Do you have fond memories of your childhood like pitching tents in the woods, cooking beans over a campfire, watching wildlife, and lying awake at night, gazing at the stars? If not, do you wish you’d had the opportunity to do so?
Camping is a great, bonding family experience, and it’s inexpensive! Some campgrounds with many amenities will charge a small fee per night, but this is nothing compared to the amount you would pay to stay in most hotels. Once you have spent money on the “hotel room” (your tent), camp stove, sleeping bags, backpacks, and similar supplies, you have those supplies to use from now on. Most tents will last for years before you need to replace them. This means that after your initial expenditure, camping will be a cheap family trip for years to come!
Look for a high-quality tent that is sturdy, waterproof, and will close easily. Struggling with the zipper every time you enter or leave the tent isn’t fun! Try setting up the tent in your backyard a few times to make sure you know how to put it together, and air it out. If your tent is rained upon, make sure it dries out before you pack it again, and make sure your kids know to never eat in the tent if you have wildlife like bears or mountain cats. Teach your children to take good care of the tent, and it will serve them well!
When you go on a camping trip, there are activities to entertain every member of your family. Fishing, hiking, bird- or nature-watching, learning about the plants, berries and flowers of the region, and stargazing are just a few of the things you can participate in without paying any money while camping.
If your kids grew up in the city or have never been camping before, their first camping trip will be quite an experience! They might complain, but they’ll have something to brag about to their friends afterwards (probably with exaggerations — resist the urge to correct them when they tell their friends that they caught a fifteen-inch trout).
For your kids’ summer vacation from school, a week or two spent in the woods will probably be less stressful and dangerous than the same amount of time in any other remote destination.
Another advantage of camping is that it provides an opportunity to really bond with your kids, and show them what life was like while you were growing up. Don’t let them bring along electronics, and you might be amazed at what they come up with when they’re forced to entertain themselves. Flashlights and a meadow with a few trees can yield a very fun game of flashlight tag, for example, or you might teach them how to skip stones on the lake. Evenings around the campfire can be spent telling stories, roasting marshmallows, or even talking about deep questions about life! Something about the campfire is just perfect for bonding over.
So find a nearby campground, pick up a tent and camping equipment, and enjoy a weekend or longer away from the stresses of civilization.
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Tags: Budget Vacation Ideas, Cheap Family Activities, Cheap Family Resorts, Family Camping Trips, Family Camping Vacation, Hiking Camping Trips, RV Camping Trips