Camping packing can be overwhelming. Especially if your family's new at camping. You make a campsite reservation drawn by the romance of cool evenings around the campfire gazing at the stars….and now, yikes, what do you pack? What you bring, or not bring, could make or break your first camping experience.
1. First thing you need is a camping checklist. Don't try to keep it all sorted in your brain. You'll break your head. If you can, keep a digital file of your camping list, so you can tweak it to your family's unique needs year after year, so you're not starting from scratch every year.
2. Prioritize. Don't bring everything plus the kitchen sink. Be versatile, be clever, do you really need a spatula and a stirring paddle? Choose simple recipes to spare you from having to pack measuring cups, mixing bowls, special equipment. Check our our 2-step Camping Recipe ideas.
3. Pack by categories - kitchen stuff together, fun stuff together. A camping mom gave me this idea: roll up your pajamas with your sleeping bag - no more poking through all your stuff just to crash on your pad. By the way, at the end of your camping trip, pack your stuff back into the same grouping so you are pre-packed for your next camping trip.
Need a camping packing check list? For our camping packing checklist, click here.
camping essentials camping packing checklist camping packing listShare This
Filed under Beginner Campers by Myrtha Chang.
Technorati tags: yurt camping, camping tents, beginner camping
One of the biggest fears for prospective campers is shelter. If you forget your matches, or burn the beans, or left the lantern behind, you’ll still survive, especially if there’s a camp store. But where you rest your head at night - will it be too cold, too hot, or will the ground be too rocky? Will the tent protect them from rains, will it keep the wildlife out? Fears like that – real or imagined – can easily keep prospective campers from leaving their homes.
 Well, it’s the 21st century, folks. Leave the camping tent at home. Many campgrounds come with move-in-ready tents. They are called yurts. You may feel like you are cheating a little but Read more
beginner camping yurt yurt campgrounds yurt campingShare This
Filed under Beginner Campers by Myrtha Chang.
If you are stranded on a deserted island and there's one knot you want to know it's the Bowline. When you go camping, the second one you want to know is the Taut Line Hitch. With these 2 knots you can tie a taut clothes string (not a sagging one), hang your food from a tree beyond a bear's reach, set up a tarp cover and impress other fellow campers.
Learn how to tie these two knots from the video demonstration below.
Read more
bowline knot camping knots knots taut line hitchShare This
Technorati: camping cooler, coleman cooler, collapsible cooler
One of the major cause of camp food troubles is not keeping cold foods cold. Your camping cooler is one of the most critical component of your camp kitchen. The basic coleman cooler has grown up. Outdoor coolers now come in many options, as shown in the video above.
Where to buy camping coolers
You may be buying this cooler for camping but people buy outdoor coolers for the beach, deck parties, tailgating, etc.. so don't limit yourself to camping equipment stores.
Local bargain stores - If you are looking for a basic coleman cooler, Read more
camp kitchen camping coolers coleman cooler outdoor coolers thermoelectric coolerShare This
Filed under Beginner Campers, Camp Kitchen by Myrtha Chang.
 One of our camping tradition is to play Monopoly in our tent on one of the camping evenings. We need a good strong camp lantern like a family-size Coleman lantern to make sure I don’t get cheated out of my proper rent for Park Place or Trafalgar Square.
We also own two smaller GE battery-operated camping lanterns Read more
coleman camp lantern coleman lanterns coleman rechargeable lanternShare This
This is part 2 of 10 Steps to Being a Totally Obnoxious Camper.
A fellow family camper at his site Pete's Camping Site has a few more suggestions for anyone still in doubt on how to be a totally obnoxious camper. Read more
campfire campgrounds camping camping with kids family camping tent campingShare This
There is a saying that if you want to teach a man to build a ship, don’t drum into them the mechanics of wood and nails, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea (Antoine de Saint-Exupery).
I worry sometimes how we are going to pass on the hard work of protecting, restoring and saving our green earth when today’s children are so disconnected with nature. “Instead of passing summer months hiking, swimming and telling stories around the campfire, children these days are more likely to attend computer camps or weight-loss camps.”, says Richard Louv in his book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder “As a result", he adds, "they've come to think of nature as more of an abstraction than a reality”
So, how do we get the kids out of the house?
Small Step: A green hour a day – For one hour a day, Read more
campfire camping camping with kids family camping tent campingShare This
Filed under Family Camping, Beginner Campers by Myrtha Chang.
 By Corrine Asturias - Reprinted from Los Gatos Weekly-Times Aug. 5, 1992*
While it's true that with each camping trip we learn something new, we've also found that we get the opportunity to relearn something old, such as what it's like to live next door to the Simpsons for a few days.
Instead of the ingredients for s'mores, this family has brought a small liquor store. They have a boom box and a large, untrained dog named something like "Thunder-turd." There is an axe and a whittling knife for each family member, all stuck into a tree for safekeeping. There are two layers of rip-stop nylon between you and them.
During the years, I have philosophically concluded that every such campground should have such a group, if for no other reason than to make everything else look good. And the truth is, being a truly obnoxious camper is a delicate art, relying on careful planning and orchestration. The rules are as follows:
1. Make your entrance to the campground fashionably late, preferably after 10:00 pm., when there is no available light and everyone else is asleep. Read more
campers campground campgrounds camping camping tips campsites s mores smoresShare This
Put Out The Skirt - Watch a funny movie here
If even seasoned boy scouts do dumb things like that video, do beginner campers have a chance?
Every campground has their share of first time campers. And it’s hard not to feel sympathy for them. Here are 10 common beginner camping mistakes:
1. They arrive near sunset after hours of driving. They fumble around to put up their camping tent in the dark and can’t find the parts.
2. They arrive in broad daylight and argue and fight for all the neighbors to see ‘cos they can’t agree which tent pole slips where since they didn’t practice at home.
3. They believe the occupancy number rating given by tent manufacturers and don’t realize they were counting sardines, not humans.
4. They do not bring a stove and count on the campfire to cook all their food. “Is it ready, Dad?”, “Is it ready, Dad?”, “Is it ready, Dad?”
5. They plan elaborate menus instead of assembling Read more
beginner camping campfire camping camping beginner camping gear camping tipsShare This
The video above shows you how to set up your campsite. The main idea is to find the best location for your shelter, your kitchen and your recreation (s’mores). Here's a summary of the video:
Where to pitch your tent
Filed under Beginner Campers by Myrtha Chang.
|
|
