Camping with your family is a time of bonding away from many distractions. It’s a time of building relationships, as well as being one with and exploring nature, and can also be used as a time to disconnect from technology.
Camping provides the opportunity to unplug from daily routines and the stresses of life. It offers the opportunity for you and your family to learn and develop new skills, like setting up tents and light fires and experience living minimalist away from the luxury that a home offers.
The success of your family’s camping experience will greatly depend on the campsite you choose. The idea of drifting off to sleep under the moon and stars, surrounded by wildlife or the soothing sound of a river, and waking up to birds singing, is nothing short of magical.
However, your bubble can quickly be burst by grumpy children whose expectations aren’t met or by situations that were overlooked. So, how do you choose the most suitable campsite for your family? Below is a guide for you.
- Choose A Place Near Natural Attractions
If you’re new to camping, you should choose a place that’s not far from your home. This will afford you and your family enough time to set up tents and settle down in good time. Otherwise, you should choose a place overlooking or is near natural attractions, like beaches or mountains.
If you happen to be in or are planning to go to New Zealand, it boasts of the best North Island campsites with golden sand beaches that stretch for miles to snowcapped mountains, ancient forests, and geothermal wonderlands.
Time spent on the beach or climbing mountains will make the camping trip more memorable. Small forests or wooded areas will offer experiences of living in the wild.
- Choose The Right Place
When choosing a campsite, choose one with close proximity to a water source. You’ll need water to cook, bathe, and wash utensils. Choose a place near running water, like a fresh stream, and not stagnant water, because the latter could be polluted.
In the event you’re sharing grounds of a campsite with other people, make sure your tents are away from areas with high traffic.
If you pitch your tents where other campers have to pass to access toilets or water sources, your privacy and peace will be compromised. This is because there’ll be constant activity outside your tents.
When camping, your family will most likely spend more time outside than inside the tent. Thus, you’ll need some space for outside activities, like cooking or just relaxing.
When choosing space to pitch your tents, make sure that there’s ample clear flat ground to accommodate your family’s activities.
3. Choose A Place Near Entertainment
The idea of camping for parents is a time to relax and get away from life’s demands. But, your children’s idea of camping is different because they’ll expect to have lots of fun in the form of entertaining activities.
Besides the games and toys, you carry along, choose a campsite with close proximity to amenities, like an amusement park or a swimming pool, to keep the children entertained.
Places with nature trails will offer an opportunity for scavenger hunts and even bicycle riding. Choosing a campsite with other families will also be a plus because your children will make new play friends.
4. Choose A Safe Place
A camping trip will offer you and your family the opportunity to enjoy and explore nature and soak in its beauty. But, high spirits can suddenly be ruined if caution isn’t taken.
Be careful when choosing a campsite because the most adventurous places can also turn out to be the most dangerous. Beware of wild animals, snakes, and mosquitoes in wooded areas. Forests also harbour poisonous and thorny plants. Hilly places can get windy and very cold at night, while very low areas can be swampy.
Choose a place that is neither too high nor very low. Also, while trees offer shade, especially in hot weather, camping near old trees can turn disastrous as they can fall and crush your tent or cause injuries.
Conclusion
Camping is meant to improve your family’s mental and physical health, bring your family closer together, as well as share experiences with one another. The choice of a campsite can determine whether your family will hold good or bad lasting memories.
Before you set out on a camping trip, especially if you’re a beginner, do thorough research on the most suitable campsite that’ll cater to your family’s needs.
Take into account things like their individual likes and ages. For instance, activities that may be considered entertaining for young children might be boring for your teenage children.
Also, take into account other factors, like the weather conditions for the place where you’re going to pitch a tent so that you can adequately prepare.
