Posts

Showing posts from May, 2010

CAMPING WITH KIDS

Image
I’m a Mom in my late 40’s with a daughter who is eight. I started camping with ADR when she was 3 months old. ADR tends to like calm environments and up to the age of four she was rather fussy and clingy. Now she is eight and she loves camping, but it didn't start out that way.  This post is about camping with young kids as I see it. Simply edit the information based on your needs.  Basically I feel camping is a highly rewarding and educational activity for children. The more you like it the more they will too. I love camping with ADR so much and she has taken to it with much interest and enthusiasm. But it didn’t start out that way…………………. WHAT AGE IS THE BEST TO START CAMPING?  Start with these questions?   1- Know your child regardless of what others say about "Camping With Kids". 2- How many people are you camping with that will be helpfull? 3- How comfortable is your child outside or in new environments? 4- Does you child get overwhe

Gear IDEAS For Camping With Little Ones

Image
This Month were talking about Camping With Children. We start by looking at a few items that could make your trip flow better. Without overdoing it or bringing too much but rather packing just the right items to make your trip flow better. CAMPING MATT Koko Tree A plastic woven matt provides a place for little ones to crawl on and play. It's easy to shake out, lightweight and can be used outside as well as in a larger tent. Especially good for little kids who do floor play at home. STROLLER Inglesina Swift Stroller A stroller can be used at most campgrounds for strolling around. Weather you use it to put your child to sleep or give you a break from holding, taking a walk or having a place to sit your child for a snack this is a great addition to camping gear for little one. BABY WARE Ergo Baby Carrier For me the was the most used piece of equipment I owned. This brand is an Ergo Baby Carrier however their are many other brands

Childrens Books That Inspire The Outdoor Spirit

Image
W ow so many GREAT books for children and adults to use to inspire outdoor exploring, building and love for nature.    Mother Earth and Her Children Ages  4-8 The incredibly intricate and vivid illustrations in this book are details of a modern quilt inspired by Sibylle von Olfers' classic storybook "Mother Earth and Her Children. When Mother Earth calls her children to prepare for spring, the earthly children yawn and stretch before they busy themselves with beautification. The children emerge from the earth and become spring flowers that frolic through the summer and autumn, until the leaves begin to fall and they return to Mother Earth, bringing weary bugs and beetles back to their winter refuge.       Go Wild!: 101 Things to Do Outdoors Before You Grow Up by Fiona Dank Ages 8-12 Go Wild! describes a range of outdoor adventures for families to share, including foraging for wild food, the magical excitement of making fires, cooking over the hot coals an

FUN FIND - Glow Sticks

Image
 Do you remember h ow fun those glow in the dark thingies were. At Disneyland or any time you were out past your be dtime.  Y ou can find these in shapes, sticks, bracelets you name it. I just picke d up a Glow-Flower at the $1 store. Called the Waste Management Su b-Station by my friend Kim.  S o don't forget to pick up a few befo re your next camp trip with the kids . SEE ART KIT 10 PROJECTS

ART KIT 10 PROJECTS

Image
SUPPLIES FOR YOUR KIT 8+ assorted colors felt squares 1 ball of yarn any color/black 1 bottle of tacky glue 1 pair of scissors Paint, acrylic or tempera in red, yellow, blue & white only 1 black marker or enhance with whole package of assort. colors Stack of white paper 1 paint brush EXTRA IDEAS: needle thread for older kids, popsicle sticks, plastic eyes, pipe cleaners 1 Felt Finger Puppets draw shape of finger on back of felt draw figure shape outside of the finger line. Head, arm, legs cut out shape glue together just outside of finger line, enough to get your finger in younger children can make a simple sun or flower shape instead decorate outside with eyes etc... and use yarn for hair 2 Pine Cone Critters collect 1 pine cone and assorted smaller rocks, sticks, acorns, pine needles etc.. glue eyes, ears, feet to make critter use felt to make ears & decorations use cut yarn to make hair or braided tail 3 Sick Bugs

FUN FIND - KIDS FUNCOT

Image
THIS IS KINDA COOL I don't know if I would actually buy this, would you? but I do know that Adrienne my five year old would have some serious fun with this. Kamp-Rite Kids Fun Cot - Pink Modelled around that of its larger counterparts, the ''KIDS FUNCOT'' is just as good for fun as it is for total enjoyment of the outdoors. It has the same functionality as our other Tent Cots, in that it can easily be converted and safely used as a lounge chair, a seat and as a stretcher. You can find this Funcot at Camping Comfortably  for just under $100. SEE PARKS  SEE CAMP COOKING WITH KIDS SEE BUGS

TEENS and Camping Written by Sue Kemper

Image
Camping is a great experience for children, and our trips have been some of our greatest family experiences.  Of course my children aren't really children anymore; they are 19 and 17 years old already... but we've been camping as a family since they were three and five years old, and we've got some great memories of those days.  And yes, even at 19 and 17, the boys still want to camp with us whenever they can. As I look back over the years, I have a few thoughts (in no particular order!) for anyone who is thinking about camping with their own kids. -- I believe that the number one rule is:  Keep it SIMPLE.  Especially when the kids are little.  Don't start out with long trips, don't pack every toy they own, and don't worry about filling every minute with an exciting activity.  Studies show that families today are "over-scheduled."  Time to just sit around and be bored isn't  bad for kids.   Do you remember being little and spending