Ironically, I have probably only been camping fewer than a dozen times in my life. My parents NEVER took us camping when we were kids. My dad worked two jobs. His vacation was spent going to visit my maternal grandparents in Davisville, Missouri every summer, which was kind of like camping but with a house.
I think my first camping trip occurred when I was about nine or ten. My brother was on leave after completing basic training and I guess he wanted to show off his new-found skills while we were in Davisville. He led us in circles (my sisters and I still believe this was done intentionally) for hours until we reached a spot that was maybe a ten minute walk from my grandparents’ home. It was right on the Huzzah. And it was creepy. We heated our dinner of spaghettios and ravioli in their cans, told ghost stories that weren’t helpful, and then went to bed. I can still hear the river babbling away and remember straining to hear my brother, trying to catch his snoring so I could be assured the Ranger hadn’t come and dragged him off. Dawn came with great relief and my oldest sister proceeded to make pancakes even the dog wouldn’t eat (seriously). She still hasn’t lived it down. She camps all the time now and frequently makes pancakes, like she’s trying to prove something. (I’m kidding! Don’t be so sensitive. *she adds in aside to said sister*)
It was just an overnight trip but it was my first and the experience wouldn’t be repeated until I was 20 and married. The year after that we took our one year old son to the Huzzah for the family reunion. We had a tent but he screamed at night. This wasn’t just because we were at camp. He screamed every night even at home. He and I slept in the van.
We camped maybe once or twice more and then their dad ran off and actually threw our tent out. Maybe I should have inferred something from that 🤔
Since then most of my camping (all whopping 5 times spread across ten years) has been with the Boy Scouts. Camping with the Boy Scouts is not like family camping. Unless you’re one of those organized people, which I’m not, despite my best efforts. Plus they have all the gear and activities lined up for you. Camping with the Boy Scouts is awesome.
Camping with your family is so much more work. Because it’s just you and THEM. I’m going to keep this post to just some tips for camping with the little people (because my littlest will only sleep for so long).
I’ve been scouring Pinterest and the Internet for more than a year, preparing myself to return to camping with a toddler (our youngest is 10 years younger than our former youngest). Unfortunately most of the posts say the same things. You find those few that actually have useful tips and then everyone else is just rehashing those tips. That’s lame and loserly. Make your own stuff.
1. Make a List
I don’t know why but I keep trying to pack without a list. And every time I forget something. A kitchen knife. The first aid kit. Batteries for the lantern. Camp chairs. Trying to remember every little thing when you have four boys ruining your brain with their constant jabbering is really just setting yourself up for failure. Don’t do it.
Make a list. Laminate it. Put it in your camp tubs. Which brings me to point 2.
2. Put everything you can into tubs. Label what’s in them. It makes leaving so much faster. We also have a Patrol Box my husband bought from a retired Scout Master. It works for now but I’m plotting a back-of-the-van-wannabe-teardrop-trailer type thing.
*While those tips can be used for anyone they are crucial to the mom with brain-sucking zombie children.
3. Prepare whatever food you can before you get there. Our go-to first night meal is walking tacos. We cook and prep at home and just reheat when camp is set up.
4. If you can, invest in a camp stove. This gives you an option to cook fast, in the rain, and up where the littles can’t reach. And: coffee. Mmmm, French press coffee
5. Bring a portable high chair. We have one that clips on the table.
6. I would say, Bring a play yard/pack ‘n play, but we brought ours and never used it. Our little doesn’t like to be caged. We also cosleep at home. So we don’t worry about a separate bed for No4 at camp either.
7. Shoes. Bring more than one pair. One that easily slips on and one for more serious walking. We usually have his swim shoes, slip-ons and his sneakers. If it rains, if the mornings are dewy, if you’re anywhere near water, shoes are going to get wet. You’ll want extra.
8. Download a white noise app to your phone before you leave. It might help even more if you use it at home so your little is accustomed to it before you go camping (or a playlist of their favorite tunes also works).
9. Don’t throw out your old tent. Upgrading? Great! Keep your old tent for a play room for when it’s raining. We did this over the summer and it was so nice to know they weren’t getting our sleeping quarters all nasty.
10. Fruit pouches. Fruit can be difficult to pack and No4 is a fruit fiend. I never buy the Gerber fruit pouches for home but No4 sucks them down happily while we’re at camp. 
11. Don’t deviate too much from your kids’ regular diet. In the early days I would load up with hotdogs, Gatorade, chips, etc. We actually rarely eat hotdogs and all of us would wind up with bellyaches during camp. That isn’t fun for anyone.
12. Bring more clothes than you think you need, especially for your little. They spill, they have potty accidents, they fall into mud puddles, sometimes they throw up. And bring clothes that can be layered. We went camping in August and it was so hot during the day. At night, with all the moisture in the air, it got so cold we were shivering. Have extra blankets and linens too.
13. Camp somewhere near water. The best place has a shallow beach with lots of rocks. This will provide endless entertainment. Someone will have to constantly be in arms’ reach but hey, an occupied kid is a beautiful thing. In August 2016 we camped at Mark Twain Lake in the Ray Behrens area. There was no easy access to the water for littles. The water was visible from our campsite but it did us no good. It was a nice campground but we won’t be going again. At least not until No4 is much older.
14. Bring board games for the older kids. In July the older boys used one of their camping trunks as a table in the extra tent and they sat in there and played Munchkin FOREVER during the rain.
15. Be prepared to throw your little in his car seat and drive in circles to attain that elusive afternoon nap. Especially in the hotter months. Even in cool whether it’s just so hard to get them to settle because they are surrounded by adventure. Maybe you’ll get lucky and they’ll pass out during lunch.
16. Bring lots of tarps. Tarps for shelter from rain or intense sun. Tarps for crawling. Tarps.
17. Sunscreen (preferably with zinc oxide). Bug Spray. (My sister swears sesame oil skin softener keeps mosquitos off her. I have to test this.) First aid kit. For older kids bring some Pepto or Tums. Just in case.
18. Figure out what poison ivy, etc, looks like BEFORE you go.
19. Chill out. Seriously. Dirt won’t hurt. Little boo-boos heal. Clothes will wash. Don’t worry about scheduling crafts and scavenger hunts (although I imagine these things might be fun and helpful. I wouldn’t know. I’m always trying to just survive. If I manage to arrange such fun times I will let you know how it goes.) Kids love being outside. Give them a stick and some dirt and they’re good. Water? They’ll be busy all day.
I’m sure I’ve left some things out but No4 has arisen. I’ll keep posting and updating as we make mistakes and hopefully learn from them.
Gwenn Wright 