Camping Changes as your Kids Grow

My favourite family memories are camping with the kids.

Having kids changes everything! This includes camping. Pre kids we did a lot of walking camping with packs to wild and beautiful places. It took us until they were 14 years old before we were doing walking camping again! Car camping was a whole new world for us! We found it to be wonderful.

We started camping when they were young – they (yep twins) were 5 months old. After 5 months of interrupted sleep and the pressures of having 2 new little people to look after we were SO ready for a camping break.

Camping with Babies
So we headed off for our first family camp. Looking back it was the best! We were very sensible, kept close to home only an hour and half to a national park.

We had a lot of gear from our pre kid days, so the first trip was easy. When you have babies you have everything you need at home. Going to a mother’s group, or a play group needs the same preparation as going camping does!

Putting the babies on a rug under a tree, if they are not crawling yet, you get some outdoor freedom, bird life, bush noises and time to breathe. Ah bliss! I loved snoozing with my babies under a tree – my version of heaven on earth.

My TIP for camping with babies: Pre cook most of your food. Limit travel distances. See the camping trip as ‘time out’ for you and your partner. When you are comfortable & relaxed this will flow over to your baby (or babies!).

Camping with crawlers & toddlers
It is magic reading stories around the camp fire. Being with your kids as they discover the feeling of mud, dust, leaves is great. The exploring done at this age can be part of camping. There is permission at camping (at our camp site anyway) to get dirty!

The best piece of equipment we had during these years with our kids was backpacks for the kids to be carried by us comfortably. We bought 2 of them – cost us a lot… however this meant we could do a reasonable bush walk, the kids could sleep or be sung to, or just look around and everyone was happy. When camping these backpacks also doubled as temporary high chairs for feeding time!

This age takes more work as they need to be watched at all times: ants, snakes, lizards, birds don’t steer clear of curious little kids. Then there is the camp fire the river or water hole to be aware of. It was in all honesty more work – but even with the extra care needed so very worth it! The key to success is to take family or friends with you (aunties, cousins, friends, other families). We had plenty of camping weekends and holidays that gave us the break from suburbia, back to nature with our toddlers.

My TIP for camping with crawlers or toddlers: Bring their books & music. Bring re-enforcements (family or friends) so you can grab a nap, try to keep some of their routine as this often settles toddlers.

Camping with primary aged kids
Our kids mastered their two wheeled bikes while camping, it was a lot more fun doing the run alongside the little bike with a wobbly kid on top in the bush than along the sidewalk at home.

As the kids got to around 7 years old our trips became much more social. Kids are like magnets for other kids! We started to go to places where we expected to find other families. We were welcoming of other kids for cricket, soccer, swimming with us. We met many nice parents this way. I always had a few very clear rule for my children 1) they were never allowed to go into another person’s tent & 2) they were never allowed to swim unless an adult was with them.

As they got older (8 or 9 I can’t remember!!) we gave them good quality walkie talkie so we could touch base with them as they rode their bikes around the camp site or were off climbing boulders. They got lots of physical activity. We developed friendships with other families that enjoyed camping – this was GOLD as the kids loved being together plus the adults go to rotate being on duty with the kids.

I noticed that it takes 1-2 days for the kids to settle into a camping rhythm. First couple of days we needed to do more structured play and activity with them… however as they (or was it us?) got more into the camping groove we all relaxed.

My TIP for camping with primary aged kids: keep them active – swimming, walking, cricket, bike riding, ball games… active kids sleep and eat well 
Good to have: binoculars for spotting birds etc, spotlight/ strong torch for seeing animals at night, scats identification book, bird and plant identification books

Camping with High School teens
My teens are 15 years old. The last few years have changed yet again the way we do camping. We need so much gear now – it is crazy! We usually have 2 kayaks, 4 mountains bikes, camper trailer, the teen’s tents, many electronic devices, maps, plus oodles & oodles of food.

I am very grateful that they want and like coming camping still. We have done very short walking camping trips. Hopefully there will be more to come?

My TIPS for camping with high school teens: get them their own small tent, they need to retreat out of the adult world. Involve them in the planning of activities it helps get them engaged.

 

My tips for camping with any age children:

• Pack a first aid kit – and know how to use it! we have used ours many times
• When the kids are happy the adults are happy – focus on them first, schedule on and off duty time with the adults in the group
• My #1 rule for camping, never allow yourself (or your kids) to get cold. Put beanie or extra layer on before dark. Very hard to get warm once cold when camping
• My #2 rule for camping, never allow yourself (or your kids) to get sunburnt. Pain puts a downer on the trip plus sleeping with sunburn in a tent is not fun
• Have extra stashes of sunscreen, insect repellent, stingoes, lip balm and hats
• Hydration (no I’m not talking about beers!!) is important, kids swimming, running around forget to drink. Offer water or oranges often
• Take the time to play with your kids. It really is so much fun to build sand castles, make a bush cubby, have hand stand competitions, collect shells, create a dirt picture, climb trees, play cricket.

Happy Family Camping – you will be creating wonderful family memories.

Written by Kathy, mum to Rowan & Jarrah and partner to Greg. Kathy spends a lot of her time helping in their small business. When you run your own show – it is doubly important to schedule family time. Camping is almost the only time we don’t talk about the business!!

Favourite campsite – Dunns Swamp, National Park near Mudgee NSW.