| There's nothing 6 year olds or older kids | | | | Always involve the kids in the basics of the |
| love more than being in the outdoors. Camping | | | | camp. If the adults do all the preparing, |
| is an outdoor recreational activity involving | | | | cooking, and cleaning, the kids don't learn. |
| spending one or more nights in a tent, a | | | | The look on children's faces is priceless |
| primitive structure, a travel trailer or | | | | when they've made their first wood campfire |
| recreational vehicle at a campsite with the | | | | or pitched their first tent. The best advices |
| purpose of getting away from civilization and | | | | is plan with the kids, but always leave |
| enjoying nature. National parks and other | | | | plenty of room for running, swimming, biking |
| publicly owned natural areas are popular | | | | or just kicking around a ball. Kids love to |
| venues for camping. Camping is often | | | | comb beaches, draw in the dirt and gather |
| restricted by law to designated sites in | | | | rocks. Always have paper and crayons handy, |
| order to prevent campers from damaging the | | | | cards are good, too - but don't worry about |
| environment. | | | | entertaining the kids 24x7. Camping is all |
| | | | about learning to entertain you without TV |
| You can use camping to teach the kids | | | | and games. Throw in a book or favorite |
| independence and self-sufficiency. | | | | magazine for yourself, and use your |
| Survivalist campers set off with little more | | | | imagination to fill in the rest. |
| than their boots on the roughest of | | | | |
| trails-the idea being to really gut it out. | | | | If the kids behave well, reinforce their |
| However, you might prefer to set up a tent | | | | behavior with a prize. The prizes can be |
| within a few hundred feet of a campsite. This | | | | simple little things usually picked up at the |
| can serve as base camp from where you can set | | | | local five and dime store...i.e. bubbles, a |
| out on nature hikes, which include fishing | | | | comic book, a toy car, a box of |
| and swimming. | | | | crackerjacks...etc. You could also shop for |
| | | | your prizes online. Wrap the prizes to make |
| Camping usually is a breeze with kids this | | | | it even more exciting. Gift wrapping material |
| age. They can help set up the tent and unload | | | | is available in an assortment of colors. With |
| the car and can be trusted to remain nearby | | | | the short attention spans kids have, the new |
| without continual supervision. One thing | | | | prize will tide them over 'til the next stop. |
| though-every child must have their own | | | | |
| flashlight! Everyone loves making cool | | | | Take the illuminated "glow" sticks (the kind |
| shadows on the tent walls and all hell breaks | | | | in the foil cover that you break and shake) |
| loose if sharing is required. Kids enjoy | | | | to use at bedtime for night lights. Tie one |
| looking at the different kinds of insects | | | | to the ceiling of the tent when the children |
| that they can find. They might even catch | | | | retire and untie and lower it when you |
| frogs and minnows near the lakes and streams. | | | | retire. Bring one for each night of camping. |
| You could let them examine these creatures | | | | The soft glow becomes softer as the night |
| and return them unharmed to the wild. Also, | | | | wears on and is gentle on adult eyes! You may |
| carry bug jars, nets, and buckets. | | | | prefer the green ones versus the red one-the |
| | | | red are brighter it seems. |
| Hiking with six to eight year olds is | | | | |
| generally a comedy of errors. Buy some of | | | | The camp journal. Take plain white paper - |
| those disposable cameras or provide your kids | | | | about 5 sheets per kid. Get you kids to fold |
| with cheap cameras at the start of a hike. | | | | the pile in half and hold it together with a |
| The novelty of being able to carry their own | | | | paper clip. Get them to color the front cover |
| cameras will get you through your travels | | | | and title it My Camp Journal. Kids are very |
| that day. Get the photos developed at a | | | | proud of their journal. If there are some |
| one-hour place if possible while you are | | | | kids who can't read or write yet, tell them |
| still traveling - and then make a huge deal | | | | to do pictures instead of writing in them. |
| about their incredible pictures. | | | | They will have a nice memory of their first |
| Alternatively, you could provide them with | | | | trip. |
| some of the latest digital cameras that give | | | | |
| an instant printout-however, you better be a | | | | Bring cards. You can play many games with a |
| "richdad" if you decide to make this choice. | | | | simple deck of cards. They can even be a deck |
| The next time you hike, the kids will be | | | | that is missing cards. Young kids don't know |
| eager as long as you provide them with enough | | | | care. Go fish, and war, and let the kids |
| batteries and enough film or digital storage | | | | explore their wild side under controlled |
| media! | | | | conditions. |
| | | | |
| Pick a theme for the trips. It helps you | | | | Pack lots of socks for each child-at least |
| organize activities around a central concept. | | | | two pairs or more per day. If there is a drop |
| Much easier! Some favorites are "Western" | | | | of water, or mud puddle of any kind to be |
| including a chuck wagon meal, corn bread | | | | found, they will find it! Don't expect the |
| muffins and tea. You could come up with 20 | | | | socks to come clean even with the best of |
| ways to use a bandana around camp and | | | | detergents. |
| practice tying knots with one-foot sections | | | | |
| of rope. At night, you could have a small | | | | If you have an FRS (family radio service |
| campfire with twigs and sing old western | | | | walkie talkies), one of the neat things you |
| cowboy songs, try some cowboy poetry and | | | | and your kids could do, is a game of high |
| learn a little about the stars. | | | | tech hide-and-seek of sorts... they can hide |
| | | | out, and you have to find them (providing |
| The "Survivor" theme is another hit, focusing | | | | they can see you when they hide, for safety's |
| on back-to-the-basics camping essentials. | | | | sake)... and vice versa... lots of fun, and |
| Children this age can grate cheese, stir a | | | | you can use the walkie talkies all the time, |
| cooking pot, fetch water, hand wash and hang | | | | in stores when you go shopping and she is |
| laundry, clean up around camp and even pitch | | | | with her stepmother, or other times. A walkie |
| the tents with a little help. They love to | | | | talkie is a wonderful little gadget for kids! |
| hike (1 to 2 miles) with frequent breaks. Be | | | | |
| sure to take along a trail mix snack the kids | | | | Just use your imagination and remember what |
| can make themselves. You could even make it a | | | | it was like to be a kid... ideas of things, |
| bit of a competition. Kids love competitions. | | | | little things you can do to make anything |
| | | | more fun will fill your mind almost |
| "Explorer" themes like Lewis and Clark are | | | | instantly! One last thing, when talking with |
| great for this age group, too. They naturally | | | | a kid about anything serious, get down to |
| love to explore. Take along magnifying | | | | their level! Squat down or get them up on |
| glasses, containers, nets and plastic cups to | | | | something high so they can see eye to eye |
| catch and examine insects. Set a firm, no | | | | with you and not feel intimidated... hug your |
| touching policy for reptiles, insects and | | | | kid, and be thankful everyday for the |
| plants until they've been identified-this | | | | blessing they truly are... they can be a |
| saves a lot of worry. Use handbooks to make | | | | challenge, but they are there for you too... |
| identification. | | | | remember that. |
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