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Planning a camping trip this spring, and looking for hints to make camping with kids a fun experience? Try these tips to ensure camping with kids is a fun and stress free adventure.

Camping with kids is one of the best ways to make meaningful memories as a family. It’s a great time to turn off screens, get out of the house, and enjoy nature. But camping can also throw off your daily routines, and without planning, become unnecessarily stressful. Here are some of our favorite tips for camping fun for the whole family. All Seasons RV store has all the supplies you need to ensure you’re prepared for anything the outdoors might throw at you!

1. Organize your camping supplies before you go

Pull out your label maker and organize your home away from home. Pro tip: use and label large plastic tubs that can be stacked and stored. Include:

• Kitchen Supplies
• Food & Snacks
• Bathroom & Bathing
• Toys
• Tents & Sleeping Bags
• Clothes & Laundry
• Music & Entertainment

2. Set up a washing station

When you want to keep the beauty of the outdoors… well, outdoors. Purchase a jug with an open/close spout for a hand washing station. Set a large tub beneath the jug. Use the run off to wash off dirty feet, with a step off towel closeby. Consider bringing a large plastic bath for babies and toddlers, and a solar-heater shower bag for adults.

3. Stock up on baby wipes and antibacterial wipes.

Don’t have babies in diapers? You’ll still want wipes to clean off older kids (and adults too!) prior to climbing into the tent or RV at night.

4. Consider sleeping arrangements

A pack and play can be nice for the littles. Try throwing a sheet over the top to keep bugs out during naps and at night. Make sure you have a cot or sleeping pad for the littles.

5. Camping Entertainment Ideas

Dirt, rocks and sticks will be their main form of entertainment. Here are some electronic free ideas to keep kids out of trouble after they’ve exhausted sword play and exploring. Camping Entertainment Toy Ideas:

• Squirt Guns
• Balls – Soccer, Football, Lacrosse Sticks & Balls, Velcro Hand Toss
• Bubbles
• Chalk
• Binoculars
• Field journal
• Coloring Books
• Water Pen Coloring Books
• Crafts (Decorate Your Own Walking Stick, Make a Snack Necklace)
• Have a Nature Themed Scavenger Hunt
• Camping Bingo
• Magnifying Glasses
• Card Games (Old Maid, Go Fish, UNO)

6. Light them up

Glow sticks are a two for one bonus. Kids love them, and it makes them easy to keep track of after dark! Try putting glow sticks in water bottles and play nighttime bowling before bed! A glow stick in a water bottle can make for a nice lantern in a pinch as well!

7. Organize Laundry

Consider bringing a hanging clothes organizer to organize daytime outfits. When your outfit is dirty, it goes straight back in the bin it came from, and once home, the whole thing can go straight into the laundry.

8. Food and Drink Tips

Here are a few tips for packing food and water while camping with kids:

• Invest in a cooler light so you can open your cooler and find what you need without juggling a flashlight and sifting through things, especially at night.
• Keep your matches dry in a mason jar container with lid. Don’t risk it rain, leaks or coolers which can all soak matches and ruin the fun (and s’mores)
• Freeze jugs of water ahead of time and they’ll act as ice for your coolers and to keep your food safe, but when they melt you have drinking water for your family.
• Chips such as Doritos and Fritos that have a bit of grease on them can be great fire starters to throw in with your kindling and work faster than the traditional methods.
• Fill up tic tac containers with spices for cooking so you don’t lug your kitchen pantry around with you.
• Repurpose condiment containers (ketchup, mustard) and fill with pre-made pancake mix for easy breakfast in the morning
• Invest in an All Purpose Camping Tool with scissors, screwdrivers, can opener, magnet, wrench, fish scaler, nut cracker, jar wrench, wire stripper, wire cutter, bottle opener and knife.

9. Must Needed Camping Supplies

• Battery Operated Sound Machine
• Camping High Chair
• Solar Powered Charger for Cell Phones and Electronics
• Whitelabel Drop Waterproof Speaker Bluetooth 4.0 Wireless Portable Speaker
• Anti-Bug Sunscreen
• Lotion with Insect Repellent
• Complete First Aid Kit

We hope these tips help ensure you and your family have a wonderful time enjoying and explores the outdoors! Come visit the experts at All Seasons RV for other helpful camping tips!