Before having kids, my husband and I used to spend our anniversaries camping on an island off the coast of Washington state. We would pitch our tent in the woods and wake up to the sound of harbor seals splashing in the waves. Then, when I was pregnant with my first child, we went camping in a nearby national forest. I spent my lazy days reading in a hammock by the river, and in the evenings, we sat by the fire, imagining the family camping trips we would soon take.
The next summer, we returned to the national forest with our six-month-old baby. Not only did we forget to bring firewood, but within an hour of going to sleep our daughter woke up upset. Eventually, we packed our bags and left, grateful to be surrounded by all the comforts of home the next morning.
We waited a year to try it again and were pleasantly surprised by how much fun camping was once our daughter got a little older. Over time, we’ve figured out what works (and what doesn’t), and now family camping trips are one of our favorite pastimes. Here are six things we learned…
1. It doesn’t take much to have fun outside.
Our favorite state parks have amenities our kids enjoy, like playgrounds and paddle boat rentals and ice cream stands, but we can have just as much fun at campgrounds without all the entertainment. We have learned to pack accordingly. We bring a frisbee and whiffle ball to the campground with the big grassy fields; We bring kites and sand toys to the beach guy; And we always bring our field guides and binoculars (plus a of one eyeWhich I’ve found is easier for kids to use). With freedom to explore, our children usually entertain themselves. And, this may be a violation of all the rules, but when we camp in the state parks of the San Juan Islands, we take a break from it, going into town to browse the bookstore and grab a coffee and pastry or (gasp!) to eat at a nice restaurant.
2. Camping with kids looks different, and that’s okay.
When our youngest child was born, we upgraded from our two-person backpacking tent In a family-sized tent (Similar), whom the children named Bluey. We also purchased a used pop-up camper, which has made camping even more comfortable. (We switch off and on between the two, depending on the campsite.) When our kids are older, we’ll take them on remote backpacking adventures, but for now, I appreciate the ease. Every camping ground we go to we decorate our camper with stickers. Elderly couples walk by and tell us, we used to bring our kids here. Sitting in the camper at night, listening to the sound of my family’s breathing, I think, This is all I need to feel at home.
3. Group camping trips are like one big sleepover.
Every year we go on group camping trips with friends, and we always come away from these weekends saying, This is why we camp. Older kids race their bikes in a loop around the campground and younger kids take them on giant make-believe games. And it’s fun for adults too – we enjoy leisurely time outdoors. Every meal is a potluck, and what if you run out of sunscreen or forget to pack ketchup? There is always more than enough to go around. After the children go to sleep, someone adds another log to the fire. Some of us go to our tents, and some of us remain quietly talking and laughing until it is time to put out the embers and call it night.
4. Park rangers are the best.
We’ve found that some state parks have ranger-led nature activities for kids, so that’s something we ask about when checking out. One of my daughter’s favorite memories is the time a park ranger stopped by our campsite with booklets filled with nature-themed puzzles and activities. He promised that once their booklets were completed, they could earn their ‘Junior Park Ranger’ badge. My daughter, who was five years old at the time, read the entire book diligently. On the last day of our trip we stopped at the ranger station. The ranger on duty not only brought a box of wooden badges, but he also led a very official swearing-in ceremony. I had tears in my eyes when our children pledged to take care of the land, waterways and wildlife around us.
5. It is useful to take notes for next time.
When it’s time to start packing for a trip, I open up the camping checklist I keep in my Notes app. The list is getting better over time, as I’m constantly adding everything we want us to bring. For meals, we cut, slice and measure ingredients at home and make as many meals as possible. Because I’m extra, I also like to bake blueberry scones, which we reheat over the fire to enjoy with our morning coffee. we use one cast iron camp cooker For egg sandwiches that make breakfast as fun as toasting s’mores. While walking around the campground, we make note of sites we want to reserve for next time and write down what we liked about them. State parks book up early, so this helps us in the late winter when discussions begin in our group chats about making reservations.
6. The best thing is that our children remember good things.
When we share stories about past camping trips, we’re always surprised by what our kids share. He remembers how the stars looked when he went to the bathroom at night, not the runny nose that kept him up late. They remember drinking hot cocoa with marshmallows before breakfast, not the time I cut bagels in the palm of my hand with a blunt knife. They remember listening to audio books with their luggage in the back seat, not the miserable time my husband and I spent tearing down a campsite in the pouring rain.
At home, when our children wake up and climb into our bed under the parapet, they reach out their hands to touch the low ceiling that sags above us like a tent, and say, It’s just like camping.
caitlyn tierceThe first essay collection of Little Apocalypses: Essays on Motherhood, Climate Change, and Hope at the End of the World It’s out today! is the senior editor of big salad (And you can read his recent Big Salad interview and garden tour Hereif you wish). Kaitlyn lives in Bellingham, Washington with her husband and two children.
Now, I would love to hear, do you enjoy camping? What traditions do you look forward to every summer?
PS10 readers share their favorite outdoor activities and five family vacation ideas.
(Top photo by Dave Hoefler/Unsplash.)
