Guest post: Your Guide To Stress Free Family Camping

Everyone loves camping for different reasons. Some set off with just backpacks and hiking boots, while others pack their patio furniture and gas barbeque. For my family it’s somewhere in between. It’s our chance to strip our possessions back to basics, take only what’s essential and hopefully secure some mind-blowing memories as we go.

Camping can be a roller coaster of emotions, good and bad. We’ve argued endlessly about how to put up the tent, tried to deal with a teething baby while not waking the entire campsite, battled through storms that tore down tents, and scared ourselves stupid with bug invasions… but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Especially when we have stories about the unforgettable. Like that meteor shower, the time we went skinny-dipping in a mountain stream, the kids catching the biggest crab any of us had ever seen, the glowworms at midnight and all those amazing sunsets.

There are definitely reasons why we should all try to get out there more often, but there are also things we can do to help us along the way, and I’d like to share some of mine with you, which with any luck may also work for your family.

Checklists

It sounds simple enough but I write lists a long time before we set off, giving us plenty of time to deal with issues like mending the rip in the groundsheet, buying some tent pegs or getting the camper van MOT up to date. But I also write lists for each member of my family, ask them to add to it and then give them the task of packing it in their individual bags. This works really well with the kids who get a real kick out of it.

Subtraction

In the past I’ve packed everything I normally use on a daily basis and then wonder why most of it has gone unused. Now I subtract, strip back and simplify everything on our checklists. Most of the time we can happily go without many things and it feels great to have a simpler lifestyle when we’re not tripping over all our unused belongings.

Organisation

Although we love to roam and not really plan where we’re going to end up (especially as we have the luxury of a camper van), we always confirm where we’ll spend our first night and try to have a rough idea where we might end up after that. We also make sure we have the right telephone numbers for making bookings at campsites and know exactly where we’re heading when we’re on the road and simply want to wild camp.

When we arrive at our destination we firstly make sure the kids are fed and entertained so we have the time and space to set up camp. We have a container or bag for everything and everyone knows where it’s stored and that it should always go back. This might seem a bit strict but we’ve found that to have a simpler life in a small space we have to be organised. We also develop our daily routines for the beginning and the end of the day, and give everyone a job. This helps take the pressure off everyone and leaves loads of time in the middle of the day to do fun stuff.

Entertainment

We make sure we have loads to entertain the kids during the quiet periods. We fill our reading devices with books that are cheap and free and do the same with our iPad by stocking up on educational games and other Apps. This helps keep the entertainment value high, but the costs low. We also beg borrow and steal kit we don’t own that will allow us to go fishing, crabbing, surfing, kayaking, foraging, treasure hunting, and playing all kinds of sports.

So whatever you decide to do and whatever way you decide to do it, make sure you remember that keeping camping simple, organised and entertaining can help reduce stress… which in turn can help the air smell even fresher and the stars shine even brighter.

Happy camping x

Sarah Riley is Creator and Writer of Inspired Camping, a free Cool Camping Magazine and lifestyle resource for the busy camper that helps inspire family adventures outdoors, by bringing high quality, cool, retro, vintage, funky and eco-friendly inspirations and news together in one place. She is also the author of Beach Potato, a summer and surf adventure novel for kids. Feel free to contact Sarah via Inspired Camping or Twitter.

Photo Credit Field Candy

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