The Ultimate Guide to Family Camping in the Wild, with a Packing List

Don’t bring your kids camping, because you’ll find yourself putting down your phone and communicating with them face to face.

Don’t bring your kids camping, because you’ll find that regular tourist attractions are too boring, and only being close to nature with your family in the wild has real flavor.

Don’t bring your kids camping, because you may not be able to return to city life, only the morning mist of the forest and the sound of the stream next to you can lull you to sleep.

Don’t bring your kids camping, because you’ll choose to play with your kids recklessly, you seem to have let go of all your “identities”!

Taking your kids camping in the wild is the most fun family travel activity, there are no shopping, dining, or ticket buying interruptions, taking your baby camping allows you to fully indulge in a close encounter with nature, take your kids, pack your gear, find a place with mountains behind and water in front, set up a tent, build a stove, and experience a harmonious coexistence with nature.

【Preparations】

Camping is actually a lot easier than you think. Sometimes, bringing along the following essentials is enough for you to go camping.

Tent/Sleeping bag/Mattress/Food/Drink/Personal items

Pots and pans and food can be replaced with bread and crackers; complex lighting can be replaced with mobile phone flashlights; and firewood, which is readily available in the wild, can also be your natural fire source.

Camping is meant to be free and independent, wild and unrestrained, don’t let equipment problems limit your longing for the wild and freedom.

Of course, high-value camping equipment is also very popular with children and parents, such as:

Scandinavian tents

Native American style tents:

【How to Pitch a Tent】

Tent pitching steps

–Tent pitching precautions–

1. Try to pitch the tent on hard, flat ground, not on river banks or dry riverbeds.

2. The entrance of the tent should be on the leeward side, and the tent should be away from rolling slopes.

3. To avoid flooding the tent in case of rain, a drainage ditch should be dug below the edge of the awning.

4. The four corners of the tent should be weighted down with large stones.

5. The tent should be kept ventilated, and cooking inside the tent should be avoided to prevent fire.

6. Before going to bed at night, check that all flames have been extinguished and that the tent is firmly secured.

7. To prevent insects from entering, kerosene can be sprinkled around the tent.

8. The tent face should preferably face south or southeast, so that you can see the morning sun, the camp should not be set up on the ridge or mountain top.

9. There should be at least a recess, not set up next to the stream, so that it will not be too cold at night.

10. Choose a camp site with good drainage, such as sand, grass, or rock debris.

In the wild, we should protect the natural environment, do not hurt wild animals, do not cut down trees, do not destroy natural vegetation, do not pollute water sources, when leaving the camp, you must completely extinguish the fire, garbage should be taken out as much as possible, thrown away in designated places, if in special circumstances it cannot be taken away, you can bury the garbage in a pit.

【Campsite Layout】

Set up a camp site that’s all your own, in addition to the “bedroom” – the tent, of course, there’s also the design and layout of the leisure area.

When camping, a portable chair is essential. A portable chair allows you to rest anywhere, and it’s also convenient for cooking, resting, and drinking tea.

Outdoor camping mood lights

A good camping light is definitely a great way to improve your style. It’s a great time for parent-child conversation and chat at night.

Hand truck

This small cart, called Folding Carry wagon washable (Foldable Large Capacity Travel Wagon), comes with large tires and a high-value appearance, allowing Campers to easily and smoothly transport camping equipment, saving time and effort. You can also buy a matching folding table top, which is mounted on the small cart, saving space for carrying tables, convenient and practical, and has a good value for money.

【Outdoor Kitchen】

What should we eat in the outdoors?

Is it bread and crackers every day? Or just cook a cup of instant noodles? Or Bear Grylls’s raw eating method?

01 Cooking utensils

First, you need a pot. There are actually many different types of pots for outdoor use, but the first thing you should consider when making your choice is portability, whether it can easily be taken outdoors.

Outdoor cookware is essential equipment for going camping outdoors. Its lightweight and easy-to-carry advantages make every outdoor enthusiast choose to buy a set.

Cast iron skillet

The most traditional cast iron pot, often best for bringing out the deliciousness of food. The thick bottom of the cast iron skillet makes it easy to store heat, does not experience sudden temperature drops and rises, reduces the production of oil smoke, and can lock in the nutrients of food to ensure the original flavor.

It has a high-value appearance and has become a must-have cooking utensil for food bloggers everywhere, of course, it cannot be absent from the outdoor kitchen.

02 Stoves

With a pot, you need a stove. In outdoor camps, there is usually no electricity, so outdoor stoves usually use gas canisters or alcohol blocks as fuel. Outdoor stoves prioritize portability and are small and compact.

Portable outdoor stove

As a professional stove for outdoor activities, it has excellent portability, after folding, it is so small that you can easily put it in your pocket. It also has a lightweight design, most of these stoves weigh less than 300g.

Although it is very small, its firepower is not inferior to other stoves, enough to meet most of your needs. Outdoor stoves use liquefied gas flat gas canisters to provide fuel, which is very easy to buy on Taobao and outdoor product stores.

Cartridge stove

Cartridge stoves are widely used in everyday life, not only appearing in major food programs, but also frequently seen in hot pot restaurants.

The square shape of the cartridge stove gives it a stable base, and even the largest pot placed on top can be cooked steadily in the pot. Cartridge stoves also have greater firepower than portable outdoor stoves, making them more suitable for everyday use. Cartridge stoves use butane long gas canisters, which are easy to buy on Taobao.

Firewood stove

It is relatively large, but fortunately, the fuel is wood, which may be available anywhere, but burning requires more skills. The general use is bonfire furnace, which is also relatively heavy, but this atmosphere can be said to be absolutely the best.

Bonfire parent-child time

Soft luggage bags are more suitable than suitcases, you can then use compression bags or storage bags to separate clothes inside, choose a hanging style for the toiletries bag, and prepare a waterproof large tote bag for clothes to change when showering.

Because you will be staying outdoors all the time, the weather sometimes changes drastically, so it is best to wear a combination of outerwear and vests, and an onion-like way of dressing that is convenient to put on and take off, children are prone to getting dirty clothes when playing outdoors, remember to bring an extra set of clothes.

Hair dryer, socks, slippers, bath towels, and hats are also important items. And diapers, formula, bottles for young children, and belly bands or anti-kick sleep vests for sleeping at night.

Other essentials:

Insect repellent: Mosquito lamp, mosquito repellent, electric mosquito swatter, anti-itch ointment, lace vegetable cover placed on the table can prevent flies.

Garbage bags: Before going to bed at night, be sure to collect garbage on the table and floor to avoid being littered with garbage by cats and dogs in the middle of the night.

First aid kit: Simple first aid kit and essential medicines, if you bring young children, it is best to choose a camp site that is not too far from the city, just in case.

Fuel: Gas canisters, charcoal, batteries, lighters.

【Play props to make children happy】

Dynamic: Bicycle, ball games, skipping rope, swimming ring, water gun, anything fun can be brought.

Static: Blowing bubbles, clay, sand painting, doodle books, watercolors, board games, toys, pretend play, or bring a picture book for parent-child reading.

Whether to buy equipment slowly or buy a complete set at once depends on personal preference, you can rent a tent first, and go out with friends who have equipment a few times, and gradually you will have a concept of what you need. Camping equipment is expensive, the most important thing to buy equipment is to take car space as the primary consideration. In addition, whether it is domestic brands or imported brands, I believe that as long as it is suitable for the whole family and used frequently, it is the best equipment.

【How to choose a campsite】

1. Flat ground 2. High ground 3. Drainage 4. Avoid mosquitoes 5. Near water 6. Leeward 7. Animal protection 8. Sunshine

【Campsite Rules】

Strictly remember a few “don’ts”:

A. Do not camp near water to avoid flooding.

B. Do not camp under cliffs to avoid falling rocks.

C. Do not camp on high ground to avoid strong winds.

D. Do not camp under solitary trees to avoid electric shocks.

E. Do not camp in the middle of grass and trees to avoid snakes and insects.

1. Fluffiness of the sleeping bag: New sleeping bags are slightly less fluffy, it is best to spread out the sleeping bag after setting up the tent to make it fluffy, of course, the longer the time, the better the insulation performance.

2. Complete waterproofness: If there is no waterproof sleeping bag cover, a large garbage bag can be used instead, the tent windows should be slightly open with a narrow slit to ventilate the tent, and the sleeping bag should be taken out and dried when the rain stops.

3. Wear enough clothes: Wear enough clothes when sleeping, preferably wear a hat, because half of the body’s heat energy is dissipated from the head.

4. Eat full: Don’t go to bed on an empty stomach, eat some high-calorie food, and sufficient water is very important for the body’s metabolic function, drink plenty of water.

5. Warm up: Don’t get into the sleeping bag right away when you get to the camp, the sleeping bag is useless for a tired and cold body. After dinner, take a walk in the moonlight, with no sweating as the standard, warm up your body and then go to sleep comfortably.