The Ultimate Guide for Family Camping in Summer

There is hardly a more exhilarating experience for the whole family that a camping trip in summer. Parents, children, and even grandparents look forward to the trip weeks in advance. However, you need to know a thing or two about camping in summer.

What to pack, where to stay, how to cook, how to keep the children entertained, etc. are among the top question you need to answer before you set off. Camping is a great family adventure and we offer you the ultimate guide for everything to go smoothly.

Select a Suitable Destination

Summertime is ideal for camping in all sorts of places: from mountains to the seaside, every spot is ideal to set up camp. However, you need to decide on a destination that will suit the preferences of your family in particular. The beach might be tempting but if you have to drive hundreds of kilometers with two babies, then you need to pick a destination tad closer to home.

If you have school-age children, then they can understand what a long road trip is and they will be able to stay relatively calm until you arrive at your destination. In fact, you can choose a particular campsite based on other families that might be heading there, so your kids would have playmates.

Keeping the Kids Entertained

Most parents simply throw a tablet or two in the back and hope cartoons will keep the children entertained all the way. This tactic might work in some cases but camping, especially in summer, is foremost a family experience so interaction among family members is key.

Remember the games you used to play with your parents, such as the license plate game which you can teach your kids how to play. Once you arrive at the destination, hand out water guns which are an endless source of fun in summer. Furthermore, you can install an inflatable kiddie pool at the campsite.

Make a List of Things to Pack

You probably know that going shopping without a list probably means you will forget to buy an important item. The same goes for a camping trip but out in the wilderness, you cannot afford to run out of safety matches or discharge your phone battery.

Therefore, setting down a list of the thing you should pack is not a bad idea. We suggest you pack the following: warn clothes, plastic bags, a first aid kit, insect repellent, the aforementioned safety matches or a lighter, sleeping bags, sunscreen (it’s summer, after all), a pair of walking shoes, and last but not the least, a tent.

What Kind of a Tent Will my Family Needs?

Going camping with friends is easy because everyone can bring their own tent. On the other side, going camping with your spouse and children raises the question of the type of tent you will require. Luckily, tent manufacturers offer large-family tents that can easily house a family of four. When choosing the right tent, you need to make sure you can stand, sleep, and store all the supplies inside it. After all, the canvas is all that’s keeping you cold at night and safe from wild animals at night.

Book the Campsite in Advance

If you don’t want to spend money on buying or renting a large tent, you can always go car camping in summer. Camping pit in your car and using it as a provisional tent is the simplest way you can camp with your family in summer.

However, some campsites and trailer parks require you to book a spot several months in advance. Although you need a reservation, camping spots are rarely charged, except designated campsites located in national parks and nature reserves.

What About the Food?

Feeding your family while on the road and in the middle of nowhere is a true challenge. Unless you want the whole family to eat canned food for an entire week, be prepared to cook. That’s why you need to pack cooking essentials: coolers, a grill, plates, cutlery, utensils, pots, pans, mugs, cups, food supplies, etc.

The whole point of cooking outdoors is to consume fresh food. However, you need to store food before it is ready to be prepared, so you’ll need to bring a portable cooler to store meat, dairy products, and drinks. In addition, you can get hold of a backpack cooler to serve your children fresh food while hiking and cool their formula.

Grilling and barbecuing in summer is great fun but you’ll still have to decide which food to bring. We suggest you pack healthy and nutritious food, such as dried fruit, cereals, nuts, crackers, as well as energy bars for an energy bar. Dry snacks are perfect for long hikes, as long as you remember to stay hydrated.

Also Read: Tent Camping -The Ultimate Guide for Beginners

High-tech Necessities

A family camping trip is ideal for bonding, so you should make it low-tech as much as possible. However, you should have a couple of high-tech necessities that are important for safety. The tent should have proper lighting, whether battery-powered or connected to the local electricity grid.

Furthermore, you could have a cooler inside the tent for the hottest days of summer and a heater for the cool nights in the mountains. As mentioned above, you need to have a source of water, whether it’s a freshwater brook or a local convenient store. Finally, don’t forget to install proper toilet facilities and a portable shower to maintain a high level of hygiene in the camp.

A Multipurpose Knife

You might not be Rambo but you should still bring a multipurpose knife to the trip. A survival knife is useful both for chopping up vegetables and meat, setting up a tent, and cutting through dense vegetation while hiking.

One of the greatest adventures you can embark on as a family is a summer camping trip. The children can run around shooting water guns, while the parents lounge a couple of meters away sipping a cold drink while the sausages are on the grill.