This is a guest blog post written by Mia Clarke owner of InvertPro featuring various tips to entertain your kids during camping trips. You can learn more about the author at the end of this blog post.
TIPS TO ENTERTAIN YOUR KIDS DURING CAMPING
Camping can be fun. No. Actually, camping is fun! But, do your kids share the same notion? Would they rather remain at home and stick to their phones and online games? What if they could have more than they ever thought they could? What if you could show them how fun camping can be?
One great thing with kids is that they are fast learners, and they will never mind trying out something as long as they resonate with what they will be doing. So, why not take that advantage and practically show them how your next family camping will be fun? You do not know how to do that? Here are a few tips offered by our friends over at InvertPro.
AT DAWN
LEARN METHODS TO LIGHT FIRES
Remember how well you start your day will determine how the rest of the day fits into place. So, do not wait for the morning sun to rise to start your day. Wake up when the owls are still hooting, and you can hear cocks crowing in the distance. You will know that you are not late for the excitement in the wee hours of the morning if you still can hear crickets chirping and frogs croaking. The melody that the combination of these sounds brings in the morning facing darkness is the best time to share those traditional methods of starting a fire with your kids. At least you will get to apply what you learned in your scout and girl guide classes. Rubbing those sticks together and hitting those fire stones will also make for some excellent morning exercise to keep yourselves awake. Beware: Your kids might like this morning class so much that they might be the ones waking you up next time. But, why not! It’s all for fun.
Photo Credit: Unsplash by Holger LinkWATCH THE RISING SUN
It will not take you long after you light your fire before the morning sun starts to rise. Remember to catch the beautiful and gentle sun rays as they pierce through the gaps between leaves. If you carried your camera with you, this is a great time to capture the sun before the rays get very harsh. It also is an excellent time to take your morning selfies to add to your album. And, remember to capture the fire that you had started early in the morning and the tools that you used. It will even be more fun if every kid can stand by the fires that they started and the tools that they used. It will keep them looking forwards to trying better next time. This morning sun is also the best to bask in; you want to get all the benefits that it brings, including abundant vitamin D, which is good for your skin and bones.
Photo Credit: Pixabay.com by Alexandr IvanovMORNINGS
TRY QUICK BREAKFAST RECIPES
If you woke up a little early, you must be hungry by now. It, however, is no reason to fix your usual breakfast. Keep the fun and excitement going. This time is the best for trying out those quick breakfast recipes that you have been learning in your free time. You also can borrow some from your grandparents. They surely must have had good recipes that were easy and fast to prepare. It doesn’t matter if your kids love cooking or not. With how you started your day on a high note, by now they must be aching to see how the remaining part of the day unwinds. So, take that chance and ask them to prepare the ingredients that you need for your breakfast. You also can take them for some morning gathering to look for fruits and vegetables from nature that you will use for their breakfast. Ensure, though, that you consult your guide before eating any game fruits and vegetables to confirm that they are safe for consumption.
Photo Credit: Unsplash by Daiga EllabyLEARN METHODS TO SAFELY EXTINGUISH FIRES
Your fires must have already served their purpose by now. So, it is time to extinguish them before you start on your day’s activities. Use the different techniques that you have learned over time from your fire drills at work and the fire safety classes that you took at school. It will help if you can allow yours kids to participate and not simply watching from a distance. Do be afraid that they might burn themselves, but still be careful that the excitement does not get a better part of them to make them careless. Leaving fires in your campsite can quickly start a forest fire that you may not be able to or have the right equipment to put them out. You can take this moment to teach your kids other causes of forest fires and list the ones that have happened recently and the largest ones that there have been in history. Also, help them know the precautionary steps that they should take when they notice a forest fire starting. The learning can also include the strategies that the government is taking to ensure that they contain future forest fires.
DAYTIME
LEARN CAMPING KNOTS
You must be having a list full of activities that you had planned to do. But, have you included making camping knots? Your kids will love to know the many different types of knots that they could use when they are out camping. It will also add to the fun if you can ask them to think of a knot pattern and tie it. Most probably, by the time you are done taking through tying all the knots that you know and teaching them their specific uses, they will be having an idea of how they can create theirs.
BIKE RIDE
Bike riding is a very engaging activity that you can include in your must-do fun activities when camping. If you did not bring yours, you could hire some from your camping services organizer for yourself and your kids, if this is an option. Use this time to try out some biking challenges with your kids to keep the fun going.
EVENINGS
Photo Credit: Unsplash by Raul PetriTAKE NATURE WALKS
Nature walks can never get old, and it is best if you reserve this fun activity for the evenings. Your kids will love to interact with nature in the most basic of ways. In your nature walks, you can search for birds in the forest, and do online searches to learn their species and behavior. You also can go out picking insects into glass jars and catching butterflies to identify them and then watch them fly away. Be careful though to avoid picking on insects that sting or animals that bite. You also can use this time to learn the different types of leaves in your immediate environment and how they adapt to that environment.
Related Article: How To Choose The Best Hike For Your Child
BASK IN THE EVENING SUN
By the time you are back from your nature walk, the sun sill be starting to set. Use this moment to capture the golden evening rays from the setting sun. This natural and gentle light, like the morning sun, is excellent for taking photos. You can take photos with your kids and of the insects, butterflies and leaves that you have collected from your nature walk as you bask in this warm and sweet evening sun.
AT NIGHT
Photo of Bella and Isa using one of their nature books to identify different species of insects.READ A BOOK
You must have been tired by now, but it is no reason to break the chain of fun. If your kids can have some more fun activities for the night, they will appreciate that a lot. So, after freshening up and taking your dinner, you can read to your kids a comic book or any other book that they love. This evening laughter will help in ensuring that you relax your muscles from the day’s activities.
Related Article: Best Outdoor Books For Children
CATCH FIREFLIES
If you are lucky, you will have fireflies coming out when you light your evening fires. It will add to the fun catching some of these fireflies with your kids. If it had rained recently, you might have termites flying around your campsite. You also can catch these. Termites make sumptuous meals too. You might want to try that out. Don’t forget to let them fly away before bed so they can continue to live freely.
STUDY CONSTELLATIONS
When it clocks bedtime, you can use this time to study the constellations that are showing in that season. Observe the sky with your kids and help them identify some of the constellations that they learned at school. It is also an excellent moment to share jokes and bedtime stories that relate to stars and the night skies. In no time, your kids will fall asleep from a day well spent in fun and excitement.
Photo Credit: Unsplash by Jongsun LessWithout a doubt, kids can surprise you how fast they can learn and master new things. And, with your family camping being at the verge of turning to be for you and your spouse only, you will want to try the above tips to entertain your kids throughout your next camping. If you do this right, even your kids will not know it by the time the camping will reach a close. And, one advice please, do not be so stiff to try out other ideas that cross your mind or that your kids suggest you do. The excitement is in keeping the fun flowing right from day one to the last one. Do not allow anything to hinder you from that. Start your days on a high note every day, and keep that pace till you get to bed at night to sleep. Then, repeat! That will even keep your kids looking forwards to the next time that you will plan for your family camping trip.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mia Clarke is the owner of InvertPro.co. As a keen traveler Mia started InvertPro after struggling to find the right kit to stay in touch in an increasingly connected world. Mia has traveled to every continent and plans to visit them all again. You can find Mia on Twitter and Facebook or on her website. You can also check out this article, “The Best Power Inverter For Camping” to help assist on your camping needs.
What cool activities do you like to do with your kids? Have you tried any of these already? Let us know in the comments below. We love to chat.
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