Are we there yet?
Upfront I will say that I am on the other side of the camping spectrum. My children are grown and gone. I found this site yesterday and am really enjoying reading about young parents and their camping experiences with little ones. It gives me hope! I want to log in on camping from the other side and why I think children should be out in the great outdoors. On the day that PBS will begin airing the new National Park series by Ken Burns it seems appropriate to express some outdoor/camping-love.
The Green Bin
Frequently, as a child in the '50's, my parents packed up 5 kids and we went camping with the old canvas tent and heavy canvas/flannel sleeping bags. They also had a piece of property up by Lake Tahoe/CA with a stream running through it. We kids would spend hours in that creek building dams for swimming pools, exploring, playing, etc. I have vivid memories of it being my turn to sleep on this funny leather sofa under a circle of pine trees, watching the stars coming out and feeling the greatness of the trees, stars and outdoors. Today I can look up in a grove of pine trees and that feeling will be there for me. Which is why I love that today's young parents are getting their children outside. You are building memories for your children as well as a love for the land which our world needs in its future leaders.
When my children were little their dad did not like to camp so we never got them out as toddlers for that camping experience. During a second marriage we took a 6 week trip to Alaska and back which was my childrens introduction to camping. I was the only one on that trip with camping experience. It was definitely an experience! Today the oldest is building his own camping supply and will borrow from my cache as needed, and I willingly loan knowing that he is getting out there to camp. Now as a single I camp by myself. It's the greatest thing to watch young families in campgrounds and see all the different camping styles they bring with them. There is no right or wrong thing, just what works for you.
Packing for a new trip always lets me work on how to pack better and lighter and repurpose things. Mid summer I was distressing over throwing that bundle of firewood that I buy from the park office into the back seat of my car and the mess it left. As I was packing I had the tarps and tent in a big green rubbermaid bin (left over from the Alaska trip) on the backseat and realized I could use it for the firewood once I got to the park (see picture). I sign in, setup the tent and go back and get the wood which can stay in the bin until I need it. And the backseat stays clean. As you can see from the picture, it also works for a place by the fire to set hot pie irons. (Not a cooking venue I recommend around toddlers!)
I have the privilege of working at a beautiful school in a forest that supports a healthy environmental education program. Our students (3-14yrs) are outside everyday rain or shine, hot or cold. How fun to watch them move a bug off a walking path so it doesn't get trampled, fill pocket with acorns, leaves, sticks, or a special rock. They sled when it snows. They look up, they look down, they know the birds, they are excited about chipmunks, squirrels, skunks and deer. They accidentally fall in the streams and lag behind to watch something special only they can see. Its a school where no child is ever left inside. We don't just have earth day, we have earth week. A large branch fell off an Oak tree last week and there were tears. Building this love of the outdoors feeds a respect for our world that you will want them to have as they become adults and the custodians of what you love. Whether we do it at a school or you do it over a weekend camping trip, keep doing it.
Are we there yet?
When my children were little their dad did not like to camp so we never got them out as toddlers for that camping experience. During a second marriage we took a 6 week trip to Alaska and back which was my childrens introduction to camping. I was the only one on that trip with camping experience. It was definitely an experience! Today the oldest is building his own camping supply and will borrow from my cache as needed, and I willingly loan knowing that he is getting out there to camp. Now as a single I camp by myself. It's the greatest thing to watch young families in campgrounds and see all the different camping styles they bring with them. There is no right or wrong thing, just what works for you.
Packing for a new trip always lets me work on how to pack better and lighter and repurpose things. Mid summer I was distressing over throwing that bundle of firewood that I buy from the park office into the back seat of my car and the mess it left. As I was packing I had the tarps and tent in a big green rubbermaid bin (left over from the Alaska trip) on the backseat and realized I could use it for the firewood once I got to the park (see picture). I sign in, setup the tent and go back and get the wood which can stay in the bin until I need it. And the backseat stays clean. As you can see from the picture, it also works for a place by the fire to set hot pie irons. (Not a cooking venue I recommend around toddlers!)
I have the privilege of working at a beautiful school in a forest that supports a healthy environmental education program. Our students (3-14yrs) are outside everyday rain or shine, hot or cold. How fun to watch them move a bug off a walking path so it doesn't get trampled, fill pocket with acorns, leaves, sticks, or a special rock. They sled when it snows. They look up, they look down, they know the birds, they are excited about chipmunks, squirrels, skunks and deer. They accidentally fall in the streams and lag behind to watch something special only they can see. Its a school where no child is ever left inside. We don't just have earth day, we have earth week. A large branch fell off an Oak tree last week and there were tears. Building this love of the outdoors feeds a respect for our world that you will want them to have as they become adults and the custodians of what you love. Whether we do it at a school or you do it over a weekend camping trip, keep doing it.
Are we there yet?
