Advice for Camping with Kids...

Learn from our experiences...

1. Relax..that's the whole point right. Make sure they get dirty by exploring their world closely.
2. Bug spray...I'm really cautious about what we put on the little guy but don't want him itching for days to come either. Pants and long sleeves really minimized the bites and he didn't seem too hot (we get up to 70s or 80s).
3. S'mores (s'more of what?--Sandlot)
4. Bring a shovel and wipes.  The dude was so proud to announce that he pooped in the forest but that meant that we had to find it, dig a hole, bury it, and go without underwear.  Checking in with him about it would have been good...I could have shoveled in an ideal place instead of the middle of the campsite.  Also, baby wipes helped keep things clean since we wouldn't bathe for a couple days.  The novelty of pooping outside meant that it had to be tried often. I found that it worked best if I squatted behind him and had him lean on me, his elbows on my knees, over the hole.
5. Plan something. We brought dump trucks and climbing gear.  The dump trucks were great fun in a new environment. Fishing rods would have been great too.  Scavenger hunt, storytelling, writing in dirt with sticks, nature nuggets...
6. Don't push it.  We went to climb and it just seemed to be too overwhelming. Rather than pushing him to do it, the day was rearranged and spent pretending we were hunting for pumas.
7. Bring lots of water...more than you think you need. Without enough water (for people and dogs and making mud cakes) we would have been miserable.
8. Set boundaries.  If the dude/dudette wants to travel out of them, go with and check things out. It's been suggested to hang fabric flags around a boundary perimeter that is off-limits.I am paranoid but keep this crew in my mind: Cold Nose Investigators
9. Have a free back for piggy-backing when needed...those little legs struggle to keep up and tire out more quickly than ours when hiking.
10. Bring the snuggly or blankie...it makes sleeping in any new place a little easier.
11. BRING A CAMERA!
12. It would be fun to try out some plant, insect, animal identification books.  Like this...and this.
13. Do what you remember being special as a kiddo...