Pick a Campground
If you’ve never camped with children before, or you’ve never camped at all, preparing for a night outdoors may seem daunting. Your first step is to research your options:
• Assemble a list of campgrounds within an hour or two of home.
• Novice campers will want kid-friendly campgrounds with running water and bathroom facilities.
• Most campsites include a picnic table and a grill. Check the park’s website for detailed information about the facilities.
• Explore private campgrounds, too.
The next step is to present the assorted options to your family. Talk about what kind of outdoor activities everyone wants to do or try. You may be able to rent bicycles, kayaks, canoes and other sports gear near your campground.
Phone ahead or go online to check the availability of campsites and gear for rent. Popular campgrounds book up quickly in the summer.
Beyond Tent Camping
Many national and state parks maintain rustic cabins to rent to overnight campers. Some private campgrounds rent cabins and rooms in lodges, as well. KOA (Kampgrounds of America) has taken the rental cabin concept one step farther. About 30 KOA sites across the U.S. offer unique accommodations in tree houses, teepees, vintage Airstream trailers and renovated cabooses.
Need a Tent? Check It Out!
If you’re a first-time camper, do not rush out and buy all-new camping gear. Other than a tent and a compass, almost anything you need for camping is likely to be found around your house right now. And what you don’t have, you can rent or borrow.
Contact local sporting goods stores to find out if they rent camping equipment. Many do and if they don’t, they will know who does. Talk to your local librarian, too. Public libraries are thinking outside the books these days, adding unconventional items to their collections that help people save money and get active. For instance, some libraries now lend camping and sports gear. At the very least, your library is certain to have some basic camping manuals and natural history guidebooks.
Resale stores, yard sales, eBay and Craigslist are all good sources for slightly used camping gear at reasonable prices.
Packing Tips
• Be sure to pack a first-aid kit, bug repellent and sunscreen.
• Remember to pack extra clothing and shoes. Kids can get dirty quickly, especially while playing in the water, sand or woods.
• Bring warm clothing. Evenings may be chilly, especially in the mountains or near water. Remember: Camping isn’t much fun for kids — or adults — when they’re shivering.
• Take along plenty of flashlights to help everyone see in the dark and eliminate any nighttime anxieties. Don’t forget the extra batteries. If possible, bring a battery-operated lantern to set up in your tent, too.
• Pack outside toys — Frisbees, sand toys, plastic bat and Wiffle balls, baseball and mitts, soccer ball, kites, etc.
• Your kids will work up an appetite with all the activities they’ll be doing on your camping trip, so remember to pack lots of healthy snacks, as well as drinks to keep them hydrated.
• Bring coolers and buy ice to keep fresh foods cold.
Facts About Outdoor Time and Children
Studies show that outdoor experiences make children more environmentally conscious, help them manage stress and may even improve sleep. Yet America’s youth are spending a great deal of their time indoors:
• Kids 8-18 years old spend an average of 7 hours, 38 minutes per day using entertainment media.
• Kids spend about half as much time outdoors as they did 25 years ago.
• In a typical week, only 6 percent of children ages 9-13 play outside on their own.
Summer is the perfect time to get active outdoors as a family. One of the best ways to get everyone up and moving is to plan a camping trip. Camping also offers the opportunity to step back from electronic media, if only for a couple days. “Kids today are spending more time indoors and plugged into a screen, so camping is a great activity because it gets them outdoors, whether they’re hiking or telling ghost stories by the fire,” said Meri-Margaret Deoudes of the National Wildlife Federation. Your kids may groan at first about spotty cell phone coverage in remote areas, but there’s a chance that by the end of the trip they’ll barely remember to check their messages. Who Knows? Maybe they’ll be Tweeting about their great camping trip!
| RECIPE: Oatmeal Bars Makes 20 bars
The perfect snack for hungry hikers! Bake these chewy, tasty bars well in advance of your camping trip. Cut them, place in lock-tight plastic bags and freeze.
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| Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or white whole-wheat flour 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, optional 3/4 cup nonfat milk or low-fat soy milk 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 1/4 cup safflower or other vegetable oil 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 large egg 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup raisins or dried cherries |
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9x13in baking pan with parchment paper or wax paper. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk to blend together the flours, sugars, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir in oats and nuts, if using.
3. In a smaller mixing bowl, stir together milk, applesauce, oil and vanilla. Beat in egg to blend well.
4. Stir the milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Add chocolate chips and raisins or dried cherries. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
5. Bake until the edges are brown and firm, about 20 minutes. Let cool before slicing.
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Nutritional info 168 Calories 5g Fat 1g Saturated fat 4g Protein 28g Carbohydrate 2g Fiber 71mg Sodium |
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