Nawaz: A Survival Guide for Camping with Kids

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Last year in late June, I took my daughter to Albert-St-Martin Park, an idyllic little fenced-in playground tucked away behind Mont-Royal Avenue. With swings, play structures, and bins full of toys, bikes, and skateboards, the park is often packed with kids and parents. On this particular morning, I was surprised to find it deserted. We were the only two people there. Although it felt like the Rapture, it turned out that it was just St. John the Baptist’s Day. Everyone in the neighborhood, it seemed, had left town for the holiday weekend. So this year I was determined to do the same and go camping as a family.

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Since I had a son, I have only managed to camp a couple of times. Although some people book their favorite campsites up to five months in advance, I discovered this year that a hurried camper can take advantage of dozens of last-minute cancellations. I also learned a few other things:

It’s all too easy to get team-mad, especially when there are summer deals on Decathlon and Canadian Tire. Camp chairs, camp stoves, or the sheer luxury of a 12 by 12 pop-up canopy with mosquito netting that fits around your picnic table – where do you draw the line between necessity and luxury? My particular weakness is the camp kitchen equipment: adorable 1-liter kettles and collapsible pans and pots nested with travel cups and plates that stack inside and cutlery that snap together. My rule of thumb for buying: Would this item be useful in the event of a future disaster or social collapse?

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We planned to go to Sandbanks, which meant we also needed sand and water: beach mats, umbrellas, waterproof sunscreen. I decided to buy a collapsible cart to take everything to the beach, much better than carrying it on our shoulders. (Also, in the back of my mind: How handy for transporting all of our worldly possessions along The Road, a la Cormac McCarthy.)

Key tips for camping

Invest in a headlamp, the best hands-free tool for nighttime camping tasks. Make sure you don’t lose it between trips. And definitely don’t spend more than an hour looking for it when you really need to be on the road.

Don’t move the firewood. Buy your firewood at or near the campsite to prevent the spread of invasive pests like the emerald ash borer.

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Get to your campsite before dark. Know when sunset is and plan accordingly. It’s no fun pitching a tent in the dark, especially if it’s been a while since you last did it. It’s even less fun when mosquitoes bite you. If you have to pitch a tent in the dark, the best tool is a headlamp (see above). If looking for the lighthouse is what made you late in the first place, try not to dwell on the irony.

Bring a hammock. It can function as an armchair, a bed or, in the presence of children, an imaginary time machine. Opt for one that hooks with tree wraps instead of one that comes with little complex knot diagrams.

camping with children

If possible, camp with another family that has a child the same age. You’ll marvel at how little you’re doing as a parent, especially when both kids are playing in the time machine hammock.

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Project feelings of normality and excitement. You need to convince the kids that not only does it make a lot of sense to drive hundreds of miles away from home to sleep on the ground, but it’s fun to do so!

Consider investing in an air mattress. Remember that the ground may feel harder than it did before you had children.

Do not let children play alone on the air mattress. They will jump on it and it will deflate.

If your air mattress comes with a patch kit, remember to pack it.

Limit access to marshmallows throughout the year. Marshmallows are key bribes to keep the whole camping effort going. If the projection of normalcy starts to crumble outside of a stinky outhouse, remind the kids that the s’mores are coming later that night.

Finally, start planning your next camping trip as soon as you get back. Before you forget how your tent goes.