Camping is a pastime that can be fun and educational for the entire family. In order to get the most out of your time communing with nature, you must take the time to learn as much about camping as possible. Read the tips that follow and you will be able to plan an adventure you will never forget.
You don't have to be a boy scout to be prepared, if you plan to go camping. One of the first rules is to be sure to tell somebody where you will be. If there isn't an exact location to give, then give a general idea of major roads nearby or even GPS coordinates if you know them and give a timeframe of when you plan to return.
Bring a large trash bag for dirtied laundry, and keep it in a central location, suitable for everyone in your party. Let them pack their clothing individually, as this makes it much easier to find than if you pile it all in a community storage box or bag. Toss in a dryer sheet to any bag you want smelling fresh.
When going camping, make sure that you bring the right sleeping bag with you. Some sleeping bags will not keep you warm when the temperature dips below 40 degrees, while others will have you sweating all night long because they are too hot. The label on the bag usually will tell you what kinds of temperatures are appropriate for each sleeping bag.
Camping provides the inevitable experience that you, your family and most of your possessions will probably get dirty. If you are mentally prepared for this experience ahead of time, you can relieve the cause for a lot of stress when it does happen. Enjoy your time in the woods by letting yourself relax and get dirty. You can always clean up, and be "normal" when you return home.
Make a list of things you need to take with you before you go camping. You may think you are great at packing, but little else is worse than being out in the middle of the woods and realizing you forgot your allergy medication. Sit down and create a comprehensive list of everything you might need during the week before your camping trip.
When you bring your dog on a camping trip, make certain he has adequate tick protection. Bugs thrive in forests, and many flea treatments do not extend protection to include ticks, so ask your vet before departing if your dog has everything he needs and what you should do for proper tick prevention and removal.
Be certain your camp fire is completely out before you leave a campsite. To your eye it may seem like the fire is gone, but stir the ashes with a stick and you may find burning embers. Pour enough water and keep stirring until you see no more embers in the fire pit.
Any time you go camping, do not forget to bring a first-aid kit along with you. Since accidents can happen at any time, a first-aid kit is a very valuable asset to possess. Be sure to include topical creams for bug bites, sun burns and poison ivy when putting your kit together.
Consider purchasing inexpensive walkie-talkies to take with you on your next camping trip to provide a way to keep in touch with everyone in your party in areas where cell phone reception may not be available. This can be especially important if you are camping with children and need to keep track of their whereabouts.
Always bring a survival kit and a full first aid kit with you. These two items can keep you from ending a trip abruptly and handling many situations swiftly and easily. Being prepared can prevent a serious situation from worsening and can buy you time when helping a sick or injured person to safety.
If you have a young child with you, do the math in advance with respect to how much baby food or formula they will need. Make sure you have supplies for them that will last the entire length of your trip. There are no guarantees that a store near your campsite will have these items or will have the type of items that you want.
While it is not a good idea to be wasteful, make sure to bring more food and water than you think you need. You do not want to get out intro the middle of the woods and run out of supplies. bringing more than enough will ensure you do not run across this issue.
You should always bring a spare utility knife when camping. Utility knives can be quite versatile, so be sure to have an extra with you.
You must take the appropriate items with you when camping. Forgetting just one or two things could ruin your trip. Write a list of all the items you need and make sure to cross them off of the list once you pack them. Be sure your list includes the tent and sleeping bags, as well as food items and personal hygiene items.
If you don't like to drink water, you will be in real trouble on a long camping trip. Water is essential to staying hydrated, so if you really hate the taste, purchase some one-use lemonade and add indoor glamping tents it to bottles of water. This will keep you hydrated throughout your adventure.
Duct tape is handy to bring along on your camping trip. Tents are fairly strong these days, but aren't completely resistant to tears. If you have duct tape, you can fix tears and sleep safely and dryly even if your tent suffers damage during an unexpectedly exciting day.
When you are camping, it is vital to make sure tent has good ventilation and stays dry. If you choose to sleep in a completely closed tent, by morning the condensation from humidity, sweating and breathing will really accumulate on everything inside. You may end up waking to unpleasant dampness. Make sure that vents are open to provide the ventilation that prevents this build up of moisture. If your tent does not have a vent, crack a door or window open instead.
If you went camping when you were young and wish to do so again, you just need to have the correct information. Use this article to capture that feeling of camping that you once had when you were younger.
