When setting up camp, pick a spot that gets lots of sunlight in cool weather, or choose a low spot that holds cool air when it’s hot. Let children participate in tasks, like cooking. (Shutterstock image)
June 12, 2024
By Scott Linden
The natives were getting restless. Eleven Boy Scouts were whining and shivering as we trudged through crusty snow toward the halfway point on our hike. But I had a secret weapon in my pack, ready for deployment at the turnaround.
They muttered and shuffled during fire-building, but when I whipped out a small, unassuming tube, the malaise morphed into puzzled looks. The patrol leader slammed it against a boulder and the spiral seam magically opened. Kids peeled off raw dough triangles, wrapped them on sticks and roasted their “mountain man bannock.” (Thanks, Doughboy.)
That tactic came from a bottomless bag of tricks acquired over years of Scouting leadership, but your own experiences should serve you well, too. Here are a few more tricks you might try at the start of family camping season.
Plan lots of activities, and keep kids actively involved in all processes. If you’re fishing, consider asking your child to help you net some bait. (Shutterstock image) MANAGE EXPECTATIONS First, remember that nobody’s having fun when somebody’s griping, and nobody gripes louder than a ten-year-old who’s bored, cold or hungry. Second, this is not your trip, it’s your kid’s trip. Look at it as an investment both in your peace of mind, and in cultivating a life-long outdoors buddy.
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Kids want to be part of the action, so start by picking a destination together—ideally a place with something of interest to them like a waterfall, elk herd or fishing spot. Consult the map together and plan the route, including fun rest stops. Research the critters and history of the area before you leave home. Make a “to-do” list together, not just of chores, but adventures.
Kids often have a fear of the unknown, so conduct a “dress rehearsal.” Practice fire building, pitch a tent and sleep in the yard. Cast a hookless lure into a bucket. Post a map on the fridge a week before your trip.
Nothing buoys a child’s spirit like another kid, so invite a friend along. Teach basic survival skills and arm each child with a whistle only to be used in emergencies. And if it’s a child’s first camping experience, plan a one-night trip. Hardships become softer if you can see a bright, beckoning light at the end of a short tunnel.
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GETTING THERE The open road may be your express lane to adventure, but to a child it can feel like an endless hell of staring at the back of your head while listening to classic rock. Stop frequently and blow off steam with a short hike or Frisbee toss. And lots of snacks.
Review the to-do list, talk about the skills you’ve learned together, and maybe even practice them en route. Tell stories about your own outdoors experiences as a kid.
MAKING CAMP Choose a sunny campsite in cool weather (a south facing slope with few trees) and a cool one on a sultry weekend (the top of a shady hill to catch breezes, or a low spot that holds cool air at night).
Second-nature tasks are first-time experiences for young campers, so explain objectives carefully, give a lot of suggestions and award brownie points for honest effort.
Ensure youngsters sleep comfortably with their pillow from home, a cushy sleeping pad and a warm sleeping bag. Let them stay up late and go to bed exhausted. When they do, gaze at the dying embers of your team-built fire and relax, because tomorrow the real fun begins.
KEEP THEM BUSY Your list of activities should be long and varied; some should be planned, some spontaneous, but all should be kid-focused. If you want your own trip, beg the grandparents to babysit.
Have a backpack loaded with stuff enabling discovery, including a camera, a magnifying glass, a trowel, binoculars, an aquarium net and pill bottles to hold bugs to name a few. Putting the sneak on critters is challenging, but finding animal tracks is pure joy. At bedtime, smooth nearby dirt and check for tracks in the morning.
A boring trudge becomes an expedition when kids are encouraged to look for lizards, chipmunks, hawks and cloud formations. Encourage post-hike drawings and hang them in camp. Make bark, leaf and rock rubbings. Count bird species, flower varieties and animal types you spot. Put a pie pan of water at the edge of your campsite and watch the birds visit.
Enlist youngsters in cooking and cleanup. Cook favorite foods or recipes you develop on the spot. When kids tire of fishing—or watching you fish—send them on a bait collecting mission. Tie a piece of meat or fish on a cord and angle for crawdads. Pan for “gold” in the streamside sand. Encourage photos and videos. When all else fails, let them do what they do at home: mess with their phone, read a book, play a game. At least they’re outdoors. Keep each activity (and the entire trip) short, and remember: There is no bad weather, just bad wardrobe choices. Pack accordingly.
How to Build the Perfect Campfire With the right materials and know-how, you can construct a reliable blaze for any gathering. Follow these tips to build a great campfire this spring.
HOME SWEET HOME With any luck, exhausted children will doze on the drive home, but more likely they’ll be recounting their experiences with verve. Maybe you debrief on high and low points (my go-to question: “What was the highlight of the trip?”) or make a list of future destinations.
Unpacking should be a collaborative effort during which you talk about how well a piece of gear performed and what might need repair. Photos and videos become a dinner show a couple nights later. Collected leaves, rocks and bark become a display on the kitchen table. Make a ceremony of preparing and eating any fish that might have been caught.
Besides snacks and brevity, the over-arching virtue and key to a successful family camping trip is remembering that it’s a series of compromises. Go in with the right attitude and you’ll come out with wonderful memories, new camping companions and your sanity intact. And always bring a tube of biscuit dough just in case.
This article was featured in the May 2024 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe .
