Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Car camping? Sounds miserable.

Sigh....

exactly people shouldn't be posting on this thread if they don't know what car camping means. obviously you won't be able to answer OPs question. I have not yet attempting any camping with my kid - maybe next year.

NP here. Many of us have camped at a campsite. And we drove to that campsite. And we parked our car near our tents. I just never called it "car camping" and have never once heard anybody else call it "car camping."

When our kids were little, we packed a long length of bright-colored rope that we laid in a circle around the fire ring. It was non-negotiable that little people did not come inside the rope unless approved by a grownup. Saved us spending the whole weekend negotiating about what defined "too close," especially when the fire was out but the embers were still dangerously hot.

Bring glow sticks or little flashlights for after dark. (And remember that it gets dark early -- dinner prep can never begin too soon.)

We do breakfast in stages. Fruit, granola bars or cereal as a first course while the adults get the fire going, then bacon/pancakes/hash browns/etc. for round 2. In between, Maxwell House makes coffee in single-serve tea bags. They are glorious on early, cold mornings.

You can never have too many snacks. And forbidden treats do wonders for motivation levels on hikes. In short, don't be afraid to use bribery to get them to see this adventure in a positive light. Right now for our kids, camping = opportunity to eat an unholy number of flaming marshmallows. And I'm OK with that.

Teach your kids to identify poison ivy. It will make everyone's lives much easier.

There is no bad weather, only bad clothing. Bring lots of dry socks and one layer that you feel absolutely sure will be way too hot -- chances are it will get worn.

Useful entertainment includes a soccer ball, a magnifying glass and bug catcher, a ziploc bag for treasures and a deck of cards. But mostly they're going to want to run with sticks, which is fine too.

A mat or towel outside the tent and another one inside help contain the gravel and dirt. Mostly. And after the 20th reminder they'll remember to take their shoes off inside the tent.

Bring lots of wipes. Lots and lots of wipes. But even so, don't look too closely at their fingernails or you'll be sorry.

PP here-- a small, battery powered lantern is also lots of fun for kids. As is a travel hammock you tie between two trees.

We camp a few times a year with our 4 yo (including this past weekend).

Foods we often cook on the fire:
Hot dogs
Grilled cheese sandwiches
Portobello burgers
Marshmallows
A can of soup

Bring foil and a small pan/pot.

Other foods:
Yogurt
Cheese & crackers
Fruit
Hummus
Chips
Pudding cups
Snacks

Other suggestions: books for bedtime, glow sticks, flashlight or headlamp for each kid, bug cage, air mattress, pillows, ball for play. We like our family size 0 degree sleeping bag. Have fun!

So strange. I've camped and backpacked and hiked the inca trail and have never heard the term car camping.

OP, post an email or send me your email and I will send you my list of stuff I pack for camping with kids.''

jennied0212 at hot mail dot com

Took our kids, age 3 and 5, this year
and they loved it. We did hot dogs and s'mores, cereal for breakfast (with shelf stable soy milk). We were not campers in the past but will definitely go again next year. Sometimes the kids have trouble falling asleep in the same tent so we brought a second smaller tent and it worked.

Anonymous wrote:We've gone car camping a few times with our now 2 and 4 year old. (And yes, I know what you mean by car camping!!!).

If the place where you are going has grills or a fire ring with a grill piece, we usually go traditional and have hot dogs for dinner, maybe with a pot of baked beans heated over the grill or camp stove, and a bag of mini carrots. S'mores too of course! Assuming you're in the area, it will probably be a little chilly, so oatmeal and hot chocolate would be good in the morning. A camping stove will definitely make your life easier in that case. Unless you feel like being adventurous, I'd just plan simple food with easy clean up for a first trip. Mac and cheese on a camping stove is also usually a hit with our kids. Trail mix, apples, PB&J are all easy too.

Our kids love going (especially the s'mores!) and have done surprisingly well. The most difficult thing for us has been getting them both down to sleep in the tent. We've had luck putting the little one to bed first and then the big one once he's already asleep. Or all snuggle in for the night together.

Oh, and don't forget the wine and baby wipes!

Agree with all of this. We've car camped with our boys several times. Cup of noodles is also a big hit with my kids. We don't bother with a stove, we cook everything with fire . We draw a line around the fire put that the kids have to stay behind.
Surprisingly, we don't pack a lot of games. A couples balls, some shovels and bucket, and lots of books to read by firelight (along with a headlamp lol)
Have fun!
Ps - my hubby likes to bring crackers, cheese and sausage to go with the adult beverages... Most campsites do not allow alcohol, some do. Usually if you aren't causing a problem no one will notice or care if you have a drink or two.

To mess with a fire*

We don't have kids yet buy camp at least once a year. We always take our griddle for lunches. We've done fajitas, quesadillas, grilled cheese, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc. that way you don't have tostada a fire. We don't take a stove.

PP again - maybe bring a pack of glow sticks since it gets dark pretty early these days. Fun for the kids, and you can find them more easily in the dark! A little lantern (as opposed to flashlights or headlamps) is really useful too.

We've gone car camping a few times with our now 2 and 4 year old. (And yes, I know what you mean by car camping!!!).

If the place where you are going has grills or a fire ring with a grill piece, we usually go traditional and have hot dogs for dinner, maybe with a pot of baked beans heated over the grill or camp stove, and a bag of mini carrots. S'mores too of course! Assuming you're in the area, it will probably be a little chilly, so oatmeal and hot chocolate would be good in the morning. A camping stove will definitely make your life easier in that case. Unless you feel like being adventurous, I'd just plan simple food with easy clean up for a first trip. Mac and cheese on a camping stove is also usually a hit with our kids. Trail mix, apples, PB&J are all easy too.

Our kids love going (especially the s'mores!) and have done surprisingly well. The most difficult thing for us has been getting them both down to sleep in the tent. We've had luck putting the little one to bed first and then the big one once he's already asleep. Or all snuggle in for the night together.

Oh, and don't forget the wine and baby wipes!

Where are you going? Are you going soon? It's pretty cold at night around here now.

What are your cooking options? If you aren't expert fire makers and don't have a stove to bring, I'd bring plenty of non-cook options (sandwich fixings, humus & veggies, fruit).

Pack your own pillows - might as well be comfortable. And some low tech entertainment options - cards, frisbee, soccer ball, etc.

Car camping is usually understood to mean that you drive up to your camp site, parking next to it, and then camping on the adjacent site. Each site has a driveway for this purpose. Usually the family/group will erect a tent next to their car/vehicle. If the family has an attachment to their car (the type you can rent or own), they can sleep in that unit, and then use the adjacent camp site as they wish -- such as for a picnic/eating meals, etc.