Should You Take The Kids Camping?

Children are so full of hopes, dreams, and excitement, most of which us adults wish we still had. Why not help them focus some of that excitement with camping? Camping with your kids will be fun! We grow to form a completely different world view than we did when we were kids. Things that have happened and things we’ve seen and done have changed how we see the world around us, but it is all part of growing up.

Our children don’t look at the world the same way we did. In today’s world of instant gratification, it can sometimes be hard to get the kids to do anything. All they have to do is turn on the TV or open their phone, (if you allow them to have one). Children are playing outside less and less while being exposed to way more than we did and it gets crazier with each new generation.

We are not saying that kids shouldn’t be able to enjoy technology, absolutely not! Today’s world of technology is amazing, and it will only get better! The point is to be able to find a balance. Bringing the kids out on a camping trip every once in a while is an excellent way to tip that balance. Teaching them basic survival skills, at the least, is awesome.

In part, this is why OutdoorCampingAdvice was born! We want to help as many people as we can with anything to do with the outdoor lifestyle and that includes your health, so watch out for some healthy tips in the coming future! Taking the kids out camping is one of the great ways that you can help your child’s health!

Being out in nature, breathing fresh air, and learning how to use their brain effectively are just a few of the many benefits of getting your children outdoors more. Now, we also aren’t saying that camping is the ONLY way to get your children active, but it is a great place to start. Finding that balance between being inside and outside instead of them being inside all the time playing games, etc. is crucial. Of course, there are exceptions, but that is the few of the many.

It isn’t healthy to be inside all the time. In our opinion, this is one of the many reasons that there are more children with anxiety disorders, depression and so on. Human interaction does play a part, but a lot of it is just being inside too much and staring at a screen all day long.

So have we got you thinking? Good. Now, if you are to bring your children camping, think about entertainment. In their mind, they will be giving up all of their fun to go camping with you. If you’re creative, they will have a lot of fun and will want to go again and again. A lot of it is giving them an awesome first experience because as we all know, first impressions matter a lot.

Here are 12 of our ideas to get your brain going on what to do!

• Arts And Crafts – You can easily find tons of arts and crafts for the kids to do, this doesn’t have to be complicated. Don’t overthink it!

• Go Swimming! – Swimming is not only refreshing and a cool-off, but it is a healthy activity as well! Having a quick dip in the water will cool off everyone’s attitude.

• Cook Over The Campfire – This one is a no-brainer, who doesn’t love delicious food? And roasted marshmallows! Even better!

• Scavenger Hunt/Hide-N-Seek – Kids love searching for things, especially if you give them a time limit! If you celebrate it, remember how they act during Easter searching for eggs? It’s a lot of fun!

• Go Hiking Or Trail Running! -Kids are full of tremendous amounts of energy and they need a way to release all of that explosive energy! Hiking or trail running will give them an awesome way to use all that excitement!

• Play Flashlight Tag! – This game is played at night and the person who is “it” waits and counts to ten while the rest hide! Then, the person who is “it” uses their flashlight to find all those that are hiding! Very Fun!

• Bring Some Fireworks – Shooting off fireworks can be a very fun activity for the kids as long as you are careful. Small firecrackers and noisemakers are great options!

• Go Fishing – Fishing has always been a family favorite among campers. Relaxing together by the water and getting some bonding time. Just watch out for that hook!

• Corn-hole – Corn-hole will always be a go-to for a lot of families. Just hanging out together and scoring some points!

• Bring A Family Fun Kit – Grab one of the many kits in dollar stores and shopping chains that are filled with things for activities like baseball, Frisbee, and even lawn bowling! There can be many more, these are just some examples.

• Look For Bugs! – This one may seem simple, but it can take up a lot of time if you start finding some cool little bugs!

• Use Your Imagination! – Kids have bright and colorful imaginative minds and what better than to be able to use it! Play games that don’t involve equipment, just your brain.

Once you get your kids to like camping, they will want to go again and it might eventually turn into a hobby. Not only will it help the kids, but it could help you more as well! Camping will bring the whole family together and that in itself is part of the beauty of family camping!

Think about what the future could bring! Making camping a family tradition will become something that brings the family back together even after they leave the birds nest! The impact might even go further than that if your kids bring their kids camping and so on. You might even start something that never goes away and keep your future generations healthy for years and years to come!

 In Summary: 

Good or bad, it is always worth trying because the mental and physical health of your children is important. So the next time you think about a fun family outing, why not try camping? you never know what could come of it!  If you need help finding out whether or not camping is for you, check out our post. Camping: Is It For You? Lovetheoutdoors.com also has some great camping tips.