Camping with kids in a pop-up camper
Camping with children can be fun but very stressful. If you have never gone camping with a child or children, you may be in for a rude awaking. Good news though if you plan ahead your sanity will be saved. In some cases, just the mere setting up or down of the pop-up camper could be stressful enough. Never mind having a smaller space to stay in. Keeping the children occupied while doing these activities can help you even more.
I have had the pleasure of having younger children and even a teenager there while I set up the pop-up camper and boy was that fun!!!! Not!!! With the constant arguing or asking to do something in the background all the while trying to delegate tasks to do is hectic enough.
During my camping adventures with kids, I noticed that most of the kids want to help or do an activity like play at the playground while I set up. This can be a great way to get things done quicker. I do pre-teaching before I get to the campsite telling them what will happen first and then second. This helps tremendously. Usually, if one kid forgets the others remind them.
After setup and we are all settled in I have found that kids only want 4 things. You may ask 4 things? Well, yes? All right, what are they? Well, they are Food, shelter, activities, and sleep when camping!!! All these four things will help your camping trip go much smoother if you plan them out. Let’s look at each one and see if you can do something in each category to help them have a better experience camping.
Food
Food, of course, is a no-brainer but when camping certain types of meals may be out of the question. When camping with kids they always seem to be hungrier than ever before, and we can’t keep them full. For meals like breakfast, lunch, or dinner, choose items that can easily be made by a camping stove or with the help of your children. This can also help with the boredom while waiting. Snacks pre-portioned at home or by store can be convenient when trying to keep them full in between meals and save on prep time at the campsite.
For us, we have meals or treats we normally don’t have at home on a weekly basis. Smores is something we do camping only. Plus, they love roasting their own marshmallows.
Drinks are also important, especially water. I usually have a large water jug just for drinking and to keep them hydrated during the summer months. Sometimes I’ll make tea or lemonade in that jug as well. I also keep cold water bottles, juice packs, or soda in the cooler. Those are for meals only. Options are great for those who have picky children or special diets.
Shelter
Most kids want to know, where am I sleeping. And for those who have teens who want to vibe alone and on a device, this is a big question mark. It even helps them with those rainy or cold days. Where they just don’t want to play outside. Since we all have been camping together so much, they all know where their beds are and want to get them in order right away. I laugh because they get so into it and want their blankets and pillows just right.
Another form of shelter is the two canopies I have. I love them and they are great for hiding from the sun and enjoying the breeze. If my daughter isn’t in the camper, she is under one of the canopies, lounging with her headphones at tow.
Activities
Activities are so important and can really make or break your trip. Having enough things for them to do indoors and out will help the kids from complaining and throwing a fit. Well, in my case!
I usually bring games, colors and coloring books, tablets, movies, outdoor toys like balls and game sets. I tend to always do a couple of hikes, go fishing, swim, or boating as well. In some instances, I bring the bikes for hitting the trails or just riding around the campsite. This is great because they meet other kids and have a blast with races and jumping over mounds of dirt.
In my popup camper, I have an entire pullout drawer just for activities. They range from kids to adult activities as well. We usually follow up every night with a bonfire and or a movie on the projector or in the pop-up camper. I carry a small flat screen tv with us in case we have rainy or cold days or even miss a new Disney movie premier. For campsites that don’t have wi-fi or cable, I use my phone and plug it in the camper to watch a movie on Disney + or Netflix. A life saver!!!
Sleep
Oh, my goodness!!! Sleep is so important! It makes or breaks the next day. If they don’t get quality sleep then can be so cranky and ruin the fun experiences, you are going to have. Usually, if they have been playing outside the whole day with activities like bike riding or swimming, they are knocked out very early in the night! Exciting right! But some nights that is just not possible. So, I try my best to get them outside in the evening and have played any type of run-around games. Then we all take relaxing showers. This helps a lot!
I ensure each bed is comfortable to sleep on and that they stay warm overnight. My current pop-up camper sleeps 8 to 9 people, with enough room for everyone. I rarely have someone fight me to go to bed. Sometimes my teenager has an issue with sleeping or even being quiet and I need to take her phone away. LOL! Teenagers though!
All in all, if you do at least one thing from each category you should make your camping trip more pleasurable. If you have 1 child or several children camping with you preplanning is a must! I hope these tips work for you and you are able to use them on your next camping trip!