If your kids have never been camping or if your older kids don’t want to spend a few days in the wilderness away from their friends, you may have a challenge on your hands getting them excited about your next camp out.
Smartphones, computers, tablets, and technology are so much a part of our society now that it seems everyone feels like they need to always being connected. It can be a challenge to get your kids to disconnect, but it’s really important to to have set rules about when screen time is not allowed or inappropriate.
Depending on the age of your kids, getting them excited about camping can be either nearly impossible or the easiest thing ever! In our house, camping is one of our all time favorite ways to spend the weekend. We try to take at least three camp outs a year, if not more.
Recently, we were watching a movie where the family spent the first weekend of every month camping – my girls thought that was the best idea! I’d love to create that kind of tradition in our house and I may just be working toward that goal soon!
Anyway, if your kids aren’t as excited as mine are at the mere mention of a camp out, I’m sharing a few tips to help you get your kids excited about camping.
7 Ways to Get Your Kids Excited About Camping
#1 Get your Kids Involved in the Plans
Kids get so much more excited when it is something they get to make decisions on. When it comes to planning for a camping trip, there are tons of plans to be made. Get your kids involved in picking out the perfect tent, their own sleeping bag, and the campsite that looks the most fun.
#2 Talk Up Beach Time
If there is a lake – or even the ocean – near your campsite, get your kids excited about spending time on the beach! Whether you have teenage girls that want to relax by the water or younger kids that are excited about burying dad in the sand, there is something for everyone to do at the beach.
#3 Start Teaching Your Kids to Build a Fire
There is just something fascinating about fires, and a camping trip is a perfect reason to teach your kids about starting fires and safety. Get out the fire pit and let your kids figure it out. They will be so excited to start a fire that they won’t be able to wait to start it at the campsite.
I began teaching my kids how to build a fire and use a pocket knife by the time they were 8 or 9 years old. Even my girls impress me these days with their fire building skills – even when it’s raining!
#4 Share Adventures from Your Experience
I don’t have any camping stories from my childhood. I didn’t start camping until I was around the age of 30. If you had some camping adventures as a child, share some of your awesome stories of getting lost in the woods or how much fun you had camping with your parents. Kids love hearing stories from the past!
#5 Research Campsites for Fun Activities
Camping doesn’t have to be just roughing it in the woods – although that’s my favorite kind. There are tons of campsites offering fun activities for the whole family. If your kids love theme parks and coasters, look into campsites with zipping lines that zip through the tops of the woods at incredible speeds. My girls LOVE zip lines! Or, if your kids love the adventures of rough waters, look into campsites with white water rafting.
#6 Talk Up the Adventures
No matter what adventures you have decided to include in your camping trip, talk about them with your kids before you go. Talk about the river bend, the beach, or the totally awesome zip lines they have. Get your kids more excited about the adventures than sleeping in a tent for the weekend. All I have to do is tell my kids we’re going to have an adventure and they can’t wait to get there!
#7 Have an Exciting Camp Out in the Backyard
Some kids just need to know what they are in for especially if you have little ones. A backyard camp out is a great way to warm up to the idea of camping before your big camping trip. Get in the backyard and have a fun camping experience at home. Don’t forget the fire and the S’mores!
Camping is an incredible adventure for any family to have. I’ve loved every moment of every camp out – even when it’s rained. Camping promotes creativity, gets your kids out of the house, and fosters a love for adventure.
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