5 Hacks For A Stress Free Camping Holiday With Kids

Camping can be a great way to get closer to nature and enjoy the great outdoors but it can also be pretty stressful if you don’t prepare properly, and this is especially true if you are travelling with kids. Children are very unforgiving when it comes to poor organisation and so here are 5 easy camping hacks that will make your life easier and ensure you have a stress free, great time camping.

1. Use packing cubes to organise everyone’s clothes

When living in a small space such as a tent it’s very easy to become overwhelmed with clothes especially as the clean and dirty piles begin to merge. Organise everyone’s clothes in packing cubes and bring a spare one for each person for them to put their dirty clothes in. This will not only keep fresh and soiled items separate but will also stop you having to rummage through everyone’s clothes to find your missing sock.

2. Pack plenty of entertainment

Although mother nature provides us with plenty of entertainment this may not be enough to keep your little ones attention, so bring plenty of other entertainment options to keep them busy. Some travel friendly options include playing camping bingo, card games and scavenger hunts.

3. Find the right pitch

With children, finding the right camping location to pitch your tent can make your life a whole lot easier. Consider things such as being closer to the toilets or to the children’s play area so that you can easily keep an eye on everyone. Also be wary of hazards such as rivers or roads and ensure you have plenty of space for the kids to play. Some campsites can get pretty crowded, a great way to get around this is to consider purchasing a roof top tent! That’s right, you can sleep on your car roof and so you only need to find a pitch spot big enough for your car.

4. Pack items in clear plastic boxes

If you don’t want to spend your holiday being asked “where’s this?” “I can’t find that” by your children then try to pack all of your kids’ toys, food, and any accessories in clear boxes. This will enable your kids to easily see what’s inside without pulling everything out and hopefully you’ll get some peace and quiet too. This hack’s not just for children but is also great for organising all of the cooking supplies too.

5. Make cooking an activity

Cooking duty while camping can feel like a bit of a chore, especially if you have a lot of mouths to feed and are having to create a fire each night. One option would be to eat out but this can be very expensive and you lose some of the camping experience. Instead, enlist the help of the whole family and turn mealtimes into a fun activity. Kids can learn how to set up camp fires, find firewood and help with the preparation of the meal. Some kid friendly camping meals include campfire muffins, potato boats and mini fired pizzas. 

So which of these hacks will you try on your next camping trip?

This is a contributed post