The summer is really sneaking up on us and if you haven’t already booked your camping spots, then you should soon! As an avid camper, I have learned a thing or two from my many times camping but it’s no joke to start camping with kids. First off, car camping and backpacking are EXTREMELY different. Secondly, I am sure I still have a lot to learn about camping with kids as they get older but last year I felt like we won the camping experience lottery with our trip to Winthrop, WA and I am going to unpack a few tips and tricks I learned from that particular journey.
1. Snacks! All the typical kid-favorite snacks, plus some healthy options like pre-cut fruit & veggies, and never forget the power of ice cold water & La Croix! The kids each have their favorite snacks and meals. I planned out two snacks for each kid (they could obviously share), then I prepped as much as I possibly could with the meals and healthy snacks to make them grab-and-go friendly. In my meal prep I also planned on us getting pizza at a nearby restaurant on the last night of our stay. This is a smart tip because I didn’t have to worry about our last meal of the trip staying in the cooler for multiple days. I will definitely be doing that in the future if we can!
Shari + Pizza = Happy Camper!
2. Toys & Games… in this case since we were at a KOA campground next to a river (the KOA was still following strict COVID restrictions at that time). We brought our own bikes for riding around the campground and tubes to float the lazy Methow River! Additional fun toys that the kids loved were glow sticks, camping buddies (a small character toy tradition their dad started with them), and a few classic games like Uno and Connect4. I got the glow sticks on a whim but it made the pre-bedtime tent games soooo much more fun and funny!
Snacks, games, and lounging at its finest!
3. Planned activities but not too many! The not too many part is key! Alex and I love allowing for some spontaneity on trips which means we are a healthy mix of a few planned activities and a lot of unscheduled adventures and relaxing time! The only planned activities were an early morning mini-golf session that we all LOVED and ice cream mid-day at Sheri’s Ice Cream Shop! We enjoyed slow mornings the other days and went tubing down the river at least 4 times a day. The fact that we didn’t fill our days with a ton of activity made it a stress-free and still adventurous trip. The kids loved being able to bike, play games, and tube the river with us whenever they wanted.
Disclaimer: I am a planner by nature so I understand the temptation to plan it all out… trust me it is worth it to give yourself an outline and fill in the rest as you go!
Bikes, mini-golf, and those beloved glow sticks.
4. Create a playlist! We created a family playlist and it made the road trip so fun. Bonus: we brought our portable speaker and played our favorite songs at the campsite too. Some favorites are “Africa” by Todo, “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas, and “Kings & Queens” by Ava Max. Granted our kiddos were 7, 11, and 13 at the time, so I totally understand some parents are still in the “Frozen” Soundtrack phase of life (your kids will eventually move on to other music, I promise)!
My last nuggets of advice when camping with kids are to always remember a first aid kit (kids are prone to accidents) and sun-sickness is real, make sure the kiddos hydrate because they wont think about it when they are having so much fun (we learned that the hard way).
Finally, just have fun! Camping is all about the preparation leading up to the trip and then making memories during the trip. Keep in mind that car camping is so much easier when you are near a town and can drive and get something you might have forgotten. We were 3 minutes away from a grocery store and thank goodness because we forgot dish soap and a sponge!
Now that I have inspired you to get into the great outdoors with your kids… go book your summer camping trip, prepare the best you can, and have the best time with your family!
Happy Camping!
The Salty Exchange 