\u201cThere\u2019s a whole body of research about the value of unscheduled playtime in nature<\/a>,\u201d says David Mizejewski, naturalist and media spokesperson for the National Wildlife Federation in the USA. \u201cAnd camping ticks all of those boxes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n He adds that the positive outcomes of families pitching a tent together extend beyond any better-living-through-nature checklist. For one, outdoor adventure promotes grit and perseverance in kids, according to a study by the North American Association of Environmental Education. The mental muscles of resiliency grow from engaging with unpredictable but more-or-less manageable challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And taking kids camping is key to raising tomorrow\u2019s outdoor lovers and conservationists<\/a>. \u201cYou care about what you love,\u201d Mizejewski says. \u201cAnd you only love what you know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more kid-friendly activities, plus fun inspiration for family days out, positive news stories and more, sign up to the free National Geographic Kids newsletter<\/a>. It’s sure to brighten up your week!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Improvising fixes when faced with fickle weather, mischievous critters (the bugs, not the children!) and the inevitable forgotten gear are what make even a weekend of outdoor living an adventure. The key is making kids a part of the creative team when you’re coming up with camping hacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t do everything yourself \u2013 get the kids involved,\u201d Ung says. \u201cThey\u2019ll have a lot more fun being a participant than just an observer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether you\u2019re thinking about what to bring camping with kids, how to make camping fun for the whole family, or looking to level-up the experience for your outdoor-loving children, try some of these 14 tried-and-true camping hacks next time you\u2019re out together\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of buying ice for the cooler, fill a large bottle about two-thirds full, freeze it and use that instead. When it thaws, you have a ready supply of safe drinking water, Mizejewski says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bring ice cream cones, mini marshmallows, bananas, walnuts and chocolate chunks. Have your kids fill the cones with all that yumminess, wrap them tight in aluminium foil and heat them over a griddle on campfire coals or the camp stove.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make camp dinners easy by bringing frozen one-pan meals thawing in the cooler. Prepping pre-portioned snacks is also a time saver. \u201cI don\u2019t want to be washing and chopping veggies at camp,\u201d Ung says. And a camping trip can be the best excuse to empty the kitchen drawer overflowing with leftover condiment packets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before leaving home, have each family member prep a sealed, heat-safe bag or container with whipped eggs and favourite omelette ingredients. On that first camp morning, drop them into a pot of boiling water on the camp stove, wait a few minutes and serve up breakfast. You can even use freshly scrubbed Frisbees for plates to avoid disposable dishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wrap the strap of a headtorch around the body of that full bottle or another clear water container, so that the light faces in. Voila! A camp lantern. Add a strong carabiner to hang it up. Ung also recommends solar-powered LED fairy lights that turn any campsite into a firefly festival.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n If you prefer the dark but still want to know where the kids are, hang a reusable glowstick around everybody\u2019s neck or wrist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Camping gear tends to spread out and disappear. A hanging-wardrobe organiser creates a space for everything \u2013 insect repellent and sun cream, first-aid kit, torches, snacks, books, art supplies etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Give a cardboard six-pack bottle carrier a new career as a table organiser for utensils or condiments. The handle makes it ideal for carrying all your stuff, and it later folds flat for easy storage. Plus, you can get your little artists to decorate the outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Empty vitamin bottles and other plastic containers are perfect waterproof storage for matches, spices, medicines and other camp needs, so you don\u2019t have to pack the entire box. Kids and a marker can be recruited to write the labels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To make fast and hot kindling, have kids dip lint from the dryer in petroleum jelly, then stuff it into empty toilet paper tubes or cut-up cardboard egg cartons. For a more dazzling fire, Mizejewski recommends flavoured tortilla chips \u2013 and their orangish dust \u2013 as tinder.<\/p>\n\n\n To keep toilet paper dry, cut a narrow vertical opening in the side of a plastic container and feed the loose end of the roll through the opening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mosquitos and other biting bugs can quickly suck the joy out of a camping trip. Dried bunches of herbs like sage or rosemary sprinkled in the campfire is an old-school method of smoking them away. But it\u2019s always good to have a kid-safe insect repellent as backup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A gross outdoor toilet is the nemesis of many a young camper. Use a dab of menthol ointment or peppermint oil under the nose to make answering the call of nature a little less fraught.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/strong>Duct tape has a-million-and-one uses, and here\u2019s one more: emergency sunglasses. Rip off a 30cm-long strip. Carefully fold it in half so the sticky sides adhere, trimming off any overlapping adhesive. Mark where the eyes will be, then slice out two narrow horizontal slits. Add ear loops to complete the DIY.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And when the camping’s over? Continue to encourage their love for nature with a subscription to National Geographic Kids magazine.<\/a> They\u2019ll find fascinating features about science, nature, history and culture in every issue, alongside inspirational explorers and tons of fun and games. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"camping](\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2023\/04\/CampingHacks-2.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCamping with kids checklist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Snacks and drinks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Ice to water<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Less-mess s\u2019mores<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Frozen dinners<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Ready-made omelette<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Lighting it up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
5. Water lamp <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"camping](\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2023\/04\/CampingHacks-5.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n6. Glowstick GPS <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Keeping it all together<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
7. Hang it all<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
8. Camp caddy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
9. Repurposed bottles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Creature comforts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
10. Fire starters<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"camping](\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2023\/04\/CampingHacks-3.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n11. Loo roll in a can<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
12. Battling bugs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
13. Block that stink<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
14. DIY sunglasses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Do you have any tips on how to make camping fun for the whole family? Share your top camping hacks in the comments below!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Written by Sean McCollum. Image credits: <\/strong>Pitching tent \u00a9 Miljko \/ Getty Images. All others \u00a9 Adobe Stock.<\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"