Camping is undoubtedly fun if you do it on your own or with a skilled group of friends by your side. Once your family (especially the kids) get involved, you start thinking about things that can go wrong, all the camping gear you might need, and many other worries.
This article aims to help you worry less. Instead, you can focus on the many reasons why camping is good for families. You and your loved ones can reap many physical and emotional benefits from going on a camping trip together.
Read on to learn more about them.
Spending quality time together
The benefits of spending some quality time with your children can not be overstated. These days, with virtual classes and virtual friendships dominating their lives, chances are that you only get to see your kid while they are staring at a screen of some kind. Getting your kids to spend time outdoors seems like an impossible task.
Once you are out and about, everything is going to change.
Kids will be away from their devices while being outdoors will remove you from most of the things that stress you out - your work and the hassle of the daily grind.
Put those two things together, and you and your children will have an opportunity to connect on a completely different level.
Tip - choose a location without WiFi and no cell reception, so both you and your kids can stay away from pesky social media notifications and emails.
Building skilfulness and resilience
No matter how well-prepared you are for the camping trip ahead of you, something is almost certainly going to go wrong. And, you are going to solve that problem and overcome it.
The benefits of small challenges on a camping trip are twofold; first of all, that is how memories are made.
Secondly, let us not forget that kids need to learn how to be resilient and self-sufficient. This skill is much easier to develop and kick into gear when you are in nature, especially if you can't simply ask Google or Alexa to find the correct answer for you.
When a child manages to solve a problem independently, it will boost their self-confidence and independence. If they turn to you for help, the situation becomes a learning opportunity and a bonding experience.
Either way, both you and your kid(s) can benefit from this situation.
Numerous health benefits
These days, both kids and adults tend to live a relatively sedentary lifestyle. Sure, you might not be spending as much time as your kid does playing computer or console games, but most of us sit at work and then come home to sit in front of the TV to relax.
When you go out camping, you must be physically active - you have to set up the tent, gather firewood, set up the hammock, etc. Meaning, you do not have to go fishing or hiking while camping to be active - though it certainly helps.
Secondly, when you are at a campsite, you will be breathing air cleaner than the air you are used to. Not to mention things like noise pollution and light pollution, which are also bad for your health and quality of life.
Lastly, being out in the sun means your body will get the much-needed vitamin D. In kids, vitamin D improves bone density, while adults also get less fragile bones. Vitamin D also reduces obesity and the chances of depression.
Put those things together, and you are guaranteed to sleep better while you are out camping. Improved sleep quality and deeper sleep bring better rest and a sharper mind, something that both kids and grown-ups can benefit from.
Stress reduction
When you go camping with your family, you all step into a world that is both the same and a bit different from your day-to-day routine.
The rules are a bit less strict, the food tastes a bit better, and the rest feels much more earned. All of these factors combined mean that you will be able to be more present in the moment, to be more mindful.
Once you are more relaxed, your entire attitude will change, which will positively impact the whole family. Just like one grumpy household member can bring everybody’s spirits down, so can one of you cheer everybody else up.
Unlike the vacations in a hotel or a resort, when you go camping, you are the master of your domain: you pick when and want to eat, what sights to see, and what activities to partake in.
These things combined make a camping trip with your family the most relaxing type of vacation that you can all take together.
This, in return, means less stress. You are going to come back home from a camping trip with new memories, new skills, closer than ever before and more relaxed. What more could a family ask for?
About the author
Kevin has gone through an extensive home renovation with his son, which he has both
thoroughly enjoyed, and dreaded every morning. He is now the proud owner of half his dream house (the other half has been waiting for spring). You can read more of Kevin’s work on PlainHelp.