We bit the bullet. Or rather I got bit by the camping bug. Later this month we'll be taking the boys camping at a very family-friendly campground and I can. not. wait. Am I crazy for wanting to take my three young children out into the wilderness for three nights of "roughing it" cabin-style? My husband thinks so. In fact, I'm almost positive that I'll be dragging him kicking and screaming all the way out to the campground in just a few weeks.
If you can't yet tell, I am so excited for our upcoming trip. I've wanted to take the boys camping for years and while in previous years the thought of camping with a child under 2 sent shivers down my spine, I can say without a doubt that at 3, 5 and 7 I think we're set to have a blast out in the wilderness. Not to mention that everyone is officially peeing and pooping on the potty! Nary a diaper in sight around these parts and I think it's high time to celebrate by making everyone sleep outside.
On a more serious note, my husband is kind of making me feel like I'm going to regret this. Where's his sense of adventure? What could possibly go wrong? It's one step above tent camping and we have our own bathroom en suite. The more I think about it, can this even be called camping? All this coming from a guy who made me sleep in a two-person tent without even a mat on the ground while we geared up for a day's worth of white water rafting in our pre-children days. What gives?
While we aren't set to leave for our trip just yet, I've already taken the liberty of printing out several packing lists, making sure not to forget a single necessity while we're busy being one with nature.
Here's where you come in. Have you taken your kids camping before? I'd love to hear all about any tips or tricks you have for a successful night under the stars. What did you wish you had brought with you but forgotten or didn't think of? What would you have done differently?
I've already started packing one of those giant Tupperware bins with all of the linens we will need, including extra pillows, bath and pool towels as well as blankets. You know the Hershey's S'mores kit already made its way into my Amazon cart too!
Spill it. I'd love to hear from you!
Wipes! So good for a quick bath or hand washing. Even though my kids are out of diapers, I always bring wipes.
ReplyDeleteAlso, stagger bedtimes. Everyone is so excited. Plus its usually light outside which makes it hard to sleep. Start with the youngest (or the most tired). Let them fall asleep, and then move onto the next child.
A tip for your husband: Know that its a lot of work. The kids will be dirty and be tired. But its so much fun. Just set your expectations low and you'll quite often be surprised at how wonderful camping is!
We just got back from a 2 night, 3 day tent camping trip with our two boys ages 4.5 and 2.5...and I am 30 weeks pregnant. I totally thought I would be miserable but oh my goodness it was SO much fun! The one thing we used quite a bit was our mountain pie maker that we bought on Amazon right before the trip. We did pizza mountain pies and grilled cheese in it and the boys loved them. We also had battery operated lanterns, glow sticks, and headlamps since we had a bit of a walk to the bathrooms. We are already planning one more camping trip before preschool starts up again! I hope you guys have a great time!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great list!! We have a camp trailer that we camp in regularly so I'm not familiar with having to pack stuff like this to camp, but you have all of the essentials down. I love the suggestion of headlamps. Your boys will love them. Also some toys to play with in the dirt. You'll want them wearing real shoes instead of sandals so they don't get so dirty too!
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