Certainly the most economical way to vacation, and, in any ways, the most rewarding, is to take the family camping.
If camping is your choice and you are looking for out-of-the-way places, then you need to plan your trip to make sure that everything goes perfectly. And as experienced campers like me can tell you, one of the best ways to plan your camping trip is to use a camping checklist.
The Basic Purpose Camping
Camping as a means of personal recreation may apply to a night’s outing in an umbrella or tent for beach camping in one’s back yard or to several weeks of outdoor living on a secluded lake or mountain. In any case the camper employs a minimum of primitive but functional equipment that furnishes almost all of civilization’s basic conveniences.
The essential purpose of camping on any level is to get out of doors and enjoy the experience of living close to nature.
Today’s camper may travel by foot, horse, motorcar, or plane to the spot where he plans to camp, but once he arrives there, he usually supplies his own accommodations, or has at the most, a bare wooden shelter or lean-to to live in.
Finding the ideal Campsite
The ideal campsite should be on rather high dry ground that drains easily. It should be away from thick three-growths near a good supply of firewood and water. Sleeping on the bare ground is made far more comfortable by the use of an air mattress which is inflated as used.
If this type of equipment is not available, small pine boughs or other leafy branches may be piled into a fairly comfortable mattress.
Shelter
Ordinarily, a party of two can be fairly well sheltered by using the pup tent. Larger parties require the taller and warmer wall tents that have floors and screening of suitable fabric to make them insect-proof. You should definitely check out some of the best inflatable tents, and choose one that fits you well.
Light sleeping bags of good quality are worthwhile under all circumstances since they take the place of several woollen blankets and provide a waterproof outer cover as well.
Essential Equipment
Additional fundamental equipment necessary for a comfortable campsite includes:
- a bottled-gas stove for emergency or wet-weather cooking
- a canvas water bucket or covered water storage bag
- a sheath knife
- a small hand axe
- a waterproof flashlight
- a set of aluminium cooking utensils
- a set of eating utensils of the same material
- a waterproof matchbox, and;
- an adequate first-aid kit.
Very helpful are a large meter or canvas washbasin and an electric lantern, which is safer and more widely used than a gasoline lantern.
Clothes
Personal clothing should be durable, plain and comfortable. Shoes should be at least high enough to cover the ankles and of roomy, soft, waterproof construction with heavy soles. It is best to wear only white woollen socks, particularly if any extensive hiking is planned.
Trousers, for both men and women, offer the best protection when worn full length and are most comfortable when made to tightly woven cotton for warm weather and of worsted wool in colder seasons, don’t forget to keep your packable rain jacket as it could be one of the most necessary things that you take on a trip or camp. At any time of the year shirts and short jackets are most useful when made of wooden material.
A rough hat and leather gloves are good protection articles of clothing to take along on a camping trip.
Campfire
A camper’s fire must serve any one or all of three purposes: cooking, heating and illumination. It thus requires some practice to build and control a fire for all of these functions, and at the same time avoid bad personal burns or destructive forest or brush fires.
Campers often build too large a fire for efficient cooking. The proper use of very green forked sticks and large fore- and back-logs for supporting the cooking utensils allows full use of the heat from small cooking fires.
Three types of camp fires:
- Cooking fire
- Fire for heat
- Fire for illumination
Fires that are small and built between large green logs are most satisfactory for cooking; to help warm the camping area in cold weather, heat-reflecting rocks direct the heat of a large fire, nighttimes illumination of a campsite calls for a large fire with bright, high flames. With practice it is possible to rebuild the fire for each purpose.
After all cooking has been completed, the fire may be built up for warmth or light.
Food and Beverage
Experienced campers make wide use of dried or concentrated foods or juices. Fruits, vegetables, soups, eggs, and milk are among the staple food products that are available in this easy-to-carry form. Smoked or canned meats are practical when no hunting or fishing is possible to supply fresh meat.
Packaged cereals and prepared mixes can be used as a basis for all camp meals. Also available are canned butter and jams for use with crackers, bread, or camp made biscuits. To add tastiness to the often rather dull camp meals, a mild condiment such as ketchup, mustard, or tomato sauce is worth using.
Purification tablets for drinking water make it unnecessary to boil water from unknown sources.
Camping Checklist
Some Fundamental Camping Equipment
- All purpose camping knife
- Mess kit and cover
- Moccasin Boots
- Air Mattress
- Portable Knapsack Stove
- Canvas Washbasin
- Sleeping Bag
- Camp Axe
- Waterproof Flashlight
- Electric Lantern or Gasoline Lantern and Case
- First aid Kit
Final Words
We’ve created this guide to family camping to try to make life much easier when you try to get away with the family for a holiday camping. With the help of this guide and the good old fashioned planning we’ve shared with you, you should be able to look forward to some quality time with your family in the great outdoors without any stress or hassle.
It is also wise to look at your budget while planning your camping trip. If you’re on a tight budget, you need to adjust your plan according to your means. A camping trip should not be expensive and it doesn’t have to be for you to enjoy it.
Happy Camping!
Check out this video to get a fresh perspective of family camping:
