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Family Tent Camping Season

by Jim Schmotzer5/28/2008 11:18:38 AM

We began tent camping when our sons were preschoolers. Through trial and error, a variety of family rituals were established. Now that our sons are grown, those traditions are the basis of cherished memories. Holiday dinners and other family gathering frequently bring reminiscences of things remembered from camping together. We camp because we love it.

An annual camping trip creates family traditions that kids will look forward to each year.

For others, camping may be a new, and at times, a welcome option as gas prices continue to rise and vacation budgets are impacted. Following are some of the ways camping became a central part of our family experience.

Keep it age appropriate. Travel distance, which translates to time in the car, level of adventure and length of time away can increase as the kids grow up. Location of camp sites and support amenities can help younger campers grow in appreciating the time in the natural settings. As our sons grew up, we’d go on trips for longer periods of time, allow them more freedom, and encourage them to bring friends along.

Establish traditions. Our family knows that we’ll be spending a week at Moran State Park on Orcas Island each July. It’s happened for well over 20 years. What began with the four of us has morphed into shared times with friends and extended family. For a number of years, we shared an annual trip with friends my wife met in college and their three boys. Part of the fun is seeing who will come each year. Sometimes people join us for a day, others for the entire time. Now that our sons are grown-up, we still go and their families are always welcome to come along.

Try something new. Yes, we go to Orcas every year. But it’s nice to see what else is out there too. While the boys were growing up, it was also a tradition to try another place. We’d study park maps and look forward to new experiences. Our ritual became one week on the island and one week somewhere new. After Orcas, we have enjoyed a number of camping trips along the Oregon coast and other sites around Puget Sound; my wife loves salt water! Northern Oregon coast sites, with close access to long beaches, are great for playing in the sand, chasing the tide, family walks and memory-making sunsets.

Know your options. The Northwest is full of camping choices. There are historic sites, deep forests, beaches, mountains, lakes, rivers and more. We tend to be drawn to locations near saltwater, but you can always go east over the mountains where it is usually drier and hotter. So hot that one year we found ourselves setting up camp near Wenatchee when the temp was 108 degrees.

Plan ahead. As the trip draws closer, kids will get excited about the upcoming adventure if they are included in preparations. When grocery shopping for camping trips, we let each of our boys pick a box of cereal they wanted for the trip. This provided a quick start to days filled with adventures. Also, do a little research on nearby attractions to your campsite. Camping also provides numerous learning opportunities; hikes, nature study, cross-generational conversations, and history lessons are all enhanced through the camping experience.

Balance "roughing it" in the great outdoors with suitable "kid-friendly" camping equipment.

Get the right gear. But you don’t have to have it all. Tent camping at most public parks is a far cry from a meeting with Sasquatch or Grizzly Adams. Get equipment that will allow for weather protection, varied temperatures, and hold up in the out of doors with kids roughhousing. We’ve learned to survive drizzle and some rain, but we know our limits and have given in to the elements a time or two, moving on or going home earlier than planned.

Share the work, share the fun. Setting up camp and meal times can become big memory makers. When it comes to meals, we have a number of traditions and meals that everybody looks forward to—hot dogs and s’mores over the fire—and the kids have as much fun with the fire and preparing the food as they do eating these meals. Another idea is combination meals that use both the fire and a camp stove. Potatoes wrapped in foil and baked in campfire coals can be diced the next day and fried, along with eggs and other breakfast fare. Or include it in a camper’s “hash,” with a variety of other ingredients. Again, kids can easily help with the fire (according to their age and with proper supervision), prepping the potatoes and helping to guess the timing. Remember to balance campfire cooking with simple meals, like sandwiches, that travel easily and allow for maximum time playing and exploring.

Laugh about it. Getting a little wet, burning food, and excessive bug bites can be recalled in ways that exceed the original moment. One trip memories included one of the boys getting chicken pox, and we once spent a few extra days on Orcas when the ferry dock went out of commission. It’s often the unplanned, and at times embarrassing, moments that make the best memories.

Family traditions take on renewed meaning when a new generation comes along. Last summer was the first grandparents and grandkids trip for us. Over the winter, our grandsons have been asking if we are all going again. As this year’s winter has seemed to overshadow the spring, I am with them in their anticipation of summer days and camping together.

A Note About the Author: Jim Schmotzer

Jim Schmotzer has been educating kids, adults, and college students for over 20 years. His hobbies include running, reading, and sharing his knowledge of Bellingham history with others. Jim and his wife Connie have two grown sons and three grandchildren.