10 Quick Tips for Camping With the whole Family
These are simple, easy and will make for a more enjoyable and easy camping adventure for the whole family!
- Bring the woofa
Dog friendly camping grounds and parks are growing rapidly and it’s great! They are an important part of our family that we love and adore so much, so why not bring them camping with us? With innovations like the Outdoor Connection Dog Bed and the all new ultra-comfy Fleecy Dog Mat…. your furry friend will think he or she is in heaven! It’s good for everyone concerned, you pup gets to hang out with you, your kids are occupied playing with them, and you don’t feel guilty as an owner (adopted parent) for leaving her/him at home and missing out on all the family fun times.
- Comfy kids are happy kids
Are you sick of the kids grabbing your comfy chair around the camp fire? Here’s a simple tip - get them their own Junior camper chair! Here’s another simple tip - let them choose their own colour option, they won’t want to sit in anything else (They’ve got ownership of it right from the get go). Problem solved!
- Meal time dessert
There’s no better way to get your young ones to eat all of their dinner, than to let them know there’s dessert afterwards (But only if they eat it all, right?!). Even better, if it’s something they can make themselves and, or, something they can cook over the fire or over the coals safely…. they will embrace the experience! You’ll be amazed how much simply cooking marshmallows over a fire will entice a child to eat all of their greens beforehand! (Great tip for family camping)
- Hop into your sleeping bag warm.
Did you know that sleeping bags don’t make you warm, they keep you warm? It’s true… it’s the warmth from your body that heats the air inside your sleeping bag that helps to keep you warm - your Outdoor Connection sleeping bag's job is to retain that warm air. If you hop into a sleeping bag cold, it will take longer to heat the air than it will if you hop in already warm. So rug up early before you’re going to hit the sack & you’ll doze off nice & toasty the minute you slide into bed!
- Kids love to learn
Kids thirst for knowledge. Before you head off camping, do a little research on the local area & get yourself organised with something for the kids to do once you get there. One of the great games is ‘Identify the plant’ or 'identify the bird’. Go through it with them at home, print off images, get the ‘billy lids’ a small set of binoculars and send them on a hunt with you. It's interactive (fun for the whole family) - creates adventurous discovery and will educate them for life, and they won’t even realise they’re being taught.
- Pack games for rainy weather
Have you ever heard of the saying, ‘If you’re given lemons, make lemonade”? That’s what we have to do when a rainy camping trip pops up out of nowhere. You have to be prepared & that’s where a good old board game or two, a deck of playing cards, or even a little case of Lego packed will come in handy. Not all is lost with rainy camping weather & these will be sure to keep everyone occupied & happy.
- Pack a compact folding stool
One of the most under rated tools for camping for all the family is a light weight folding stool that can be carried anywhere with ease. They pack away to nothing in your trailer or vehicle for transporting, are ideal for new visitors who might pop over & introduce themselves to sit on, perfect to carry down to the water’s edge while you sit & watch the kids swim & they double up nicely as a biscuit & cheese side table around the fire. Handy tip!
- Kids can look after their own lighting
How good is having your own torch or carry light when camping as a kid? Even better for today’s kids now that lights like the portable Outdoor Connection Lighthouse 400 rechargeable lantern is available. The efficiency of the new in built lithium battery & COB LED means they will run for hours on end and be bright enough to walk around outside safely at night (you can see everything!). Like most kids do, they will have USB rechargeable devices (fitness watch - iPod - camera) which can now be charged from these portable lights. The kids can look after themselves…. now that’s a tip worth thinking about!
- Pack your trailer or car smartly.
Here’s a simple handy camping hint that will be sure to start your camping trip off on the right track. Pack your car or trailer in an order that allows you access to the things you require first, once you arrive at your camping destination. This is usually always your Outdoor Connection tent, tarp, (shelter) spare tent pegs, guy ropes and mallet/hammer to begin with. Next for us is usually our camp cooking equipment…. we always seem to arrive just as it’s meal time (why is that?).
- The Off Road Hauler
So often we have a small walk from our campsite down to the water’s edge for a swim with the family. However; trying to lug everything down with you can be a real nightmare (i.e.: Towels, sunscreen, book, umbrella, drinks, snacks, phone, music station, bucket & spade…. etc.) That’s where the convenience of a go anywhere, Off Road hauler has made life so much easier for parents when camping. A real life saver that will ensure your next camping trip so much easier and convenient! (It also doubles as a second storage container at night for kids’ toys, shoes and other items that lay around the camp.)
