My long time friend who know me or Mr. Rojo well enough probably do the double take and wonder if this is really our blog. What with all the camping posts! Well, I can’t promise you that this will be my last post about camping because we are already cooking up our Fall camping trip. As I have said it before and will say it again that we are not outdoor type family.
We love going to Walt Disney World, shopping at the outlet mall and hanging out by the pool after a long day. So camping is probably one of the last thing they will think we will do as a family.
It’s not easy to step out of our comfort zone. It’s a work-in-progress. So if we can do it, I think you can do it too. Keep in mind that we are not talking about backpacking and trekking 5 miles to your camp site nor primitive camping. We are talking about camping in style. Hey! At least we are camping.
So how did we do it? Here are our 5 Baby Steps to Ease Your Camping Phobia
1) Take a baby step:
If you have never gone camping before in your life, don’t go out and book the next campsite at the Smoky Mountain Park that you will have to hike and camp out with no modern amenities like electricity or water.
Start out small like camping in your backyard. And even then, it might still seem scary at first. How about talk to a few friends to do backyard camping together? Camping with a group of friends is fun and their kids will be your kids instant play mates.
Or if you feel like you can step up a bit, you can find local nature center that provide overnight camping at their center. You will be in a good hand and still yet get to enjoy outdoor experience
2) Comfort is everything:
When camping with kids, you want everyone kids or adults to be comfortable. You don’t want to deal with cranky kids after a sleepless night.
The best advice I got from my friend was to get the biggest tent I can get. What a great advice! You want space that you can move around. Don’t just think of tent as a place to go to sleep.
A big enough tent can be a sanctuary for kids at night to play together without being eaten alive by bugs.
A big enough tent will allow you to have separate bed from your kids. I love my kids but I am done sleeping on the same bed. They can move like nobody else. At the end of the day, you want to be able to sleep. Sleeping outdoor out of your own home already hard enough for newbie like us. You don’t want to add the kick factor to the equation.
3) Bring YOUR comfort toys:
This advice is not only applied to kids. I’m sure each of us adult have something like book, laptop, ipod that keep us sane. Bring them! When things get tough, you can just spend some quiet time relaxing.
For me, I love the kindle application I download on my iphone. I don’t have to bring big, heavy books. Plus I can read them at night without having to use lantern or flashlight.
For Mr. Rojo, it’s a laptop. A few minutes playing computer game helps him to forget about that noise next to the tent.
4) Location, location, location:
Do a research and look for campground with all amenities that suite your need. Here are a few must-have for us on our first camping trip
- Within driving distance to our house. Just in case it doesn’t work out. We can just pack up and head home.
- Must be near the water. I think that campground nears water will give us better breeze at night.
- Must have restroom. We got it and more. The campground also has shower and laundry. Perfect. Next time, I can even pack less.
- Must have electric hook up. Yes! We need it. We want it and we are not shame of it.
5) Timing is everything
Even though the thought of setting up a campsite and then having to take it down a couple days later doesn’t seem worth while. You also don’t want to plan your first camping trip to be a week long.
Why not try it out for a weekend. If you like it, then next trip you can always extend your trip.
I think camping doesn’t have to fall into the typical stereotype of ‘roughing it’. I hope that these 5 simple steps will help get you outdoor and enjoy nature.
What other tips do you have to help making camping more fun or easier?
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve never been camping before, but would like to go someday. These are great tips! I’ll definitely keep them in mind.
Great advice. My hat’s off to you and Mr. Rojo for taking on something way out of your comfort zone for you and the kids. I’m sure they will keep these times as fond family memories.
So I am curious. After all of the camping that you have done…do you like it? Are you hooked, is the family going to do it again and again? It looks like you have really figured it out. Congrats on stepping out of your comfort zone and doing it so successfully!
@Sara V.: Thanks for the comment. I’m glad that you find the tips helpful.
@Lora: Thanks! I hope so too. They are already asking for the next camping trip. :)
@Dave&Deb: Yup. We are hooked! Even my non-outdoorsy person, today he mentioned something I never thought I will hear while we were hiking in one of a park in NC. He said ‘Maybe we can camp here too’.. We are looking for next trip this Fall. :)
I have memories of going camping from when I was a kid and it was so much fun. I must admit in my adult life I have not done any camping, but our son has repeatedly asked us to go camping so we’ll have to take a camping trip soon and your tips are very useful. Thank you.
I never went for camping..Fantastic article with superb remarkable ideas thanks for sharing these tips would be helpful for me :)keep it up
Thanks, these are fab tips. We have done a lot of camping, but most of it before our babies were born. It’s all about to change as next year we are planning a massive camping trip throughout Europe and the UK. I think a few ‘baby steps’ to get some practice in maybe in order! Thanks very much!
This article is great,its been a great help for my kids.Were planning to go camping the next month,still my kids are on doubt if they are going to go with me.Now, I have some tips to make them more inspired why they need to try doing camping.