Posted by Becca Larsen on Aug.18, 2009

ⓒ iStockPhoto - RichVantage

When taking children camping, a little planning goes a long way.  Last Friday, we looked at how to plan and what to pack for day hikes to get you and your kids back into nature. Now, we look at the essential equipment for the overnight campsite, including the most vital piece: the campsite. Take the time to learn the area and locate campgrounds or sites ahead of time and pack the gear needed to make your trip comfortable.

Your camping experience can be as comfortable as you make it. Campgrounds range from very primitive, dig-your-own-latrine to full-hookup sites providing recreational vehicles with all the wanted amenities.  Knowing what gear you need ahead of time for the camping experience you want prevents miserable memories.

Find Your Campsite

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land provides an abundance of free to low-cost camping, but provides few or no amenities and often no host or attendant.  Although primitive, BLM sites provide access to nature with few barriers.  BLM land is federally owned and concentrated mainly in the western states.  WWW.Recreation.Gov allows you to search for any locations in the area you plan to visit and provides details about their facilities.

State Parks are a great portal to nature without compromising amenities.  Frequently State Parks are hosted by volunteers and/or rangers who have an affection for the area and more than willing to share their knowledge.  Campsites feature a parking pad and area to stake out a tent.  Restroom facilities are plumbed and frequently offer hot showers.  Some offer full-hookup for those who use recreational vehicles to experience the outdoors.  Often there are recreational opportunities in or near the part for your family’s enrichment and enjoyment.

County parks are yet another resource for locating campsites.  These vary a great deal in what they offer, but can offer a nice weekend getaway not too far from home.

Pack Your Gear

Once you’ve found a location it’s time to gather your gear.  It needn’t be elaborate or fill a U-haul.  Just provide for basic necessities.  A tent, sleeping bags and some old cookware fits the bill just fine.  The point is to enjoy getting back in touch with nature.  Purchasing gear shouldn’t require mortgaging your house.  Check garage sales, thrift stores, liquidators and best of all, military surplus stores.  Some sporting good stores offer used equipment, or check if friends might loan you theirs.

Be sure to dry run your equipment at home before getting caught in a rain storm to find out your rain fly is missing three hours from home. Make the dry run a fun camp-at-home experience for the kids as you pitch the tent in the yard and test out the cooking gear. Children who may be resistant or hesitant around new environments and disruptions in their routine can benefit from having a rehearsal camping trip in familiar surroundings. The dry run is also a good time to introduce children to camping rules and etiquette.

Tents are rated by the number of people you can pack into them using sardines as a model.  If you prefer to keep your spare clothes inside with you or like even an inch of personal space, consider adding 2-3 to your party and purchasing a tent or tents based on that number.  Consider also the height of your tallest family member if you don’t like to dress kneeling or lying down.

Sleeping bags don’t need to be high-tech or ultralight if you don’t intend on hard-core backpacking.  A spare blanket inside the bag can increase your comfort level if you aren’t warm enough.  Even a comforter and some blankets will serve sufficiently for bedding.

Just add daypacks for hiking, a cooler and perhaps lawn chairs and a camp stove and you are ready to get back in touch with nature.

Look here Friday for camping meal ideas and recipes, so you can pack the cooler.

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Posted under GDM Lifestyle, Living.