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This is a topic that comes up quite frequently, and rightly so! Many of us grew up going camping as children ourselves and are continuing the tradition of now taking our own kids camping. Other families are just starting out and wanting to introduce their kids to new outdoor adventures. Families come in all shapes and sizes, and with that, comes a wide variety of challenges to ensure the whole family has an enjoyable camping experience.
We did a general post about Adventuring with the Family, however, we thought it would be a great resource to many if we elaborated a bit more with some more detailed posts.

Preparation
“Failing To Prepare Is Preparing To Fail”
Benjamin Franklin
Okay, so maybe that is a little dramatic, but it can’t be denied that preparation is the key to a great family camp. There needs to be a balanced approach though, and not just taking everything but the kitchen sink. Preparing for your camping trip is something that does get easier in time but can seem overwhelming at first. Let’s break down the main parts of preparing for a family camp!
It helps to start with a list of gear you want to take. Our lists vary depending on the length of time we are camping, where we are camping, and the weather (you’ll see why this can be important further down!). Torpedo7 have a great list HERE to get you started. Also, be sure to check out our Facebook group for tips and tricks or ask for advice.

Firstly, lets talk about your main camping gear. Is your tent fit for purpose? Will it fit on the campsite? This is especially important if you are staying somewhere new and/or have invested in a new tent. We have fallen victim to thinking our campsite was bigger than it actually was, when in fact, the site dimensions included trees and slopes. It’s also useful to know ahead of time, where you will be able to park your car, trailer etc. while unpacking and for the duration of your camp.
Secondly, something to consider once you’ve arrived at your campsite with your tribe in tow, is what will the kids do when you’re setting up? Does someone need to look after little ones while the other sets up the tent? Are the kids old enough to entertain themselves? Our eldest likes to help set up, whereas the younger two want to run off and play while they wait (sometimes impatiently!) for their tent area is ready to go and play in. Another handy tip is upon arrival, set out a mat with some toys or activities, and then get started on the setting up, making the most of that occupied time.

Arrival time is another factor to consider. Are you arriving at night when light is fading rapidly? Then make sure to have sufficient lighting if this is the case, as racing against the setting sun can be stressful. Another pointer is that we ALWAYS try to make sure the kids have had something to eat as close to leaving time as possible, or we grab some takeout on the way to avoid hangry kiddos while setting up.
Alternatively, if arriving early, it’s a great idea to set up a gazebo or tarp, or something to provide some shade as the day heats up. This brings me to my next point which is a biggie, especially during the popular summer camping season: suncreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! Bug spray is also highly recommended. Slip, slop, slap from the morning and keep on top of it. Nothing ruins a camping trip like a red, sore, burnt kiddo (and adult, so don’t forget yourself either!).

Next, lets move on to clothing and the like. New Zealand weather is unpredictable and the temps can vary from day to night. Kids, ours especially, love to get outside and play, and you know what this means… dirty clothes, wet socks, lost jackets and so on. It helps to take a variety of clothing where space permits. We know our kids camping habits pretty well now, and this helps us to estimate what clothing we need to take. From our eldest who doesn’t like to get dirty to our youngest who is drawn to water and mud, like a moth to a flame. Ergo, we take thrice as much clothing for her! While we do try to get her to stay clean-ish, we believe kids should be able to be kids and enjoy the outdoors.

Somewhere to hang wet clothes, towels etc. is useful. Consider taking a rope or camping clothes line. We tend to use a pegless line, but often, Jono will end up fashioning up a couple more throughout the trip. Some other options for clothes lines are a rotary clothes hanger or a line with pegs attached.
Following on from this, you know by now that there WILL be dirty washing, and probably lots of it. Take a bag, bucket, or flexi tub to keep the washing separate from the clean clothes. It also makes the task of getting everything through the wash at home much easier, as we can pop it by the washing machine when we are unpacking.
Activities! How do we keep the kids entertained?

This is another big question and again, will be different for each family and camping trip. Consider putting together an activity bag for the kids (individual ones are great where possible). The options are varied, but some ideas are:
- Colouring/drawing book and pencils
- Bubbles
- Activity books, such as scavenger hunt lists
- Bikes (if the campsite is suitable)
- Mini/travel games
- Cards
- Books
- Torch and batteries (for the good old camping classic game: spotlight)
- Binoculars
If you are camping by water, consider putting a lifejacket on the younger ones while they play. Water safety is crucial, and supervising kids when near the water is a must. However, it’s an extra layer of protection in case anyone slips and falls into the water. You may want to consider water shoes for the kids, that saves wet gumboots or a lost jandal. We see people bring inflatable water toys, so if you’re camping by the water, you could think about taking some water activities.

Kids love to be involved in what we are doing, so consider getting the kids involved in camping tasks, such as collecting firewood or pine cones, helping wash the dishes, prepping food, whatever activities are age appropriate for your little ones. It’s also a great way to pass all those camping skills on to our kids. Our eldest loves to help cut firewood!

Last, but not least, for this blog post, lets have a chat about food. I know you were all waiting for this one! When kids are running around, exerting a ton of energy playing and having fun, they get hungry. For many, hungry quickly leads to hangry, and that’s not fun for anyone. While there is an upcoming post on this, we’ve got a few pointers in the meantime.
Ensure you have lots of snacks available. We generally have a mix of fruits, yoghurts, chippies, lollies, muesli bars. There are a couple of approaches that can be taken here: set meal and snack times, that is, you tell the kids to come back when it’s time for (insert mealtime here); or you can give them a “lunchbox” and that’s their allocated snacks for the day.
Meal ideas are aplenty and warrant a post of their own. A great idea is to cook some meals while at home, and then freeze. This helps keep your chilly bin cold, as well as making dinner time a breeze. Nachos, butter chicken, spaghetti, casserole, are some of our favourites.

Finally, keep those fluids up and get everyone their own water bottle, insulated ones are great if possible. The kids can come and drink when they need and you’re not being hounded every fine minutes. Win win!
That about sums up our first blog post on a guide to camping with kids, so we hope you found this useful for planning your own family adventures. The memories made will long outlast any hiccups that occur along the way. We’d love to hear your thoughts and questions over at our Facebook group HERE, and let us know what else you’d like to know more about, so we can get more blog posts up.
If you love what we do, please consider “buying us a coffee” to help us fund our endeavour of helping New Zealander’s get outdoors! All donations go towards the running of NZFA.
Happy Adventuring!
Jono & Chloe
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