Stupid camping question...but WHAT do you do next?

[Blueridge]

After you've gotten to your campsite...assembled the tent or arranged your trailer...what then? We've camped 3-4 times total (tent :tongue_smilie:), and we never know exactly what to do once the campsite is set up. Embarrassing to be this pathetic, but I really need ideas. I'm begging dh for a popup that we can afford so we don't have to sleep on the ground. I want to learn to love it. Thanks!

[Wabi Sabi]

Blow bubbles, take a hike, visit the nature center if there is one, go swimming, drink a beer while the kids play, read a book, play Scrabble, build a fire, just sit back and relax...

[AdventureMoms]

Depending on the time of day and the weather...

- start a campfire

-take a walk around the campground to find everything

- find somewhere to hike

- play cards

- read a book

- find somewhere to go swimming

- ride bikes

- find somewhere to play catch or frisbee

[fraidycat]

Explore.

[scrappyhappymama]

After you've gotten to your campsite...assembled the tent or arranged your trailer...what then? We've camped 3-4 times total (tent :tongue_smilie:), and we never know exactly what to do once the campsite is set up. Embarrassing to be this pathetic, but I really need ideas. I'm begging dh for a popup that we can afford so we don't have to sleep on the ground. I want to learn to love it. Thanks!

 

After setup, we usually kick back and relax in a lawn chair and enjoy the scenery and maybe a good book and let the kids explore our campsite and the area nearby.

 

In the following days, we explore the hiking trails in the park, and spend a lot of time enjoying the water by swimming or boating or fishing. If the park has any Letterboxing or Geocaching, we'll usually do that. Sometimes the park rangers will have short presentations or activities for kids. We tend to have lazy mornings and cook big breakfasts on the grill and relax in the cool of the morning. In the evenings, we build a campfire and roast hot dogs or marshmallows and talk around the fire. During the day, we'll often find some activity to do, but mostly camping for us is about relaxing and enjoying the nature around us and lots of tech-free, low-key fun for the kids.

[AngieW in Texas]

After you get the tent set up, you inflate your air mattresses with the pump that you charged before you left the house. I won't camp without my air mattress ever again.

[Momof3littles]

If you don't need to get dinner started right away, go for a walk around the campground and get oriented. It is fun to see what there is to do. Is there a playground? A pool? Where are the bathhouses/bathrooms? Any interesting birds or animals? My kids love heading out in the evening because we often find frogs hopping around on the way to the bathroom, so a nightly "frog walk" has become a tradition at certain campgrounds :001_smile: Weird, but a tradition they enjoy and I know they'll remember ;)

 

Do you need firewood for the fire or do you buy on your way in? If you need some head to wherever they are selling it, or if you want to deal with it you can try gathering some if that's okay per the rules there (no ripping down living trees and branches, obviously). Most places don't want you bringing your own anymore because certain tree diseases and insects can come along with it and infect the local area.

 

We usually set up chairs around the firepit even if we aren't starting the fire yet, put a tablecloth on the picnic table, etc. as part of our setup too.

[T'smom]

We have a favorite campground on a lake so we hit the beach! We also like to go to the playground, hike on the nature trails, roast hot dogs, marshmallows, something my dh calls "hobo pies" sandwich fixings in this thing that goes in the fire. (You end up with a grilled sandwich- my kids like to put pizza sauce, cheese and pepperoni in it). Play catch or frisbee. I like to read while the kids play and explore.....

[Pippen]

Once the trailer is set up we usually get the beds reading, except for the one that converts from the table.

 

We also set up outside the trailer right away--a green indoor outdoor "carpet" under the awning (helps keep dirt from tracking inside), a fold out table that I use to cook on, chairs, lights, a tablecloth over the picnic table, and a clothes line.

 

Here are some things we have done over the years, but a lot will be based on what's available where you camp:

Older kids like yours might enjoy bringing a friend along (we usually camp with friends so this is taken care of).

Make a fire, and just hang out (mostly we do this)

Get your dinner going (crock pots are great for this!)

Take a walk around the campground

Go hiking

Fishing

Swimming

Canoeing or kayaking

Visit with the group camping next door to you

Reading and drinking tea by the fire are my favorite things to do.

Take a nap!

Check out the local sights in advance--make some trips to museums, historic sights, interesting towns, nearby state parks, hiking trails, etc.

One of our favorite places to camp is at a beach site, and we like to hang out there.

Go pick whatever fruit is in season.

Visit a nearby meat market, and bring back something to make you wouldn't normally make at home.

Bake cookies or brownies in a toaster oven.

Check what the park your camping in has to offer--visit a nature center, go on a hike or other program (a favorite was stargazing) with a park ranger or naturalist.

 

I bring my field guides and microscope along.

Edited June 1, 2012 by Pippen

[catz]

I like everyone else's recommendations. But my other thought is to make sure you're really ready for darkness. I usually set up everyone's sleeping bag, pillow, pajamas, and flashlights and toothbrushes accessible from the door of the tent. It stinks to be fumbling around in a dark tent!

[Wheres Toto]

something my dh calls "hobo pies" sandwich fixings in this thing that goes in the fire. (You end up with a grilled sandwich- my kids like to put pizza sauce' date=' cheese and pepperoni in it). [/quote']

 

We have one of these too. My husband's family calls them "moon pies". :D

 

I think everyone had pretty good suggestions. Once we have the whole campsite arranged we usually will go take a dip since we always camp places with lakes or pools (assuming it's the right weather of course). We may just relax and prepare dinner while the kids play around the campsite.

[elfgivas]

:001_smile:

 

we love to camp. and routines, or rituals, help it all a lot.

 

1. we choose a site

2. we leave one person in the site while the others go and pay for it.

3. we decide where the tent is going and put it up

4. we put down foamies and sleeping bags, hang the tent light, put flashlights in the tent pockets.

5. we unload all the food and cosmetics, etc into the bear bin

6. we empty out all the garbage, accumulated food and drinks from the car and put it in the garbage.

7. people change to suit the weather, go to the bathroom, etc.

8. dh and dc make a fire

9. we break out the snacks, the books, the cards, the drawing stuff, etc, and settle in for a while

10. after an hour or so, we tidy everything up and go to a visitor's center or somewhere that will let us know what is going on in the area for the time we are there.

11. we have ritual "first night" food. chicken sausages cooked over the fire, so we find a local food store, and buy the things we need.

12. back to the campsite for wine/snacks, books, etc.

13. make a new fire (dh and dc start it with flint and steel now, so its very fun)

14. eat/chat/playcards, etc.

15. eat dinner

16. wash dishes, gather firewood, brush teeth

17. singing, playing chatting around the fir

18. tidy everything, put out fire, retire to tent for four hands of bridge

19. sleep, perchance to dream

 

hth,

ann

[Blueridge]

Oh my goodness! What fabulous, wonderful ideas! All these things sound so completely achievable for us. I actually have hope that we can have fun on a camping trip instead of just sitting there with the 'deer in headlights' look on our faces. I got so discouraged the last trip we took, two years ago. The family next to our campsite had a satellite dish on their trailer and sat ALL AFTERNOON AND EVENING watching TV outside! I never heard them talking to each other. Sigh. I thought there must be more to camping than that! I am making a long list! Thank you!

[Harriet Vane]

We usually take hikes or play on the beach. We like photography, so that's another outlet for us.

 

If there is fun stuff to do locally, we do that too. Things like drive-in movies or little local history museums or nature programs offered by the park district.

[RoundAbout]

Last time we went camping the family next door were doing these read aloud logic puzzle mysteries and figuring out whodunit. It was a very cool fireside activity.

 

We tend to base our camping around something active nearby like biking, hiking, or rock climbing and then use time in camp for naps and reading. My 5 year old likes to draw and dig in the dirt oo.

[KrissiK]

What everyone else said. We just build a campfire and that occupies the kids for hours. I get out my comfy chair and a stack of magazines and make sure no one catches on fire. Hubby goes for a hike.

[LucyStoner]

In the morning:

 

Fish

Walk or run trails

Fix breakfast and plan the day

Go birdwatching with my son who is a serious birdwatcher.

 

In the afternoon:

 

Swim and/or sun and/or boat (if feasible)

Explore the local area by car if you want (we have camped near amusement parks and other sights for example.)

Read

Nap

Fly kites

Hiking or climbing nearby.

 

In the evening:

 

Fix dinner while kids ride bikes or play in dirt around campsite

Play board games, tell stories, play cards.

After dinner roast marshmellows or other desserts

Put kids to sleep in tent

Stay up sitting around the campfire under the stars, maybe drinking wine or beer and talk with other adult(s).

 

Honestly, I will admit that the last one is a big thing for us when camping. We usually go with my brother and his husband and their daughters and my dad or with them and some friends (couples with kids one and all). Everyone brings a camp chair and we have a great time staying up and talking and drinking a little.

 

Bringing bikes if you can helps, even if just for the little ones.

Edited June 1, 2012 by kijipt

[Annie G]

These ideas are way better than what we did the last time we camped. Once camp was set up, we started smacking mosquitoes off us, applied bug spray, and swatted some more.

Then the rain started and we spent a few minutes scurrying around trying to get everything out of the rain.

Spent a long while in the tent talking and listening to the thunder.

The next morning we found a bookstore and treated ourselves.

[BakersDozen]

These ideas are all great, but I like mine the best:

 

1. Set up camp (usually done on the hottest day on record so the tent poles burn your hands).

2. Get dinner ready (while dreaming of a bug-free kitchen at home complete with fridge and running water).

3. Hug and kiss everybody.

4. Get in car.

5. Drive home.

6. Enjoy totally quiet evening; laugh a bit at the thought of dh getting up in the middle of the night with kids who have to use the bathroom. Of course there will be no moon that particular night. (evil laugh)

7. Sleep in as long as possible.

8. Stop by Starbucks and treat yourself to a large coffee and even a sweet treat.

9. Arrive at campsite and try to hide giggles at the sight of chaos and mayhem.

10. Ignore all suggestions that next time you get to stay with the dc while dh goes home.

 

I actually like it when "we" go camping. ;)

 

These ideas are way better than what we did the last time we camped. Once camp was set up, we started smacking mosquitoes off us, applied bug spray, and swatted some more.

Then the rain started and we spent a few minutes scurrying around trying to get everything out of the rain.

Spent a long while in the tent talking and listening to the thunder.

This is what I remember of camping as a child. We went to Yellowstone the year there was a record rain. Our tents were flooded in Colorado. Edited June 1, 2012 by LuvnMySvn

[Lady Marmalade]

These ideas are way better than what we did the last time we camped. Once camp was set up, we started smacking mosquitoes off us, applied bug spray, and swatted some more.

Then the rain started and we spent a few minutes scurrying around trying to get everything out of the rain.

Spent a long while in the tent talking and listening to the thunder.

The next morning we found a bookstore and treated ourselves.

 

Mosquito spray doesn't even get packed anymore. It rides up front in the van with me. If I open the door to the van at the campsite and get swarmed, we know the absolute first thing to be done will be the spray. Spray first. Then pee, then set up camp.

 

After camps set up, the adult kick back with a beverage of choice- usually beer for the men, boxed wine for the ladies, while the kids explore to their heart's delight. Sometimes a beach run will also commence, depending on weather and how much daylight we have left.

 

Though, this year for our camping trip we're having a face-cord of firewood delivered to the site for our week of camping, so we'll have to add a woodstacking party to the arrival day agenda.

[Lucy the Valiant]

As a child, we took a lot of camping trips, and my parents had us children convinced for years that they "needed" us to explore and make a map of the campground immediately after we set up the popup camper. There were 4 of us, we stayed together, and that was long enough ago that nobody batted an eye at 4 kids wandering around a campground together.

 

We'd come back and find my parents patiently waiting for us, feet kicked up, relaxing with drinks, chatting calmly. LOL We had to "rate" things like the bathroom, the camp store, the playground, any nearby bodies of water, etc.

 

Took quite a while. :lol:

[T'smom]

I thought of a couple other fun things- a beach ball and squirt guns! You can have all kinds of fun with a beach ball and you can just use little squirt guns that they can fill up by holding them under water in a bucket- you don't have to have running water. Make sure to bring lots to share with other campers you'll meet!

 

One thing I haven't tried but want to do this year (saw it on Pinterest) break open a glow stick and pour it into a container of bubbles- then you have glow in the dark bubbles! Like I said, I haven't done this so I have no idea how well it works, but it sounds cool!

[datgh]

We get the pop up camper set up and then the kids hop on their bikes and go exploring which means checking out all empty campsites to see if anyone left firewood behind when they checked out. This activity is to be repeated every morning of everyday we stay. They often spend time riding all over with their dad's cell phone seeing if they can find a signal for him.:glare:

 

Hearts is the official camping game. Every evening is spent in a heated tournament with time taken out for Ranger programs if the campground has them. Some things just are tradition now and can't be messed with;).

 

One thing the kids do enjoy is making ice cream. LL Bean sells these ice cream makers that are round and the kids roll it around with all the ice cream fixings in it for about twenty minutes or until the ice cream is ready.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/46727?feat=osbsr

[LucyStoner]

As a child, we took a lot of camping trips, and my parents had us children convinced for years that they "needed" us to explore and make a map of the campground immediately after we set up the popup camper. There were 4 of us, we stayed together, and that was long enough ago that nobody batted an eye at 4 kids wandering around a campground together.

 

We'd come back and find my parents patiently waiting for us, feet kicked up, relaxing with drinks, chatting calmly. LOL We had to "rate" things like the bathroom, the camp store, the playground, any nearby bodies of water, etc.

 

Took quite a while. :lol:

 

Your parents are geniuses.

[LucyStoner]

These ideas are way better than what we did the last time we camped. Once camp was set up, we started smacking mosquitoes off us, applied bug spray, and swatted some more.

Then the rain started and we spent a few minutes scurrying around trying to get everything out of the rain.

Spent a long while in the tent talking and listening to the thunder.

The next morning we found a bookstore and treated ourselves.

 

Well we all have our off days. On my husband's birthday last year we arrived late-ish to the site. We set up but notice the campground's trees are creating a wind tunnel. We kept having to chase after things that blew off. We decided some things should stay in the car to prevent them from blowing off. I got the secret b-day cake out of the car and put it in the tent. My husband then, as it is getting quite dark and quite late, LOCKED the keys into the car. Seriously. There is no way to get at them without breaking glass. All of our food, kitchen stuff and clothes were in there, though we did have sleeping bags, books and the cake in the tent. The tent which kept threatening to blow off. We were in the middle of nowhere and our cells were in the car and likely not working anyways. Our camp host was able to get us through to our roadside assistance people and they sent a pop a loc guy...he was 1.5 hours away. We get into the tent to stay out of the wind and hold the tent down better. The kids are hungry and want food. What do was have? The cake. What does one of my sons accidentally sit on half of? The cake. So there went the surprise! Huddled in a tent in freaky wind we cut that cake with my pocket knife and ate it with our fingers after singing a rendition of happy birthday. The kids fell asleep. Close to midnight the pop a loc guy arrives and retrieves our keys. Needless to say for a 3 hour round trip at night? We tipped him very well. The he gets ready to go and his car battery goes out. No joke. We jump him in the pitch dark while people are trying to sleep all around. We retreat to the tent again and crash in our clothes.

 

The next morning we drove to a town and bought breakfast and then saw a movie. The campsite stayed a wind tunnel the entire 3 night stay and we could not cook anything without it getting covered in dust. :tongue_smilie:

 

Seriously the most random camping night ever.

[Carrie12345]

 

One thing I haven't tried but want to do this year (saw it on Pinterest) break open a glow stick and pour it into a container of bubbles- then you have glow in the dark bubbles! Like I said' date=' I haven't done this so I have no idea how well it works, but it sounds cool![/quote']

 

That sounds awesome!!!

Just a tip - I don't know if they've changed glow stick formulas in the past two decades, but I once accidentally broke one and spilled it on the floor. The yellow spot was still there, years later, when we sold our trailer! DON'T SPILL, and I'd recommend blowing them in ratty clothes, away from anything important!

[Blueridge]

Oh boy! My page of *camping fun notes* is getting longer. I am planning to print these up and laminate them to take along on the camping trip! Thanks so much! :)

[AdventureMoms]

As a child, we took a lot of camping trips, and my parents had us children convinced for years that they "needed" us to explore and make a map of the campground immediately after we set up the popup camper. There were 4 of us, we stayed together, and that was long enough ago that nobody batted an eye at 4 kids wandering around a campground together.

 

We'd come back and find my parents patiently waiting for us, feet kicked up, relaxing with drinks, chatting calmly. LOL We had to "rate" things like the bathroom, the camp store, the playground, any nearby bodies of water, etc.

 

Took quite a while. :lol:

 

OK, this is the best one of all. I'm totally stealing it in a few years.

[mamajudy]

There are some great ideas here! I would suggest bird watching. By this, I don't mean just watching birds. Get yourself a good field guide and identify the birds you see. Keep a life list, and every time you see a new species, check it off. It can be very exciting when you see a new bird!

[desiraejb]

We usually camp at the lake, so there's a built in activity there. We bring the kids' bikes, also. We sit around a lot watching wildlife or reading. And lastly, we always meet some interesting people when we're camping. My DH is particularly good at meeting people, so that's always fun. I'd say exploring is also on the top of our list, too.

[Rivka]

As a child, we took a lot of camping trips, and my parents had us children convinced for years that they "needed" us to explore and make a map of the campground immediately after we set up the popup camper. There were 4 of us, we stayed together, and that was long enough ago that nobody batted an eye at 4 kids wandering around a campground together.

 

We'd come back and find my parents patiently waiting for us, feet kicked up, relaxing with drinks, chatting calmly. LOL We had to "rate" things like the bathroom, the camp store, the playground, any nearby bodies of water, etc.

 

Took quite a while. :lol:

 

So brilliant! :lol: I love it!

[6packofun]

The first thing we usually do is look around for good marshmallow roasting sticks! LOL

 

We clear the area a bit, take a walk around the campsite/park, set things up so that we can play games later in the tent or around the fire. We always have cards or a few apps on dh's phone (is that cheating when you camp? LOL) and different games to play. My kids like to draw, so we bring paper pads and pencils to sketch stuff. We ask each other questions to get to know each other better.

 

There are a few books we have like

Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things and

Mental Floss The Book: The Greatest Lists in the History of Listory and

You Might Be a Zombie and Other Bad News: Shocking But Utterly True Facts

and we quiz each other on bizarre trivia. LOL We're weird that way. It's just fun to make up games like that!

[Pippen]

That sounds awesome!!!

Just a tip - I don't know if they've changed glow stick formulas in the past two decades, but I once accidentally broke one and spilled it on the floor. The yellow spot was still there, years later, when we sold our trailer! DON'T SPILL, and I'd recommend blowing them in ratty clothes, away from anything important!

 

 

Don't open glowsticks! A glow stick burst open and sprayed one of my kids in the eyes. It was very painful and very scary and it took several days for the irritation to go away.

[KatieJ]

I haven't camped in years, but came across a scavenger hunt list on Pinterest.

things like

Pinecones

2 seeds

something green

something round

somthing fuzzy

somethign that makes noise

a stick

2 different types of leaves

 

make your own list and have a great time!

[Bearcat]

We spend very little time in our actual campsite when we go camping. One of these days I think I would like to go on a camping trip and just sit around relaxing. :)

Campsites for us are usually just a base camp to come back to for food and sleep. We are always off exploring, hiking and enjoying the local sites.

We just got back from a week in NC spent in the Smokies and along the Blue Ridge Parkway. We spent very little time in our campsite, maybe 4 hours a day (usually for cooking, eating and showering) plus sleeping time.

[Hilltop]

As a child, we took a lot of camping trips, and my parents had us children convinced for years that they "needed" us to explore and make a map of the campground immediately after we set up the popup camper. There were 4 of us, we stayed together, and that was long enough ago that nobody batted an eye at 4 kids wandering around a campground together.

 

We'd come back and find my parents patiently waiting for us, feet kicked up, relaxing with drinks, chatting calmly. LOL We had to "rate" things like the bathroom, the camp store, the playground, any nearby bodies of water, etc.

 

Took quite a while. :lol:

 

I just shared this with my dh and he and I agree that this is brilliant! :)

[Seeking Squirrels]

I haven't read all the replies so I'm sure this is repeats.

 

It depends on the time of day, the weather, where we are, and who we're with. But we typically drive up after DH gets off work on a Thur or Fri, so by the time we get set up, it's time to start getting dinner ready. Or if we're with my parents, they've already started dinner and we all sit around chatting or whatever.

 

This is usually when we get the telescope set up. Much too early to see anything, but easier to set up while it's still daylight. Then it's ready later.

Pull out the map and decide what trail we want to do the next day

 

The next morning, or if we've gone up in the morning, or if there's lots of time before dinner:

Set up the chairs around a fire pit and chat, read, do puzzle books, or whatever other relaxing activity each person finds enjoyable

Go searching for fire wood

Go on a hike

Get out the camera and take some pictures of the beautiful surroundings

Explore our campsite with DD looking for rocks or walking sticks or whatever else. Test the water temp in the stream, play with the dogs, play in the dirt.....

[kolamum]

Do you have air mattresses? We don't sleep directly on the ground, but on air mattresses. ;)

 

After getting set up we usually hit the beach, wander trails, have lunch, play a game, inspect wildlife, chase wildlife away, chased down the wildlife that stole our bananas & melon.. pop into the rangers station, go swimming, etc.

[Lizzie in Ma]

Blow bubbles, take a hike, visit the nature center if there is one, go swimming, drink a beer while the kids play, read a book, play Scrabble, build a fire, just sit back and relax...

 

:iagree::iagree:

[violinmom]

Great ideas! I find it sometimes takes a bit for my family to get into the groove of the slower, relaxed pace of camping. The first day is usually the loudest :)

 

We also play lots of games, do crafts, bow/arrows, etc. I love to bring egg cartons with names on them. They use them as sorters/holders for all the things they find. It keeps them occupied for a long time.