How a Mom Can Camp Solo with Kids



I am a camper, my husband is not. We have three children whom I would love to introduce to the great outdoors. I have been nervous though of camping solo. A few months ago I had an epiphany. I am a proud owner of a super chic minivan which has a back bench seat that folds completely down into the trunk. Why couldn't I camp in the safety of my locked van (down by the river)?

Here's 5 Tips on camping happily with your kids in your van
(or SUV or if you're really adventurous and have a great back-- your car)

1- Bring lots and lots of warm coverings. Sleeping Bags, fuzzy blankets and even a futon or foam mats if you can fit them make for a cozier and sounder sleep for you and your kids.

2- Snacks and a great movie are an essential part to this process. We don't have a built in movie screen in our van but we have bought a portable one for travelling long distances. I hang the screen on the back of the driver's seat and we pick up a couple of DVDs from RedBox on our way out. Then we grab a snack from a store or churros from the local taco drive-in and find a nice place to park to watch the show.

3- Find a safe spot to stay the night. For the first half of our night we stay in a busy public parking lot like Walmart or Target and then once the kids have inevitably fallen asleep during the movie (it make take two for you and if needed a nature DVD to bring on the snooze) I go to one of the safest spots I know – my in-laws residential neighborhood. Now, if you don't have family nearby or their neighborhood is not safe or they're uncomfortable with you parking by the curb outside their house, ask a friend if they would mind or as a last resort, park outside your own home. Your kids won't know the difference and they will still love the thrill of the adventure.

4- Put the wildest sleeper on the edge. Trust me on this one. This will make it so there is a possibility that you will want to go car camping again.

5- And finally, get to know what makes your car honk. This is an essential tip. If you do not discover that when you turn your car on in the middle of the night to let the heater warm everyone up for a few minutes the car's alarm is triggered, then you will find yourself peeling out of a residential neighborhood at 3 o'clock in the morning frantically trying to shut it off. If this happens to you, I have found that pushing the unlock button on your keypad before inserting your key into the ignition solves the issue.

Hope this inspires you and helps you to get out into the world of camping solo with kids. So what are your tips on making camping work with kids?


Linking Up with a Siblings link Up at Dear Beautiful Boy here

10 comments:

  1. love this photo and the rocking mini van camping.

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  2. Oh my gosh, this sounds like so much fun. Definitely the kind of thing I'll do when my kids are older. And what a gorgeous photograph. Thanks for linking up with Siblings. x

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    1. thanks for organizing the link up & visiting my blog!

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  3. Wow what a beautiful photo. My two are a bit young but I'm looking forward to taking them camping when they are older, although it's quite so much fun in the rainy UK! x

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    1. I miss the U.K. badly, even the rain, tho we used to joke that we never saw the sun -- (I lived in Mildenhall & my mum is from Coventry)...snowy winters here aren't so pleasant to camp in either-- we have done it once & I woke up twice in teh night & turned on the heater for 15-20 minutes-- then went back to bed-- wasn't too bad considering the bone-chilling cold outside! So glad you stopped by!

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  4. im not a camper myself though i would love a van but that photo almost converted me!

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    1. yes, yes, photos can be highly deceptive making things look all beautiful!

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  5. Oh bless them! As a former vw camper van owner I love camping with the kids - this shot is beautiful x

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    1. ooh, I would LOVE to own a VW Camper-- what fun that must have been!

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