Five Lessons We Have Learned Since Our First Trip

Actual picture taken during our first camping trip as a family. Was he staring at the deer or longingly admiring the sites with trees?? Hard to tell!

1. Do your research on sites

The first time we went camping I called the ranger’s station and asked for a recommendation noting that we were traveling with two small kids so we preferred to be in a spot that had some space. We ended up in a spot with zero trees meaning zero shade…in August. YouTube is the best resource to view campsite tours to understand the overall layout of the campground as well as get a realistic view of the site in relation to your neighbors. Campsite Photos is another great tool, but you only get a snapshot of the site, which is useful for confirming size and privacy of the site.

2. Your tanks fill up faster than you think

We knew we couldn’t all shower each night or use the potty every time but you would be surprised how quick your tanks fill with just a quick rinse of the dishes, handwashing (with two little ones we do a lot of that!), brushing teeth, etc. One way we have been able to cut down is by using a collapsible bin to wash dishes in, I use our outdoor shower to rinse the soap off, but you can also use a split on your water hookup and attach a second hose with sprayer. We also use the outdoor shower for handwashing as needed and a different (obviously) collapsible bucket for foot washing. We also use Dr. Bronners soap, so we aren’t putting bad stuff into the environment. Now that both kids are older and 100% potty trained, we take them to the bathhouse to potty during the day.

3. Minimize

You definitely need different things for summer camping vs winter camping – you don’t need all the things all the time! We also had a bad habit of storing things on the camper “because we might use it”. It gets frustrating really fast when you are in a small space and need something but have to dig through a lot of random items to get to the one thing you need. Every month we go through our camper and re-evaluate our storage strategies and the items we leave on the camper. Things that haven’t been used in awhile get taken off.

4. Don’t stress about the kids

I have worried they wouldn’t have enough to do. I have worried they wouldn’t sleep. I have worried they wouldn’t have enough snacks. Actually, the only real problem we have ever encountered is one trip we didn’t have enough snacks (and that can be solved with a trip into town so also NBD)! Otherwise, they can keep themselves very entertained for hours with just dirt and sticks. We do keep a few simple toys on hand (shovels, buckets, glow sticks, their own flashlights) but otherwise their imagination runs wild. And because they keep busy they will sleep….they will sleep real good!

5. It takes practice

Each time we go we get a little more organized, we set up a little quicker and we break down more efficiently. We forget less and don't have to remind each other to check all the things each time. The first trip wasn't so smooth and that's ok, it takes practice so the more you camp, the more it becomes second nature so don't let all the small things that go into camping hold you back, just get out and do it.