Camping with kids

Locations : Not all campgrounds are the same! A private campground, or one from a chain like KOA, will have amenities like hot showers, laundry, playground, swimming pool, and a camp store. They may even serve breakfast! These are like camping for beginners. National Parks, on the other hand, will only have restrooms and water stations. These require a little more preparation. Then there are primitive campgrounds that don't even have running water or trash disposal. Choose the type of campground that works for you.

Tips:
- For families, pack a separate bag with each day's clothing, instead of 1 bag per person. This consolidates baggage to make packing and dressing easier.

- Pack 1 bag with all hygiene products, so when you walk to the bathrooms all toothbrushes, hairbrushes, and shower supplies are together. Moms, pack your stuff on the bottom. You know you will help everyone else first!

- Do trial runs first! Set up the tent in the backyard first, to get kids used to the feel and the night noises. Then try 1 night close to home, so you won't have far to drive if you don't get a good night's sleep. Make notes of what else you would bring,  or anything that doesn't work well.

- Try all equipment first. Set up the tent at home, so you won't be reading instructions in the dark or rain. Take any new equipment out of the box to make sure everything is working and included. We had to return our new camp stove to the store twice before we got one that worked properly.

- Bring lots of water. On our trial run, we had 2 gallons of water for 1 night (6 people ) and that was not enough. Not all campsites have a camp store or potable water.

- Plan your meals. Either cook at home and store in a cooler until you reheat at a campsite, or buy simple supplies like canned and frozen goods, and do your cooking on site. You can use a camp stove, a Dutch oven, or just foil packets of food cooked right in the fire coals.

- Keep the children entertained. Think about activities available at the camp grounds, like a playground or swimming pool. Will you do hiking or sightseeing during the day? National parks have Junior Ranger programs with activity booklets and ranger-led presentations. At your campsite, have simple activities the kids can do alone while you cook. Ours have backpacks with coloring books, toys, card games, and a nature scavenger hunt. If you have room,  you can also pack a soccer ball, frisbee, or other large toys.

- Check ahead for weather conditions to plan for cold nights, rain, or fire restrictions.

- Make sure everything in the cooler is packed in waterproof (Ziploc) bags, including the ice! Then you won't get soggy food.

- Consider going with friends.  Having other kids around will help entertain yours. And having other adults to share meals can relieve the cleaning and cooking burdens. Plus camping is s great way to spend time together!

Supplies:
Lots of convenient ideas are on Pinterest. In Spain , you can get many supplies at Decathlon or online from sites like REI, Bass Pro Shops, etc. You can also check with the Outdoor Recreation office on base to rent tents and outdoor supplies. We bought some things and borrowed others.
Here's what we have:
-Tent, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, pillows, blankets.
- Camp stove, cooking kit with pans and utensils, cutting board, small canisters for salt and pepper.
- Paper products, plastic ware, paper towels, plastic tablecloth with fasteners, trash bags, and aluminum foil. If you want to use real dishes, make sure to have enough for everyone.
- Firestarter and Lighter (can be wrapped with small amount of tape and used as a dispenser ). Some campsites don't let you bring in your own firewood. Others won't let you gather wood on site.
- Lighting should include small flashlight or headlamps for each person, plus a large lantern for the site. Be sure to bring enough batteries.
- Cleaning supplies like dish soap, small sponge or scour pad, dish towels, paper towels, and baby wipes!
- Ax, large knife, and pocketknife. You will use these for more things than you expect.
- Cooler and ice, ideally enough to last a few days. Otherwise, know where to restock ice.
- Bucket to hold water for cleaning dishes.
- Tongs for roasting marshmallows or hot dogs. :-)
- If you want to stay up late and watch the stars, consider downloading an app like Sky View, so the kids can see the constellations drawn on your phone when pointed at the sky.
- Warm weather clothes, especially for cold mornings.
- Folding chairs for everyone.
- First aid kit with bug spray, band aids,  itch reducing cream, Tylenol, sunscreen, and some basic cold medicine.

Highlights :
We have done 4 nights of camping recently, and most went really well! The kids all say that they like camping, and we are looking forward to our next trip! Here are some of our favorite memories :
- watching the sunrise, sunset, and moon rise (especially over the mountains )
- campfire and smores!
- family dinner and breakfast
- kids playing battle and robot games at the camp site.
- going hiking in Zion National Park
- exploring Gettysburg battlefield
- doing ranger activities and becoming Junior Rangers

Challenges:
Not every moment is fun. Some things about camping will try your patience. Here were our hardest:
- Getting cold. In Colorado, the temperature dropped 30 degrees overnight. Even though we knew the numbers ahead of time, we all still woke up shivering.
- Not getting enough sleep. Anything from non-level ground, a lump, or the stirrings of other family members can interrupt your sleep. Go to bed early, and expect to get up with the sun.
- Walking to the bathroom. This is especially challenging if a kid is potty training, and I know some families use a portable potty at their campsite in that case.
- Staying clean. I am not a germaphobe, but I was constantly asking my kids to wash their grubby hands, and 2 days of grime in a row was our max before we went to a hotel and got hot showers.
- Getting sick. We are very lucky that we just completed a week of driving and camping,  and no one got very sick! We tried to keep them hydrated and rested, but it was an exhausting trip. We do all seem to have sniffles and stuffy noses from the changes in weather, humidity, and elevation. So have a plan for anything more serious than that.

So is it worth it? Definitely! Does it require preparation,  patience, and supplies?  Certainly. But now we are all set for our next trip! We had a really great time, and I think we all look forward to doing it again!