So you’re thinking about going camping…
Daunting, isn’t it?
I remember our first time camping with an 8-month old – I was terrified.
Granted I had absolutely no experience camping, or with a baby, but we decided to go anyway and give it a try.
So I know how you’re feeling, and it’s definitely warranted.
BUT, there are so many reasons why camping is good for you and your kids.
Here I’ve listed several of them, as well as links to relevant resources to help you get organized and get ready for your first camping trip!
Self-Reliance Is An Important Skill
Maybe you think the newest generation of kids is coddled, maybe you don’t. No matter what you opinion, most of us can agree that teaching your kids to rely on themselves is a valuable skill to learn.
Camping can teach your kids to fish, start a campfire, build a tent, and complete other tasks they wouldn’t be able to learn at home. They can learn so much about themselves and what they’re capable of, which will stay with them into adulthood.
Related: 23 Camping Skills You Can Teach Young Children
Camping is Great Exercise
Setting up/tearing down camp, cooking outside, washing dishes, hiking, fishing and swimming are all great exercise – and even better, they don’t feel like exercise. They feel like fun!
Plus, with no TV and internet, giving your kids the room to be bored and then find ways to entertain themselves get them up and moving – not sitting in front of the TV.
Related: 12 Kids Camping Activities (No Special Supplies Required)
The Great Outdoors is Way Cooler Than TV
Whether you allow your kids all the media time they like or strictly regulate it, the great outdoors has a wow factor that can’t be found anywhere else.
Remember that feeling you get when you stand in front of a great sight like the Grand Canyon, a mountain top, or by the side of a river?
Take your kids camping and let them experience that feeling of amazement for themselves!
Related: Rain or Shine: How To Be Prepared for Weather While Camping
Because Unplugging is Good for the Mind, Body, and Soul
Between jobs, sports, music, church, and social events, we’re all extremely busy.
But camping provides a unique advantage above other vacations because it often takes place where there is no cell signal, forcing you to shut down you cell phone, close your laptop, and find other ways to entertain each other.
Even though you may all be under a lot of stress, working more isn’t the solution. Instead, taking time away gives your brain a rest, allowing it to work better and keep you happier when you do go back to work.
Related; How To Get Your Kids To Unplug At The Campsite
Fresh Air Keeps you Healthy
The sunshine, the fresh air, the dirt, and the plants all work to keep you healthy.
Sunshine gives you much-needed Vitamin D, and studies have shown that just looking at green spaces instantly lowers heart rate and blood pressure, as well as elevates serotonin levels (makes you happier)
Not to mention the dirt!
Getting your hands dirty – literally – boosts you and your kids’ immune systems, which lasts long after camp is packed up.
Related: Take meals off your “plate” with free meal plans for every stay, diet, and budget
It Introduces Your Kids to Something New
Kids’ brains are developing so rapidly, they eat up all of the new things you introduce them to.
It is one of the cutest things ever to watch them discover something new, to learn about it, and to embrace it.
Camping is Affordable
You can easily go camping for $50/day or LESS for an entire family. That’s food, lodging, bathrooms, everything.
At a resort you would be paying $300+/day and cutting it close.
Meal planning, keeping a camping tote system at the ready, and learning some tricky ways to save money can make the experience even cheaper – so you can go more!
Have you taken your kids camping yet? Let me know in the comments!
Til Next Time,
Gretchen
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosures for more information.
My son over one-year-old, many times I was worried when putting it away, but after reading this article, I see no need to worry anymore, so wonderful, thank you for sharing.
Hey, your 7 reasons for taking kids with you for camping is great. We did not take our kids camping before. But think they should go definitely.This summer we will be planning taking them. Thanks
In my younger years I would have given my first born to have an easy setup ten that I could place the babies in and enjoy the beach while they slept out of the sun. I am sure me and my 4 sons would have spent much more time in the outdoors…