.
2. Have Fun Food Activities
Have you ever made ?walking tacos? with a bag of Doritos? Don?t just prepare for camping by bringing a jumbo bag of pre-cooked hot dogs. Make your camping adventure fun with unique food options that the kids can help you prepare. Another idea: make ?camping cones? by placing a mixture of marshmallows, chocolate chips, and fruit in an ice cream cone — then heat this over the fire using tinfoil. An instant, tasty hit for dessert!
3. Opt for a Splashpark at Southern Campgrounds
These days, many campgrounds have more options available than just cabins and picnic tables. Many so called ?camp resorts? have great amenities, such as splashparks. These can be a great option for families with young kids — it?s a way to spend time outdoors but can be ideal if there?s no natural lake or river around (or if the lake water is too cold, or too dirty!). Southern campgrounds are typically the best option for this because of the weather.
4. Invite Another Family
Just as camping can be a great way for your nuclear family to come together — it can also be a great way to connect to the rest of your family. Invite your sister or your sister-in-law along — or your cousin and their family! This will also help your kids connect to their relatives, whether you’re staying at Southern campgrounds or doing New York camping.