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3 Keys to Happy Campers
Camping with kids when they are happy is a fantastic family
experience. Camping with unhappy kids could put a very quick end
to your family adventures in the great outdoors. There are
plenty of ways to have avoid bad camping experiences, but here
are my picks for the three most important.
Don't take over. We spend most of our lives "organizing"
our kids, making sure they get up, dressed, off to school, to
weekly activities and play dates. It's an easy trap to try to
organize their camping experience too. This is especially easy
to do when it looks like their first choices of activities
involve sleeping in the tent all day or throwing rocks at one
another across the firepit.
However, one of the most fundamental lessons camping can teach
is that you are responsible for your own experience. Mother
Nature is a great provider of natural consequences. Don't put up
your tent right, you'll get wet. Don't collect firewood, you
won't eat hot food. Do collect firewood, and discover the
mesmerizing dance of a night campfire. Get up the energy to
paddle to the middle of the lake in the middle of the night, and
see stars like they were meant to be seen. Step back, and let
your kids learn from their own experiences. You might just pick
up a little something too.
Avoid constipation. Think I'm kidding? I used to take
city kids on month long canoe trips, and several of them showed
insane talent for "poop in the woods" avoidance. Some made it as
long as a week before they gave in and took Mr. Trowel off to
dig a hole. Kids like routine and predictability, some kids a
lot more than others. When that routine is turned upside down,
even by fun activities like camping, it can cause system backup.
That can lead to stomach troubles, cramps, and really stinky
farts (amongst the 2-12 year old set, this is serious business,
and might be for you too, if you're sharing a tent).
Fortunately, there's a really easy fix for camping constipation.
Eat beans. I used to serve chili the first night out on trail.
Vegetarian chili with 5 kinds of beans. Sometimes it took a day
or two, but no kid could hold out a week against my 5 bean
chili. Other forms of fiber help too - oatmeal for breakfast,
dried fruit in your gorp. Also have your kids drink lots of
water, especially if fiber isn't a really common part of their
diet.
Keep the sleeping bag dry. Let's face it, sleeping
comfortably is pretty important to all of us, but a wet sleeping
bag can make a kid totally miserable. This is especially true if
your child's sleeping bag is one of the big box store $20
variety. You know, the ones that weigh 15 pounds (dry!) and are
made of cotton. Get one of those wet, and your camping trip is
over, it will take until next year to dry. Even a good kids
sleeping bag can get wet, however, and it's not easy to convince
a kid to climb into a soggy bag to sleep.
The key to keeping a sleeping bag dry is to keep its
surroundings dry. If you're going to be in wet conditions (rainy
season, or paddling on a lake), prepare your gear. Put kids
sleeping bags, and any other gear you treasure into dry bags,
garbage bags, or some other water barrier. Put a tent cloth
under your tent (properly!) so you keep water out of the tent.
Teach your kids good tent etiquette so they don't crawl all over
the tent in their wet boots, or dump a mug of hot chocolate over
their sleeping bag.
About the author:
Debora Geary is the owner of an online store carrying a wide
selection of quality outdoor kids sleeping bags.
3 Keys to Happy Campers Related Resources
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Let There Be Light, Part 1 The Camping Lantern
One of their biggest advantages is that they are safe to take inside tents, cars, or other enclosed space. Most new lanterns come with electric ignitions, so you won't have to worry about including matches or a barbecue lighter in your supplies for the lantern (don't forget them if you plan on having a fire or cooking something!). You should never take a gas-burning lantern into a tent or car because of the risk of fire. You'll usually find the best deals online, though retail stores and outdoors warehouses also have great prices sometimes.
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Camping Stove Performance, Ease of Use and What to Avoid.
Take a look at multi-fuel camping stoves because white gas is hard to find. They're great for camping at campgrounds or whenever you don't need to move them around much. Some liquid fuel camp stoves offer adjustability while some don't, if you're looking to gently simmer something gourmet in the woods then you may want to look at...If you'd like to learn more about camping stoves please visit www.hiking-gear-and-equipment-used-for-camping.com/camping-stoves.html for the entire article.
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Camping Food: Easy & Warm Camping Meals.
While coolers/refrigerators can work well in some situations, ice or electricity isn't always available making dehydrated/freeze dried food very attractive. The containers with corners can make it difficult for the boiling water to mix with the camping food leaving dry spots. So it may be better to just bring a small stove if you're backpacking. Dehydrated/freeze-dried camping food is great for hiking, backpacking, or camping meals because you don't have to keep it cold to avoid spoiling.
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Find everything you need with Coleman Camping Gear
Browse through the list of gear and equipment available on the market today and find great deals and discounts in the process. Coleman has always been known to make sturdy, high quality camping equipment. When camping you are sure to see Coleman camping equipment somewhere on a campsite. A simple thing like a kid disposable rain poncho 825A360K can keep your child warm and cozy just in case that unforeseen weather comes in. About the Author Fatima Medeiros is a successful author and publisher of http://www.discount-camping-gear.org.
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A Gift Idea Or Two For the Camper
Speaking of food, how about somecookware especially for camping? Iouri Kroukov is an owner of <ahref="http://www.mygiftidea.net">My Gift Idea gift shop withgiftideas for men, <ahref="http://www.mygiftidea.net/store/home.php?cat=30">giftideas for women and more! There are so many great gifts for campers that you'llhave no problem finding one that will fit any one on your giftlist. It is a good idea tosteer clear of games that require a lot of small pieces or lotsof paper items because an evening breeze can ruin the game.Instead, select a game that is sturdy and the pieces are heavierfor stability.
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Be Bear Aware - 14 April 2006 Black Bear Takes The Life Of A 6 Year Old Girl While Camping
Along a similar vein, The 'Bear Safe Washington' program began in 1999 with funding from the World Society for the Protection of Animals. Their staff have developed specific policies and procedures to minimize the occurrence of bear problems at their campgrounds while maintaining a healthy, natural black bear population. Like most animals, bears are attracted to garbage so make sure your campsite is very clean8. This program of presentations, brochures and seminars was designed to raise awareness of all bear issues in Washington State.
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