Taking your whole family camping is a great way to introduce them to the outdoors. There are many health benefits that everyone will enjoy when you plan a family camping trip. Additionally, camping is a great way to boost morale while teaching responsibility. Here are tips to keep in mind to enjoy a family camping adventure.
Choose a Fun Location
There are many unique camping locations in the United States, so spend time investigating them. For example, your family may enjoy camping in the world’s eighth largest diamond-bearing volcanic crater, where a 2.63-carat white diamond was found in 2018. Alternatively, they may enjoy camping where wild horses still run loose in western plains, or where a soak in hot springs gives medicinal benefits. Even a simple camping trip out to the nearest camping site can give your whole family a chance to interact with the natural world and give valuable education regarding local flora and wildlife.
Plan Fun Activities
There are so many fun activities that your family can enjoy doing while camping. In many locations, kayaking, swimming and other water activities are available near camping sites. There are many great hiking trails allowing your family to enjoy exploring the icefields of Alaska, the Northwood of Minnesota, the red rocks of Utah, or beaches along the coast. Exploring caves, rock climbing, paragliding, and even something as simple and leisurely as stargazing can add a flair of adventure to any camping trip and give your family a greater appreciation for nature.
See Unusual Things
Getting out of the city and into the wild gives your children the chance to see things they will never experience otherwise. Pause to watch a deer prance by through the trees of a forest, or watch a lizard or ground squirrel scale rocky cliffs in a desert. Examine unusual plants and trees and gaze in amazement at towering waterfalls. Your children are likely to be amazed at the unusual rock formations that are unique to any region, or collect shells out of a falling tide. If you feel at a loss for where to begin, look into visiting your nearest National Park and ask what sort of programs they offer there. No matter what your climate and environment, nature has many unique sights and experiences to offer.
Stay in Unusual Places
If you have younger children in the family, you may not be too keen on roughing it out in the wilderness. However, roughing it isn’t necessary for camping in this day and age. Most National and State parks will have cabins available for rent within easy driving distance of the best sights, decked with all of the amenities you need to care for any infant or child. If you want to be more mobile, then luxurious Yetti campers or RV’s will often have more amenities than even cabins and can be parked in nearly all of the same campsites that you would have set up a tent.
Use these ideas and your own ingenuity to take your family out for a real experience in nature. With so many unique opportunities, you will never be at a loss for things to explore and experience when trying to educate your children in the bounties of the natural world. Spending time as a family is essential for a healthy relationship with your children, and nothing makes for more quality time than taking time away from the daily rigor of the modern world and exploring the naturally occurring ecosystems just a short drive away.