View Full Version : Making camping fun for kids.
Fallesafe
06-05-2022, 20:20
Hey, I'm about to go on a canoe camping trip with my brother and his three kids (10, 7, and 3). Originally, it was just supposed to be me and my brother. But he ended up getting stuck bringing all the kids along. And I'd like to make sure they have a good experience (or at least aren't miserable). Any tips from the parents out there on how to make camping fun for kids? Thanks!
One Half
06-05-2022, 20:52
Fire building
Smores
Games
Knives
Float down the river - don't rush.
Kittyslayer
06-05-2022, 21:07
A flashlight for everyone and extra batteries.
Identifying wildlife
How to make Bannock bread
How to prepare food with fire
Crayfish catching
Helga mite catching
Salamander finding
Identifying wildlife
How to make Bannock bread
How to prepare food with fire
Crayfish catching
Helga mite catching
Salamander finding
You can explain how the Indians would make Bannock bread while they're making it. Make it really cool and show them how to skin a stick and wrap the Bannock bread around the stick barber pole style and rest over a fire until golden brown.
Buy the flat bread ,pizza sauce, cheese, pepperoni and can each make their own fire baked pizza. And who doesn't love jiffy pop popcorn
Be perpared for them. They will get wet and wet again by accident or on purpose. Let the 7 and 10 year old bild thier own fires (safely)it make take hours but they will remember what they learn. Let them make the mistakes that don't get them hurt and go with thier idea of fun.
GoldenBear
06-06-2022, 06:47
Give all of them a whistle to keep around their necks. Tell them that, if they get lost or scared, to blow the whistle REALLY loud and then sit still. Maybe practice this at a city park. That way, if they wander off, you can find them in a matter of minutes.
Talk to them ahead of time, and find out if there's anything they're afraid of. Whether the fear is silly (sharks) or justified (drowning), be the adult, and reassure them -- "No sharks in this river" "That's why all of us ALWAYS wear a PFD when we're in a canoe."
Dan Roper
06-06-2022, 07:00
When my boys were 9 and 6, I took them canoe camping on the Ogeechee River in southeast Georgia. Two things they most remember: (1) the older boy and my father-in-law flipped their canoe; (2) all of us standing at riverside near nightfall, brushing our teeth, when the younger boy blurted out, "It's fun being a man."
It seemed like we were pushing the envelope taking a six-year-old on a wild, remote river. I can't imagine taking a three-year-old on anything similar, but we did do trips when they were younger on rivers like the Itchetucknee in Florida. Now they're in their later 20s and doing all kinds of stout, fun outdoors things.
chknfngrs
06-06-2022, 08:09
Getting the right size PFD would be my priority. Then making sure I had enough junk food like Oreos, PopTarts, popcorn, candy etc would be my next. The quickest way to a kids heart is thru their stomach. Set your expectations low and you won’t be surprised. Your mileage may vary and don’t expect to get lots of paddling done. Bring everything you want because you don’t have to carry it. Your attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure, kids can smell fear. If it’s their first time camping? Food, food, and more food.
Since your on the water squirt guns,super soakers, and glow sticks are fun at night especially when tied to a string so they can swing them around in circles.
And it's hellgrammites correct spelling cause that's what it looks like they come from.
Fallesafe
06-06-2022, 09:00
These are awesome suggestions! Thanks everyone!!
flatcatgear
06-06-2022, 10:21
Teach them how to canoe, set up camp and cook
Poop hike! Take a walk through the woods looking for, and possibly identifying animal poop.
Speaking of pooping teach them how to dig a cat hole and poop in the woods.
There's a app on your phone for plant indefication that could be fun.
And let them throw a spark on a fire starter and start their own fire.
Sorry I'm kinda bored home with covid!
Odd Man Out
06-06-2022, 11:58
There's always a snipe hunt.
gpburdelljr
06-06-2022, 12:20
Take some sunscreen. You can get really burned on the water, and that can make things miserable.
To the extent possible, let them set the pace/agenda. I took my kid peak-bagging, and quickly learned that frogs in the stream were more important to him than getting to the top, so I adjusted my expectations closer to his. Be flexible, and get to see the world from a kid's perspective again.
Speaking of pooping... plant indefication
Hmm... not quite sure that is something people want to do, but... ;)
gravityman
06-06-2022, 17:46
The kids will have a great time if you let them be kids.
Keep them dry, warm and feed.
Don't yell at them. Don't get upset with them. Be firm and clear on the safety rules.
If you don't get stressed and don't fight or yell at others on the trip, the kids will have an amazing trip!
Make sure to keep the days very, very short. Be flexible, and change itineraries if you have adversity.
Good luck! We've had a lot of amazing trips with my kids, now 15 and 12. Just finished 5 days on the Yampa river, as we work up to harder and harder water.
Gravity
I don't have a ton of experience hiking with kids other than short hikes with my niece and nephew when they were younger (around 8-10 years old). The main problem I encountered was what I call "electronics detox". The constant stimulation of electronics that most children these days are subjected to makes them crave immediate and exciting feedback. The natural environment doesn't always provide such immediate dopamine hits. It takes time to detox from electronics before there's any hope of appreciating the outdoors. Of course, this is also true for adults, but especially true for children who have never experienced the outdoors. Adults who've had that exposure in the past know that the rewards of being outside will flow soon enough. Children have no way of knowing that until they get over the electronics and start to enjoy themselves which could take a few hours depending on how addicted they are.
Once accepting of being outdoors, the usual kid activities that we all enjoyed before the plague of screens everywhere should work. Campfires, s'mores, observing wildlife, waterfalls, great views, ice cream at the SNP waysides, etc etc etc...
Alligator
06-09-2022, 12:24
Are you going overnight canoe camping or camping with daily canoe trip(s)?
To my limited experience, I can tell what Kids dislike or actually hate: Doing anything monotonous for longer time.
Whenever we were outdoors with our kids (including the neighbour's too) we invented any number of games to keep them excited.
Most games started like, "find 10 vegetables you could eat" or "find 10 things that are poisonous".
Then I cheated them pointig at a non-edible plant in fake excitement pretending it was good to eat - they were proud to point out my error.
All those games were made up in a way that they had a good chance to win, and they loved it every time.
Whenever the task on hand was just hiking up a certain longer distance, they hated it.
Another rule:
The weakest member of the group dictates the pace.
Forgot to add:
Kids normally break down just bang and down at the spot.
When the energy is gone, there is nothing to be done other than stop for a break (and a snack) or carry the kid.
The good point is, usually kids recover very quick.
cmoulder
06-09-2022, 15:47
For older/smarter kids it might be fun to introduce them to GPS navigation, or at least finding out where they are on a map.
If you have a GPS unit, you could set it for USNG and then print a Caltopo map with 1km grids and make or buy (https://www.maptools.com/tutorials/utm/grid_tools) a grid overlay.
Printing a map with USNG is preferred because there are fewer confusing numbers in the margin, and a scale of 1:24,000 or 1:25,000 is easier to read.
Since the USNG coordinate numbers are straight 1:1 metric, the kids could compete to see who's closest when estimating the next trail junction or camping area, and figuring out how far it is just by simple addition/subtraction.
This skill might be useful — and IMHO it is essential — for adults as well. If you're a member of hammockforums there's some related stuff HERE (https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php/162145-Simple-Map-GPS-navigation?highlight=navigating).
Map with homemade grid overlay, printed on clear inkjet material and covered with clear packing tape...
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