Let's dive into the wonderful world of camping with your little ones! Whether you're a seasoned camper or a newbie to the great outdoors, making memories in nature with your kids is always a fantastic idea. Camping with children can be quite an adventure, and each child has a unique personality, just like different flavors of candy. My daughter, for example, is a delightful blend of Sour Patch Kid and Red Hot candies – a handful of surprises and a dash of fiery energy!

When we embarked on our first family camping trip, we chose Florida in the midst of summer as our test run. Why, you might wonder? Well, it was all part of our strategy to ease into camping life with our little firecracker. We wanted to experience a slightly "stressful" version of camping before attempting the serene beauty of North Carolina later in the fall. Our goal was to ensure that we could handle the "first taste of Sour Patch Kid" version of our daughter without feeling overwhelmed and still savor the experience.

Now, let's get back to our recent camping adventure. It was an absolute delight. The weekend was filled with beauty and wonder, and there was never a dull moment, even when our daughter decided that naps were not on her agenda. She had only one minor meltdown towards the end of the day on Saturday when exhaustion turned her into a tiny, walking zombie. All in all, we'd call this trip a resounding success, and we're eager to share the insights and tips we gathered to help you make your first (or nearly first) camping experience with your youngster just as memorable.

Camping with kids is an enduring adventure that you can enjoy any time of the year, and we're here to provide you with timeless advice to make your family camping trips a breeze.

Let's dive in! 

1. Plan Ahead: Make a checklist in advance to help with packing (stay tuned for our upcoming blog post with a detailed list!). When camping with kids, involving them in the preparation is crucial. They love to help and contribute. This also gives you leverage for those moments when they refuse to cooperate. For example, if they assisted in cooking vegetables and then refused to eat them, you can remind them, "Remember, you helped cook these vegetables with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and you stirred them!"

2. Invest in Organizational Bins: Consider investing in medium to large organization bins. Using cardboard boxes, like we did initially, can lead to disarray. We learned this the hard way and had to drive into town to buy bins on the second day of our trip. These bins can be categorized as follows:

• Bin #1: Air mattresses and sleep system supplies. Toddler air mattresses with sides are a great choice to prevent rolling. Don't forget to pick up affordable camping-specific sheet sets.
• Bin #2: Camp kitchen supplies, including dishes, cooking utensils, and dried food goods.
• Bin #3: Tools and hardware. Use this bin for extra propane canisters for the camp stove, Sawyer for bug repellent, flashlights, camp lights (these little twinkle lights from ENO are the perfect way to make your campsite feel more cozy), and towels.

3. Entertainment: Bring along some games and activities. Consider packing a ball, a bocce ball set, and your child's balance bike. Plan a simple scavenger hunt around the campsite, instructing them to find items like three different color leaves, a pinecone, or a flower. Emphasize that they should avoid picking things up and instead point them out to you due to potential hazards.

4. Choose Kid-Friendly Campsites: Opt for a campsite with kid-friendly amenities. Keep in mind that children have plenty of energy but may not be up for a lengthy 7-mile hike. Our campsite, for example, had a large pond with paddleboats and a mini putt-putt golf course, which delighted all of us. As your kids become more accustomed to camping, they may require fewer activities, but initially, choose a location that excites them.

5. Invest in a Toddler Air Mattress: Consider purchasing a toddler-sized air mattress. It's a good idea to let your child get accustomed to sleeping on it before your camping trip. For instance, when we visited family in Florida, we had her sleep on the same air mattress. This made her more comfortable when we set up the air mattress at the campsite, as she was already familiar with it.

6. Use the Calm App for Sleep: Download the Calm app and make use of its Sleep Stories feature. This was a game-changer for us on the first night. Our child listened to three stories (totaling two hours) to fall asleep. It was the only thing that kept her in her bed and content until she drifted off to sleep. I also use this app for meditation, which is incredibly helpful, especially when you have a toddler in tow.

7. Pack Filling Snacks: Bring along some satisfying snacks. We packed a supply kit for crowd-pleasing peanut butter sandwiches. It came in handy on the first night when dinner ended up being over an hour late (yes, more than an hour late – oops).

8. Provide an Extra Kid-Friendly Flashlight: Bring an additional flashlight specifically for your child to "help" with. Be sure to give them strict instructions not to shine it into people's eyes (haha). We established this rule early on and took the flashlight away if she didn't pay attention. She caught on quickly!

9. Enjoy Your Morning Coffee: Don't forget to treat yourself. Bring coffee and your preferred coffee mix-ins. Using a percolator makes it easy to brew enough coffee for the morning. It's a small luxury that can make your mornings at the campsite even more enjoyable, especially when you have your little chatterbox sharing stories about life.

A couple of my favorite lessons from this past weekend, which I think apply to everyday life, were about embracing the moment and letting go of control. The ultimate reward? Enjoying s'mores at any time of the day and teaching your little one that getting dirty, feeling hot and sticky, and occasionally being a bit uncomfortable doesn't prevent you from having an incredible and fun time! It's never too early to show your adventurous little ones how much they can learn from the world around them.

For family camping essentials like tents, sleeping bags, portable stoves, and mess kits, visit ScoutShop.org—the official store of the Scouting America!