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DISCOVER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA'S
10 FAMILY CAMPING TIPS



FAMILY CAMPING TIPS FROM ME TO YOU


For several years when our boys were growing up, our family spent nearly every weekend tent camping in Northern California. I'd like to share some of the tips for camping with family that my husband and I learned the hard way - through trial and error!



10 FAMILY CAMPING TIPS

Marshmallow Roasting;
(CC) Nina Hale
Marshmallow Roasting

It's my fervent wish that these tips will
help to turn your family camping experiences into life-long memories:

  1. Taking your kidlettes camping gives you a wonderful opportunity to teach them about camping etiquette.

    Camping etiquette is nothing more than common sense and good manners - which will serve them well in life situations way beyond camping!


  1. Don't try to wing a camping trip - a little advance planning can mean the difference between a great experience and a real bummer!
  2. But don't just plan for what's going to happen at the campsite - the time it takes to get there needs some planning as well.

    The kidlettes can get incredibly bored, riding in the car with nothing to keep them entertained.

    Use the opportunity to teach them camp songs, or play the License Plate game. The trip will not only seem shorter, but will be more fun. Bring snacks! For some incredible ideas on road trip games for car travel, see my friends over at MomsMinivan.com.

  3. Plan for simple meals that won't take a long time to cook. This
    family camping tip took quite a while to sink in with me! Imagine making stew from scratch at 2000 feet - we didn't eat until 11:30 that night!
  4. Teach the kidlettes to respect the wildness of wildlife - not only for the sake of the wildlife, but for their own safety! Even the cutest little chipmunk can - and often will - bite!
  5. Be sure to bring a First Aid Kit - it's not much fun to get a
    blister on your heel from hiking all day with nary a bandaid in sight!
  6. Take what you need, but travel as lightly as possible. The more stuff you have to cart around, the less fun it is for you!
  7. Explore the world of nature with your kidlettes - here are a couple of ideas from the types of things we did:

    • A Nature Treasure Hunt - make a list of things for your kidlettes to find and have a prize for the one who finds them all first
    • Build a Science Kit - Here's what you need: a magnifying glass, binoculars, crayons and paper for rubbings, a small net, a bug jar, and identification books for wildflowers or birds or rocks or animal tracks - a big favorite with the kidlettes.

  8. Discover your Inner Artist - keep a scientist's journal with sketches, notes, measurements, rubbings, etc. - Experiment with different methods and different media. Encourage the kidlettes to do the same.
  9. Teach the kidlettes to look out for the things that may make for
    a miserable week after camping: poison oak, poison ivy, nettles.

The best of all family camping tips - have fun with your kidlettes and build those wonderful, lifelong family memories! You'll be glad you did, and so will they!




For more family camping tips that will help you decide where to go camping in Northern California, see the Related Pages links in the Right Hand Column.

For more of Discover Northern California's other Hints and Tips:

Beach Safety
Beaches can be very dangerous places. Learn some simple rules for beach safety for you and your family.

Best Travel Secrets
My 3 Best Kept Northern California Travel Secrets are...

Recession Travel
Do you have a blog or a website? Are you looking for free online articles to post? Here's one on travel tips during a recession.

Tide Pool Tips
Tide pool life is very fragile; we should be careful not to harm these mini-ecosystems in our enthusiasm to enjoy them! Here are some tips to help...

Travel Sites I Love
Over the years, through my own travel adventures and those of others, I have come across some excellent websites that I would love to share with you!

Travel Tips
Here are 7 easy travel tips for getting the most out of your adventures, whether they be in Northern California or around the globe!

Whale Watching Tips
Looking for some Whale Watching Tips to enhance your experience and make your whale watching trip more enjoyable? Then this is the place for you!

Wine Tasting Tips
You don't need to be an expert to go wine tasting. All you need is a desire to give it a try and have some fun! Here are a few Wine Tasting Tips to help you get more out of the experience.

Winter Driving Tips
When Winter weather arrives in Northern California, it's time for some Winter Driving Tips!


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