Camping has been a joy for families for years, however, the art of camping has been lost over the past few decades. Priorities have changed and using environmental resources has been much more controversial. Tent camping is one of the best ways to minimize the impact on the environment. With careful planning, tent camping can provide an experience that you will enjoy, your family will enjoy, and the environment will not complain about.
Our website strives to give you the information you need to have a wonderful experience anywhere in the outdoors. Whether your outdoors is the backyard with your children or backpacking across Montana with the entire family, our goal is to give you the information that you need.
Outdoor family camping can be divided into several basic areas.
- Moving / Transportation
- Cooking / Eating
- Sleeping / Tent
- Activities
Moving / Transportation
As any experienced camper knows getting there is part of the experience. As any parent knows, this can be one of the most frusrating part of the experience. For some families, we are talking about a car ride that last several hours, hauling gear in the minivan. The others, it means having a good quality backpack and shoes as they hike 10 miles to their first campsite. Whatever your idea of transportation to the campsite, visit our section to view some ideas that we have found to be very helpful.
Cooking / Eating
We all need to eat. Camping with your family makes these times of the day a special occassion. Cooking on a propane stove, an open fire, or a multi-fuel backpack stove each provides unique challenges that can be overcome with a little planning. The menu is a separate item that needs to be addressed to ensure your caloric needs are met, as well as the various wants of each family member. Look at our cooking section for ideas about how to plan your menu and how to cook it.
Sleeping / Tent
There is no finer experience in outdoor camping than sleeping in the open. Now there are plenty of differences in each person's idea of "sleeping in the open", but this section will provide help to everyone. Whether you are 5 years old and want to sleep under the stars or 50 years old and sleeping on the ground to please your 5 year old (but your back hurts from 60 hours of standing at the office), you will find your sleeping needs can be met. Also, camping in your truck, the RV, or tent provides a different experience. We have information to prepare information for the most seasoned camper to the most inexperienced outdoorsman so that your next camping experience will be a positive one.
Activity
Finally, when you are with your family, there are going to be times when you have arrived, the clean-up is done from dinner, and the tent is set-up. What you do next is up to you. We have some ideas from children friendly books on bird watching to popular back-packing board games. What ever you do, the entire family will love our section on outdoor family camping activities.