Camping with your family has so many benefits.

• It reconnects you with the natural world.

• It slows you down and helps you appreciate the important things.

• It builds a strong connection with those you love the most.

• It builds warm memories that last a lifetime.

• It’s inexpensive.

• It’s easy to do – when you know how.

We have camped as a family ever since our children were tiny babies. We've made mistakes, had fun, and learned a lot. I’m excited to share with you what we have learned along the way.

On this site I’ll show you how to make the most of your camping vacation.

You’ll learn how to

• plan a camping trip to suit your family's needs
• pack for a family camping trip - and have fun doing so!
• choose gear
• decide where to camp
• prepare simple and healthy camping meals that everyone will enjoy
• organize camping activities
• stay warm, dry, comfortable and safe

Cooking, washing up, brushing teeth and other activities of daily living are fun when you do them outside – and when you do them together. Children know this already. On a camping trip, kids will happily carry water, help with the dishes and haul firewood. Watching your children’s sense of accomplishment as they develop new skills is wonderful. Picture

• a toddler carrying kindling to the woodpile
• a preschooler unrolling the sleeping bags
• an older child setting up a tent
• a teenager splitting wood

Each one is learning a real life skill, contributing to the family, feeling proud, and having fun.

The activities of daily living are fun for adults too. Setting up a comfortable camp feels like playing house! It feels good to get in touch with my "inner pioneer" who can function without labor saving devices!

Things that we take for granted at home become valued at camp.

• Washing your face is a pleasure when you heat the water over a campfire that you built yourself.
• Eating hot food outdoors on a cool day feels like a blessing.
• A soft surface to sleep on feels luxurious.

And when you go home, you savor the comforts that you otherwise wouldn't even notice.

Modern living tends to stifle our natural rhythms. Camping helps us return to ourselves. When you camp, you might choose to

• go to bed when it's dark
• get up when it's light
• eat when you are hungry
• rest when you are weary

You'll reconnect with the natural world, with your loved ones and with yourself.

Camping is an inexpensive vacation.

• Campground fees are a fraction of the cost of any other holiday accommodation.
• There’s no need for expensive restaurant meals because you cook your own delicious food. (Everything tastes extra wonderful when you eat it outdoors!)
• Each piece of camping equipment you buy is an investment in your next trip.

There are many different kinds of family camping, from basic to luxurious. Do you dream of camping in the wilderness, miles from any other human being? You can do it! Do you need to have a hot shower and a freshly brewed espresso every day? That can happen too.

If you are planning your first family camping vacation, you might be surprised at how easy it is to get started. You need only a few pieces of basic equipment - and you might be able to rent or borrow most of them. With the knowledge and skills you learn here, you'll be prepared for a successful trip.

Let’s go!