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Taking your kids to your favorite campsite is an amazing way to make lasting family memories.
In addition to having a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, camping also gives your family an opportunity to connect without all the technological distractions we deal with every day.
While camping with kids can get a little difficult at times, there are some ways to make your family’s outdoor adventure together a little easier.
These 10 hacks for camping with kids will make your next family camping trip full of amazing vacation memories.
Tinfoil Dinners
Making an entire meal (or dessert) inside a tinfoil wrapper is the simplest way to make dinner at a campsite.
And there are so many amazing dishes you can make in a tinfoil packet – from campfire chicken fajitas to popcorn popped directly over the fire – making it the perfect way to easily please everyone in your family.
Simply fill the tinfoil packets with your favorite ingredients and cook them over the campfire or on your grill or camp stove for an easy meal at your campsite.
Pack with Storage Boxes
Packing your family’s camping necessities in plastic storage boxes is a great idea.
Not only does it make transporting everything to the campsite a little easier, but you can also use the boxes around the campsite as a bathtub for smaller kids or a foot and hand washing station for the older children.
Camping Entertainment
Keeping your kids entertained while you’re camping can sometimes get difficult.
Luckily, there are a few simple hacks you can use to make camping fun for the kids.
Keep your kids active during the hours between sunset and bedtime with a fun game of flashlight tag.
Or create a cute tic-tac-toe game on the ground using sticks and a handful of two different types of leaves.
Toilet Paper Storage
No need to buy storage containers especially for your toilet paper. Simply place the roll inside a coffee can to keep it dry while also keeping it close at hand when someone needs it.
Comfortable Tent
If you have kids, chances are you have a foam play mat at home.
Use those colorful foam blocks to make tent camping a little more comfortable. Simply put the foam play mat together on the tent floor, then place your kid’s sleeping bags on top to make sleeping inside the tent each night a little bit more comfortable for your family.
This hack is especially useful for families with young children because it cushions the ground for crawling babies.
Snack Storage
You can’t forget the snacks when camping with kids. But open snack containers are just an invitation for unwanted critters at your campsite.
After enjoying your morning coffee with creamer, save the creamer containers –they’re perfect snack holders.
The lid seals tightly, but you can easily pour the snack out when someone is hungry.
Bright Campsite
Keeping your campsite well light during the evening and nighttime hours can sometimes be difficult.
While flashlights and headlamps are a good thing to have on hand, another simple way to illuminate your site is with bottles of water.
Simply fill a clear bottle with water, then attach a headlamp to the side for an easy way to brighten your campsite.
Less Messy S’mores
S’mores are a campsite must-have, but they can quickly get messy – and a little dangerous — with kids.
Replace the graham crackers with an ice cream cone for a less messy option.
Simply fill an ice cream cone with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips, then wrap it in aluminum foil and warm it on the grill for a few minutes to melt the ingredients.
Campsite Safety
Chances are, your kids will be running through your campsite every day having fun and not paying attention to some of the dangers around them.
One simple thing that could cause injury but may escape their sight is the tent’s tie lines. Help make the tie lines a little more visible by placing foam pool noodles on the lines.
Simply cut the noodle to the right length, then slice a slit lengthwise down the noodle and slide it on top of the lines.
Cook at Home
Taking a little time to precook your meals at home will save tons of time at the campsite.
Most crockpot meals can be made ahead of time and chilled in a zip-top bag until you’re ready to go camping. Then, pack the meals up in a cooler to keep them chilled until they’re ready to be eaten.
At dinner, pour the meal into your camping pot and heat them over your campfire or on your camp stove.
In addition to saving you tons of prep time at the campsite, you’re also saving yourself clean-up time after dinner is over. That means you’ll have more time to enjoy the great outdoors camping with your family!
Let me know your favorite camping hack in the comments below.
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