Annie
06-28-2010, 02:33 PM
Camping Activities for Kids
by Rachel Paxton
It never fails, when you go camping your kids are probably going
to complain about being bored. With a little preparation ahead
of time, you can make the most of your camping trip and spend
some great quality time with your children.
Nature Hikes
Some of the best memories I have camping as a child are of going
on nature hikes. Some of the state campgrounds have beautifully
maintained trails that are great for taking your children on
nature hikes. Give your children a list of things to look for on
their hike. If they are young you can use pictures instead of
words for the items they are to find. You can also bring along
guidebooks that show birds that are native to the area you are
visiting. Children love to identify different types of wildlife.
You can also get guidebooks for identifying local trees and
wildflowers. There are even books and charts for identifying
animal tracks.
Lawn Games
Camping trips are a great time to dust off those lawn games you
never get around to playing at home. A current favorite is
Ladder Ball. You can pick this game up for about $20 at Walmart.
You take turns throwing balls attached to ropes at small ladders.
You keep score according to which rung of the ladder the balls
and rope wrap around. Kids love this game and will play it over
and over again (teens and adults love playing it too!).
Horsehoes are also an old family favorite and are easy to take
along with you.
Board Games
Kids loving playing board games. We parents don't always take
the time to play board games with our kids, but camping is a
great time to spend playing games with your children. Most
preschool-aged children love Hi Ho Cherry-O. My boys will play
it over and over again. Grandma bought our boys a new Toy Story
version of Yahtzee Jr. That game is really fun too and easy to
play for kids that aren't quite yet ready for Yahtzee. My boys
also love to play Sorry. I can't wait until they're old enough to
play Scrabble.
In case it rains, you might also want to bring some new coloring
books and crayons. Kids always love new coloring books. Word
finds and word scrambles are also fun for older kids.
Remember that the main purpose of spending time camping with your
family is to spend quality time together. Go hiking with your
kids, ride bicycles with them, roast marshmallows over the
campfire. Your children will treasure these family memories.
Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of five. For more
inspirational articles and tips for everyday living, visit
http://www.christian-parent.com
by Rachel Paxton
It never fails, when you go camping your kids are probably going
to complain about being bored. With a little preparation ahead
of time, you can make the most of your camping trip and spend
some great quality time with your children.
Nature Hikes
Some of the best memories I have camping as a child are of going
on nature hikes. Some of the state campgrounds have beautifully
maintained trails that are great for taking your children on
nature hikes. Give your children a list of things to look for on
their hike. If they are young you can use pictures instead of
words for the items they are to find. You can also bring along
guidebooks that show birds that are native to the area you are
visiting. Children love to identify different types of wildlife.
You can also get guidebooks for identifying local trees and
wildflowers. There are even books and charts for identifying
animal tracks.
Lawn Games
Camping trips are a great time to dust off those lawn games you
never get around to playing at home. A current favorite is
Ladder Ball. You can pick this game up for about $20 at Walmart.
You take turns throwing balls attached to ropes at small ladders.
You keep score according to which rung of the ladder the balls
and rope wrap around. Kids love this game and will play it over
and over again (teens and adults love playing it too!).
Horsehoes are also an old family favorite and are easy to take
along with you.
Board Games
Kids loving playing board games. We parents don't always take
the time to play board games with our kids, but camping is a
great time to spend playing games with your children. Most
preschool-aged children love Hi Ho Cherry-O. My boys will play
it over and over again. Grandma bought our boys a new Toy Story
version of Yahtzee Jr. That game is really fun too and easy to
play for kids that aren't quite yet ready for Yahtzee. My boys
also love to play Sorry. I can't wait until they're old enough to
play Scrabble.
In case it rains, you might also want to bring some new coloring
books and crayons. Kids always love new coloring books. Word
finds and word scrambles are also fun for older kids.
Remember that the main purpose of spending time camping with your
family is to spend quality time together. Go hiking with your
kids, ride bicycles with them, roast marshmallows over the
campfire. Your children will treasure these family memories.
Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of five. For more
inspirational articles and tips for everyday living, visit
http://www.christian-parent.com