Camping is a great way to spend vacations. It’s a great way to bond with friends and family members. Since everyone has some sort of responsibilities to adhere to, camping makes us responsible and street-smart. For many people, camping trips are a life-changing experience since there is a lot to learn beyond the fun and festivities of the campfire and hiking trips. According to, Huffington Post, camping can have a life-changing experience.
However, if you’re a single parent, you might find the entire experience too overwhelming. Many things need to be kept in check before even thinking about going camping. Micromanaging every little paired with taking care of your little ones through the entire journey can feel like a lot on your plate. Although camping as a single parent can seem a bit overwhelming, it’s not impossible. We’ve reached out to multiple single parents who regularly go out camping and made a compilation of some of their best advice to single parents who are new to camping. That being said, let’s begin!
Make up Your Mind
Your intention is half of the trip, so make sure you’re mentally prepared to go on a trip. Living as a single parent can be reasonably daunting, to begin with, and a trip will take a toll on your body and your pocket. Unlike a simple trip to the campsite, it will warrant a lot more time and effort. So, make sure you make a decision and stick to it. Making up your mind at the very beginning will be very helpful for you in the long run.
Do your research
Research is a vital part of any camping trip. You have to search for your needs and make decisions accordingly. The location of the journey, the tenure of your stay, the things you’re looking for, whether to go near the woods or a beach, place to sleep and arrangement of food, etc. are just the tip of the iceberg. Also, no tour guide or expert can tailor a trip based on your kids’ needs. So, get your glasses on and reach out to the internet. Look for all the information you need and then make up your mind. Going somewhere under-researched, especially with children, can be very risky.
Look for a group
When it comes to trips, the more, the merrier! If you’re planning your first trip with your children, it’s advised to go with a group of people. Look for other parents going with their children or just friends who might be willing to accompany them. If you have more people with you, the responsibilities can be divided, and you would have to worry less. So, if you have the opportunity to bring in friends, go for it!
Pack accordingly
Going anywhere with your children require a lot of things. So, make sure you have enough bags, and you have a list of items prepared, from the tent to the sleeping bags, food supplies, medicines, camping towels, children’s toys, etc. You’d need everything to make sure everything runs smoothly.
While some of these things might seem unimportant at first glance, you’d be surprised how much you need them in the long run. Phone flashlights are never enough, so make sure you have enough lights for your tents. Also, make sure the tent is spacious enough for everyone, and there are enough sleeping bags. Finally, buy a lot of camping towels for you and your children. They are super absorbent, so they can be used not only for drying but also for sitting in the sand, making a small carry bag, etc. These things can help you in sticky situations.
Make a First Aid Box
If you’re going with children, expect a lot of injuries. Starting from minor cuts and sprains to even serious injuries, camping can toll your body. Also, children aren’t supposed to follow all the rules and regulations. So, prepare a lot of accidents here and there. So, stock up on medicines before going on a trip. Buy some necessary first aid materials such as band-aids, surgical gauge, iodine supplements, paracetamols, anti-histamines, cough and cold medications, etc. Also, learn a few necessary skills such as first aid in case of emergencies.
Manage Electricity
Even if you’re going to the woods for a fun gateway, you’re not going to the medieval ages. Most of the things you need to have a great camping experience are mobile phones, flashlights, electric ovens, camping lights, etc. everything needs an electric connection to work. Also, your munchkins wouldn’t love to live without electricity for long hours, so make sure you’ve managed a source of electricity. If you plan on going on trips frequently, you can buy an inverter generator for yourself. Also, you can rent generators as well. They’re relatively cheap and make very little noise. Also, you can easily connect them to your house when you’re home. So, if you’re willing to spend some money, getting a generator for yourself is a good idea.
Stay close to home
If it’s your first camping trip with your children, it’s good to stay close to home. Since you’re still getting used to camping with children, go for national parks, campsites, etc. close to your hometown. This will significantly reduce traveling hours, and in case of an emergency, you can easily travel back home. Also, carrying things is a lot easier, and it can reduce expenses as well. So, before making extended plans to far-away destinations, master your camping skills by visiting places closer to you.
Conclusion
As quoted by John Lubbock, “Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach of us more than we can ever learn from books.” Camping has many sound effects on us, from improving our health and refreshing your minds to teaching some crude tools of survival, camping trips make us responsible and aware. So, taking your children on camping when they’re young can help them when they’re old. However, we understand how complicated things can be as a single parent. Thus, in this article, we’ve presented some tips to help you out. We hope you find them useful.