Family Camping Tips (Part 3)

Mom is on Vacation Too!
Both my mother and mother-in-law hate camping with a fierceness that my words alone can not convey. Why? Well, the sad fact is that the jobs of housekeeper, chef, cruise director, nurse and referee all seem to fall on Mom’s shoulders. Having seen my own mom live through that, I see her point. I, however, choose not to fall into that trap. I’ve found that with a little preparation, planning and organization I can relax and enjoy my vacation too!

*Get organized! Make lists - lots of lists. What to pack, what to buy, and don’t foget to plan the menu. There will be lots of prep and packing tips in my next blog entry.

*Delegate. Give everyone some jobs to do. For some reason I’ve never figured out, kids are more willing to help out at camp - even it they don’t at home.

*Do your Homework. When it comes to meals do your prep at home where you have the conveniences of all your gadgets … and running water. Store your chopped, seasoned and measured ingredients in Ziploc bags - don’t forget to label them! Add marinades to your meats right in the bag. If your trip is more than a couple of days or its is really warn out, freeze your prepared meats for the later part of your trip . They will defrost before you need them and help keep the other food cold.

*Caveman like fire! Men seem to be drawn to the fire. Add in some raw meat and most men are glad to do the cooking. Cooking directly over the fire or in the coals also cuts down on the cooking tools you need to bring as well as clean-up.

*Leave the dishwashing to the dishwasher. Use disposable plates, cups and utensils. If it is a short stay, toss the dishes into a trash bag and bring them home to wash. Cooking directly on the fire eliminates pots and pans. If you do need to was pots and pans be sure to use an environmentally friendly soap and do it in an approved area.

*Keep meals simple. There is no shame in cold cereal for breakfast or sandwiches for lunch. Put a hot dog on a stick and cook it over the fire (my kids’ favorite meal!).

Next up… some more helpful tips and hints.
　

Family Camping Tips (Part 2)

Plan Ahead
Keeping the kids involved adds to the excitement and enjoyment of the trip. Even kids as young as toddlers and pre-schoolers can help in the planning process.

*Stake out a site. Talk with your family about the types of trips you’d like to take. Where do you want to go? What would you like to do when you get there? Hike? Fish? Sightseeing? From there, the adults can narrow it down to a few choices then go through the brochures and websites with the kids. If the camp site is local, take a ride and check it out ahead of time. We did this for our first tent outing and it went over well. We were able to take a look at all of the sites and see which suited us best. We also got to check out the parking and restroom facilities. We talked to some campers and met the Park Ranger. All of which made planning go quite smoothly. (hint: state and local parks may be low on amenities, but can be quite inexpensive.)

*Take them shopping. Browse the web sites, catalogs and the local sporting goods stores. Let the kids check things out and see what they like. Be sure to point out both the pros and cons of their choices.

*What’s for Dinner? Getting the kids in on the meal planning is a sure fire way to get them to eat their dinner - even veggies! Keeping meals simple means less food and things to pack. Doing the prep work at home is easier than in the woods.

*Make a list. Make a list of everything you think you’ll need to pack - from the tent to the food to extra socks. Check things off as you pack them. Save your list until after you return from your trip. Cross off the things that you didn’t need. Add in things that you wish you’d brought. Be sure to note anything that needs to be repaired or replaced and save it for your next trip. I keep a current doc file on my computer, print it out for the packing and mark it up by hand as I go and when we get back, then I’ll edit the master list.

*Lay down the law. Go over camp safety rules before leaving home and again once you get there. Set boundaries for your kids to stay within. For younger kids, tie ribbons to trees and let them know that they cannot go past that without you. (be sure to take them down when you leave!) If your kids are visual, make a poster

Family Camping Tips (part 1)

When it is cold and snowing and blowing; when the yard is already full of snow people; when it is too cold to go sledding without frostbite; when you'd rather be toasting marshmallows on the campfire than put them in your hot chocolate; I like to indulge the kids and toast marshmallows, cook hot dogs and pop popcorn in the fireplace. I also like to start planning for the warmer weather. It is a good time to replace or upgrade the old camping gear, take an inventory and google some new destinations. This year we are going to ditch the air matresses for cots - A bit of an investment, but a worthwhile one for us. It looks like our first trip will be the Cub Scout “Famoree” in late May - closer than we think!

Getting Started
Camping can be a much needed break from the pace and pressure of our high-tech society. It is the perfect chance to unplug from the gadgets and plug back into our families.

My husband and I were both kids that have camped and now we are parents that camp with kids. Having been on both sides of camp fire has really taught to think each step through. The first can be the hardest. Where to go? What to pack? Camping gear can be a big investment, but you can sample before you buy. Here are some tips to get you started:

*Talk to friends, neighbors and other parents (scouts, PTO, sports, etc.) Campers in your area are probably your best resource. They can help you find places to camp, rent or buy gear locally. They may even be willing to lend you some gear to give it a try.

*Buy, rent or borrow the basics. What you bring will depend on a lot on where you are going, how long you are going and the ages of your children (babies always mean more stuff and camping is no exception!) Start with the basics- food, shelter and clothing.

*Try it out! take that tent for a test drive in the back yard (or maybe even the living room). This serves a few purposes. First, the grown-ups (and bigger kids) a chance to practice setting it up and make sure all of the parts are there and in working order. Don’t forget to waterproof the tent and even leave it up in the rain and see how it does. The kids will have a chance to explore acclimate to their new home away from home. Surprisingly, it may not be enough to tell the children that they will be sleeping in the tent, they will likely want to pick our their “spot” in the tent. (Some painters tape on the floor to define their “rooms” can avoid a fight or two.) A back-yard camp-out is a great way for the kids to try out the outdoors and still feel safe.

Disaster Ressurected

Last week, the boys attended the third week of Karate Camp. Camp is mornings only and they were missing their craft time with Dad. SO, I left their projects in my bedroom for Daddy to distribute AFTER Karate camp.

Well, #1 got up early one morning, went into my room and saw his painting kit and decided to help himself... He proceeded to break the tube of BLACK paint and get it on himself, the kitchen table, chairs, floor and 2 of my good bath towels.

Daddy cancelled all of our painting plans until further notice.

Once Dad regained composure, a few days later, they had another go at the painting. This is our camp painting area in the back yard. The table is a cheap ($10-ish) plastic one we've had for several years. It is also broken. So, they can get some sun and fresh air while keeping painting messes out of the house. Sesame Street plates and Halloween cups sold separately! The plates made great palettes and the paints peeled right off when dry!

I'll post better pictures of the finished pieces, but they are essentially coloring book pages printed on canvas. Each one came with a brush and a set of acrylics. Not bad for $2 (Christmas Tree Shop).

Back to Business

The boys really enjoyed their two weeks of Karate Camp, but Daddy was getting a bit burnt out trying to get everyone out of the house and to camp on time, so we are back to the business of Daddy Day Camp.

We noticed something interesting the last couple of weeks - well, actually, I didn't figure it out until last Thursday. Building up to then, we've noticed the kids fighting more with each other, constantly being negative, beligerent and complaining of boredom. One would think this attitude would have improved with the addition of camp.

It dawned on me Thursday night that we'v ebeen all business inhtis house. Get dressed. eat your breakfast. go to camp. The conversations between parent and chid have been all business. No wonder why we were all so cranky!

Since Friday, we've made a deliberate effort to talk with them and do things with them. Not that we have given control over to them, but we are reminding them that we aren't Ogres and we can be fun too! the change in their behavior was immediate!

Camp Rules

We have our house rules posted on the same wall as our family calender and important notices. They know the rules and they know the consequences. (We like Super Nanny!)

We also have a Toddler, 2 boys with ADD/ADHD and a Dad in charge who also has ADD. I can not overstate how important structure is in our house. It is crucial to survival.

I found a couple of tips on Let's Explore (my new favorite blog!). The first is a "Chore Bucket". The kids pull a chore out of the bucket and that is the chore for the day. They are all things that they can do and can feel good about doing a good job. #2 in particular LOVES to be a helper. #1 would rather sit in front of the TV... I'm thinking Dad should pull out a chore to set a good example ;).

Another cool tip I found on Let's Explore is the Marble Jar. you set out a basket of marbles and an empty jar. When they do something worthy of praise, they got to add marbles to the jar. Once the jar is full, they get a special treat. We tried giving them each a jar of pennies and taking away pennies when they misbehaved, but they threw a fit at losing pennies and I think it focused too much on the bad behavior. I think the marble jar will not only get them more praise, but it will encourage them to work together.

We started the Marble Jar last night and it was met with great enthusiasm. #1 & #2 got the jar going by doing such a great job reading while I got #3 ready for bed. We have not even decided what the "surprise" will be yet. I try to keep rewards to non-material things, but I'm thinking maybe a book from the book store... or better yet a trip to the Public Library! To avoid starting too much at once, we're holding off on the Chore Bucket until the weekend. Daddy and I will be picking chores too. Chores done with effort and enthusiasm will be rewarded with marbles - even if it isn't done "right". It is the effort and the work ethic we are going for here.

I also plan out our menus every week, which not only gets dinner on the table at a reasonable hour, but it saves a lot of money in groceries. I also plan out lunches and snacks. Daddy has also requested we sit down and come up with a "Camp Schedule". This may be too rigid for some families, but again, with the abundance of ADD/ADHD in our home, it is a necessity.

Camp Starts Tomorrow!

Last day of school.. which means that tomorrow is day 1 of Daddy Day Camp. I had one request from Dad - "go easy on me the first week or so...". About a month ago, he spent a week in the hospital and about 2 more at home in bed getting his strength back. he is more or less back to himself, but pretty apprehensive about running the camp.

With that request in mind, I hit the craft stores. I was pleased to find so many kits ready to go for fun summer projects. So, yeah, some of the early projects may be cop-outs, but so be it! gives me time to get some better ideas....

Last year, I had daily themes like "Monster Monday" where the activitys all had something to do with monsters. It quickly became a stretch to get things to fit. This year, I'm thinking about weekly themes.

Week 1: Setting up Camp
Week 2: Dinosaur Days ? we'll have to see how this pans out...

Look for more "getting started" tips tomorrow. I will post the activities on a delay, so that you can see the finished product along with the instructions.

Getting Started Tips

Some of the things I learned last year:
each kid gets their own project bag/box/basket/container

• whenever possible, put everything they need in the project bag/box/basket.
• keep things simple and fun (and low maintainance)
• schudule in "free" days and outings.
• try doing activites that build on one another
• Kids get dirty... accept it and move on...
• check the $ stores, www.orientaltrading.com, and the "value" baskets/bins at joanns & other craft sores for ideas and simple kids.
• Keep a bin of crayons, markers, construction paper, cardboard tubes, empty thread spools, glue sticks, kid scissors, stickers, paints, brushes, pom poms, pipe cleaners, egg cartons etc. handy.

add your tips in the comments!