Each summer, kids across the world look forward to going camping with their families. It’s the time of year that mom and dad take time off of work to go do something outrageously fun.
But why stop there? Why not take your kids to do something different this year? Camping is great, as a platform, but it can be combined with other things to make experiences that, both you and your kids will be hard pressed to forget. The great thing about summer camping is that there is a whole plethora of things you can do to transform an average camping trip into something really special.
Hiking
Hiking is always a great activity for the whole family. It’s active, fun, and memorable.
You will see sights that you just can’t see from the window of a car. I, personally, have seen gorgeous waterfalls, amazing rock formations, and awesome wildlife while hiking with my parents.
It is a great way to instill great values in your kids. And it’s also a great way to bond with your spouse…especially if th going gets tough!
Take Camelbacks with parts of a picnic distributed between your family members, trek into the woods, and find that perfect, scenic, relaxing picnic spot. Enjoy lunch together, and talk about all you saw on the way there. Then, hike back to your base camp to prepare the evening chili.
photo credit: coyote-agile via photopin cc
ATVs
Another awesome addition to any camping trip is ATVing. While this may not be the cheapest activity you can do, it may very well be the most memorable to your kids. ATVing can also take you places you’d never see in the car, but it’s less taxing on your body.
With an ATV, you can bring a large volume along with you into the hills, desert, mountains, or wherever you are camping. Kids 4 wheelers are a great investment because your children will never forget the summer that they learned to ride an ATV, and you’ll never forget the time you taught your kids how to operate one all by themselves.
Backpacking
Rather than an addition, why not try changing your camping plans altogether? At the very least, make it a more extreme version of camping. That’s right; I’m talking about backpacking. Grab a real pack, throw a week’s worth of life on your back, and head out to the places you’ve always wanted to see. It is the perfect chance to teach your kids all kinds of great things like survival tactics, lessons on planning ahead, and safety. For instance, depending on where you choose to go, you may need to have a bear canister. Check online for bear canister reviews to find the best one. Backpacking is an experience like no other. To a kid, it is a time for pretending to be Rambo. They will never forget a week of carrying all his/her supplies on their back, and living off of whatever they brought.
Hit the Water
Yet another great addition to a camping trip is canoeing, kayaking, or rafting. Summer is the perfect time for these memorable water activities. This activity is one of the best family bonding experiences you can plan. Your whole family stuck in boats together, paddling around with no means of escape, requires working together to get to your destination and to stay as safe as possible. You also get to learn a lot about each other on a level that you may have never experienced before.
These water activities offer parents a chance to learn what their kids are truly made of. How resilient and determined have you raised you kids to be? This would be the perfect opportunity to find out. If your family is more of the extreme sports type, maybe try white water rafting. Rates for this vary, so be sure to check out rates online for white water rafting.
Are you making plans for the summer vacation? Where will you go? What have been your favorite destinations?
