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Camping tips or needs to know? Please ?
My husband and I are going on a 2 week roadtrip with our 6 yrs old daughter, 4 yrs old and 1 yr old son. Instead of using hotels we're going to camp. Also we will be canoeing and hiking. I want to be prepared so does anyone have any tips or need to know?
We are going to be camping in Nebraska and Wisconsin. We've been camping before in Arkansas but it was only 3 nights. We've been hiking before but nothing extreme. And we have never been canoeing but we have been on a raft. Any tips on camping, canoeing and hiking with kids on this long trip?
6 Answers
- ?Lv 73 months agoFavourite answer
Ice chest, lots of ice. Camp by lakes to wash dishes. I camped in rocky areas and used railroad spikes for tent pegs. Lots of dos and don'ts. Your children must understand it ain't gonna be homelife. Expect complaints... the one year old, though needing a lot of attention, will take it all in stride. Be adults, keep your cool, DON'T LET ANYTHING BOTHER YOU, and it will help the children avoid melting down as well. Prepare the family for the trials and travails of life on the toad as you plan.
- Jimmy CLv 72 months ago
You need lifejackets for everyone in a canoe, especially the children. Lots of paper towels and cleaning stuff. Lots of food. Hiking with small children is impossible though.
Make a list of everything you can think of. Go through your days mentally and imagine what you need for each activity, including sleeping. Make sure it is all on the list.
Two weeks with small children????
- MSLv 73 months ago
This is a really broad question and it's unclear if you have any relevant camping, hiking, or canoeing experience. If you don't have any of the above, then I would recommend taking a MUCH shorter trip first to learn the ropes and see how well your family handles such a trip.
EDIT based on your response: You still don't give much information about what you're doing on this trip. Canoeing is NOTHING like "being on a raft." It requires 2 people to work together and effectively paddle and steer the canoe. Make sure you have Coast Guard approved life vests for you and the children. Are you tent camping? Camping in a camper? Camping in the woods? Camping at an established campground? That all makes a huge difference.
I would plan meals and snacks and shop accordingly ahead of time. Make sure you have a plan for taking care of laundry so that you know how to pack. Make sure you have ways of keeping your children safely entertained. Kids that age are only going to enjoy hiking and canoeing for so long.
I've camped many times. I've canoed as long as I can remember. I never took my kids camping at that age. It was hard with them even around age 5. I definitely wouldn't take them camping for that long.
- Karen LLv 73 months ago
Your question is too general to answer. Do you want tips on travelling with small children, about camping, hiking, or canoeing? You could fill a book with tips on the last three, some of which are really really important and others that are not, and the travelling with small children part could make an entire magazine article. It might also help if you told us what area of the world you're doing this in.
