I love camping. Our whole family loves camping! In fact, Darcy and I even went camping on our honeymoon. We try to fit camping in wherever we can.
In the past we have been old-school campers, with nothing more than a tent and a couple of sleeping bags. Recently we purchased a tent trailer and have been dragging the boys out into nature every chance that we get.
We are headed out camping again this week so I thought that I would leave you with some of my best camping tips.
We live in Kelowna, British Columbia and tend to stick to trips that are fewer than four hours of driving time ~ unless we’ve really got our stuff together and have had a year to plan. You can find a ton of other camping posts by clicking here. The campground in this photo is in Osoyoos, for the full post click here. And for our latest camping trip {one that included crazy peacocks} click here.
Here’s what works for us:
1. Lists and meal plans. Create a meal plan for your trip. This will help you to determine what food supplies to pack and purchase. Create a list of foods to purchase, don’t forget: ice packs, smores, non-stick cooking spray, salt and pepper, bar-b-que sauce, corn etc. Create a list of supplies for the trip. List items that are in the trailer {or camping bins if you are tenting} and items that still need to be packed. A camping checklist like this one from Love The Outdoors might be helpful.
2. Downsize condiments into small plastic containers. Save room in the cooler by placing things like; ketchup, mayonnaise, syrup, salsa etc. into smaller containers. Don’t be too stingy though, you don’t want to run out of butter for corn on the cob!
3. Wash, pre-cut, label and package as many meals as possible in large freezer bags. This is perfect for meals like these yummy Bar-b-que Shrimp Skewers.
4. Cut an egg carton in half to pack fewer eggs and save space in the cooler.
5. Pack a cold food cooler with the meat, cheese and milk closest to any ice packs you may have. Keep meat and bread frozen until packed. Plan to purchase ice every second day {at minimum} to keep food cold. This should be the very last item to be filled and packed into the vehicle.
6. Pack a dry food cooler. Don’t forget snacks for the road trip to and from camping. Downsize items like cereal and pancake mix into large freezer bags.
7. Utilize tin foil and create packet meals that can be thrown into the fire or on the grill. This negates the need for large cooking surfaces and allows for quick clean up. Angie at Echoes of Laughter has some great tin foil packet meals.
8. Don’t forget the bug repellent! We find that these green mosquito coils work great for us but be sure to pack whatever works for you.
9. Plan and pack activities for the kids. While camping in itself can be entertaining and enjoyable make sure to plan for the rainy days or down time. Bring cards, board games, paints for rocks etc.
10. Set out with realistic expectations. Camping can be a lot of work but so worth it. And be sure to have fun!
One of the hardest parts for me is finding creative camping recipes and not just relying on hotdogs and smores. Here are a few meals that would be perfect for camping:
sizzle sticks
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Hiya this is a great post. My boys are 2 1/2 and 6 months. We hace bought a tent and may try it out this year but plan to do a lot of camping next year. I was wondering two things 1) what do you do with the kids whilst setting up camp and 2) how did you find camping when your boys were in nappies. Thanks for any advice xx
Hi!
We started taking the boys camping when they were 18 months old. I took them a few times, on my own with a tent when we first started. 1) I try to camp with family and friends so that there is always an adult to watch them while we are setting up. Often my husband sets up the tent trailer while I take the boys for a walk. As they have gotten older they seem to be content with exploring the campsite or playing with camping toys that we have packed and this allows me to help more actively with camp set up. 2) Camping when they were younger {ans still in diapers} was more challenging mostly because of all of the extra gear we needed to pack {play pen, booster chair etc}. We definitely didn’t camp as often back then. You can do it though! It just takes a bit of extra packing and planning.
Thanks for visiting and have fun!
Thanks for the advice :-)
Great tips! I started camping at as a toddler and have always loved it. I love talking to others about camping because you always learn new things. A coworker was telling me she always puts solar lights around her site. I tried it this summer and won’t go back!
Great tips! Angie xo
We are avid campers in my family and this is a great list. Love the idea of cutting the egg carton in half. We do many of the same things as you do to organized for the trip. A couple of things that helps me is having a master camping list of all the items we need to bring instead of redoing it each time and keeping a bin of all our gear that is just for camping so it is ready to go. I am pinning this. Great tips.
Great list! I am taking my three year old little girl camping at the end of June!
Very good tips!
I love camping!!!
https://freestilcreatingbyvilly.blogspot.gr/
Such great tips!
Great tips! I think another tip that you should throw in there is to bring a first aid kit. Safety should always be first on your list of priorities because you never know what can happen to you or someone else. I always make sure to include dermabond in my kit because it is the best way to cure cuts and scrapes.