This Beginners Camping Course is for you if you are new to camping or need a quick refresher course. This guide is a quick easy read rich with links to the other areas of our website. The camping articles in the other areas of our website go into more detail on the topics covered here.
Click here to begin.
I want to take my family camping. But where do I start? The first thing you have to do is choose the type of camping you want to do. If you are unsure of what type of camping you want to do I recommend tent camping to start off with. But if you are an adventurous family you can jump right in and try Backpacking Camping or Canoe Camping. There are outdoor guides that will take you on these types camping trips for a fee. But it can be expensive. So I still say tent camping is where you should start off at. It is the cheapest way to camp. It is also a way to get your feet wet and learn about living outdoors. There are many types of camping you can enjoy. The following is a list of the different types of camping. This list is clickable. For more information click on the links.
Have fun learning about these types of camping. When you have made your choice and are ready, head on over to our camping equipment page to learn about the camping gear you are going to need. On the camping equipment page You will find camping lists consisting of the must have camping equipment you are going to need. You will also camping equipment advice, equipment reviews and links to online stores where you can buy your camping equipment.
Next article in the family camping course: When Is The Best Time Of The Year To Go Camping
It all depends on what camping activities you want to do. For most of the year, what camping enthusiasts call three season camping, you can participate in just about any outdoor activity. But as you start to get into the colder months you have a whole new set of activities you can enjoy.
The summer is the most popular season for campers. The weather is warm and the kids are out of school on their summer vacations. It is prime time for fun. There are a few downsides though.
During the summer many of the campgrounds are crowded. But don't worry as long as you plan ahead and make campground reservations in advance you will be OK.
If the campground doesn't have a reservation system, like many campgrounds at National Parks, you need to get there early to make sure you get a campsite especially on the weekends. One thing I have done in the past is I've sent a family member to the campground early on Friday to reserve a spot. This has worked out very well for for us and we haven't been disappointed yet using this camping tip.
Families are starting to catch on to the idea of fall camping.
Fall is probably the most beautiful time of year because of the changing colors of the leaves on the trees. The campgrounds are not as crowded during the fall and the weather is usually still warm enough to enjoy.
One growing trend is camping on Thanksgiving Day. Families go all out and bring all types of camping cooking equipment to cook their Thanksgiving Day feast. Pack some warm clothes though because some of the nights can get cold. There is also a possibility of early snow storms in the higher elevations.
Love adventure? Winter camping is defiantly the most challenging type of camping. Camping during the winter months takes special camping equipment, prior planning, strength and courage and skills.
The winter camping activities available are very different than during the summer. Some of the things you can do are sledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and regular skiing.
Many people love the challenge of winter camping and are very satisfied after a successful winter camping trip. Also campgrounds during winter will most likely be quiet, empty and cheaper then summer.
Spring is the season of transition. The snow is melting and it is time to go back outdoors after being cooped up inside all winter. Plants are starting to grow again and the wildlife are coming out of hiding. You can do just about everything during the spring as you can during the summer.
Furthermore, Many people who go fishing believe spring is the best time to go fishing. Camping is the best way to be at your favorite fishing spot early before it is taken by someone else.
You can enjoy a family camping trip no matter what season. Summer, Winter, Fall, and Spring offer many unique camping activities specific to that season. Just choose when you want to go camping and start planning for your trip.
Next article in the family camping course:
Camping Activities You Can Enjoy As a Family
Camping can involve lots of physical activities or you can just sit around the campsite and enjoy conversation. Some of the camping activities the whole family can participate in are
Next article in the family camping course: Camping Equipment
Family camping does take some special equipment. The type of camping equipment and the quality of the camping equipment can make or break a family camping trip.
Imagine this. Your curled up tight and warm in a sleeping bag inside of your tent. You wake up to the sound of distant thunder. The wind starts to blow gently and you can hear the soft sound of drizzle falling on the outside of your tent. Soon the gentle summer thunder shower turns into a thunder storm. You can hear lightning start to crash around you and the wind is whipping your tent around like a rag doll. All of a sudden, rip, whoosh, your tent peels away from around you and you are exposed to the downpour.
I don't just have an active imagination. This really did happen to me. One time I went camping with my family as a teenager and I just had to have my own tent. Believe me my allowance didn't go very far when I purchased that tent. I bought the cheapest and it turns out most poorly made tent on the shelf.
Ever since that day I don't buy low quality camping equipment. Still my camping equipment doesn't have to be the most expensive stuff out on the market but I make sure I buy quality. Just take it from me make sure what you buy is quality camping equipment.
I've bought and used elaborate 4 room, 15 sleeper deluxe family tents before. But you really don't need that to have a great camping trip. When you are starting off buying camping equipment for your family you don't need a lot of stuff to enjoy camping so buy quality.
Believe me you don't want to be caught in a summer storm in a cheaply made tent.
For a complete list of camping equipment you are going to need when starting off camping check out our: Bare Bones Camping Equipment Checklist.
Also go over to our Camping Equipment section of our website for articles to help you choose specific camping equipment.
Next article in the family camping course: Camping Clothing
Layer. Layer. Layer. Dressing in layers is the best advice anyone could give you for dressing in the outdoors. During Summer the regular clothes like shorts and t-shirts are fine for camping. But it can also get chilly at night during the summer especially in the mountains. During the winter what you wear on your family camping trip is critical to your happiness and well being.
So no matter what the season, you want to make sure you bring extra layers of clothing for inclimate weather. When you dress in layers you can easily put on and take off different layers to regulate your warmth.
Read this article then look around your house for things to wear for your camping trip. Camping Clothing can get expensive. Usually the more comfortable the clothing is the more you are going to pay. So try to use what you already have.
If you can help it. Stay away from cotton and choose synthetic clothing or wool. Cotton has a tendency to hold moisture and takes a long time to dry out which will decrease your comfort while camping.
During the warmer months bring at least one pair of long pants and a good waterproof jacket. If you are going to be out in the sun, a wide brimmed hat will help keep the damaging rays of the sun off your face and apply plenty of sun screen.
During the winter months you need extra clothing to keep you warm. Hypothermia is a real danger so it is critical you keep warm. Over your regular underclothes put on a good pair of long johns. Then a long sleeve shirt and long pants. Wear an extra warming layer above your long sleeve shirt and then top it off with a good water resistant winter coat.
If you are going to be playing in the snow you may want to consider a pair of waterproof snow pants to keep you dry. Getting wet during the winter is very bad. Water will quickly conduct warmth away from your body. So if after taking all the precautions you get wet, change into dry clothes immediately.
A warm cap will also help you to keep warm. Most of your body's warmth is lost through the head so a cap is critical for your well being. Wear a pair of warm gloves and winter weight socks to protect your extremities from frostbite. Lastly, the brightness of the white snow can blind you. It is a real medical problem called Snow Blindness. Wearing a pair of sunglasses will help protect your eyes from this threat.
Make sure everyone brings along the right clothes for spending time in the outdoors. Your comfort while camping depends on the clothes that you wear. If you don't take care to wear the right clothes your family camping trip can end up a disaster. But wearing the right clothing will ensure your whole family will have a fun time.
Next article in the family camping course: Setting Up Your Campsite
While camping almost everything revolves around where you are going to sleep, where you are going to eat and where you are going to play and sit. When you get to your campsite the first thing you want to do is plan where you are going to set up these areas. Some of these areas might already be designed and set up by the campground management especially the RV campsites. Usually these areas are set up in the right places so you shouldn't have to move too many things around. Just set up all of your camping equipment and enjoy your camping trip.
If you are tent camping some of the unimproved campsites might not be set up at all. The sleeping area should be set up first. Look for a flat spot with plenty of room to set up your family tent. Clear out all the rocks, sticks and make sure there are not any large roots that might damage the tent floor or make sleeping uncomfortable. Then set up your tent in this area.
Oh. I almost forgot. And watch out for animal burrows!
OK! I know I am getting sidetracked here but I just got to tell you this story!
One camping trip me and my wife got to the campground late and had to set up the tent in the dark. We were tired from the drive and were ready for bed. I found the flattest part I could find with my flashlight. I kicked away a few rocks and sticks and figured the spot would be good enough just for the night. I set up the tent and we quickly settled in.
A few hours later my wife woke me up and said, " Honey. Something keeps poking me in the back!" I told her it was just her imagination and I rolled over and went back to sleep. A little while later my wife vigorously shook me awake and said,
"HONEY! HONEY! THERE IS AN ANIMAL UNDER OUR TENT!"
Alright she finally got my attention. I rolled over and rubbed the sleep from my eyes and we moved her sleeping bag away from where she was sleeping. She pointed right at the spot and said, "He's right there." I shined my flashlight on the spot and I saw it. It must have been some rodent trying to get out of its burrow and he kept poking up through the bottom of the tent.
So in the middle of the night I was forced to move the tent to a better spot by a scared wife.
Alright, Back to business.
The next area you want to set up is the eating and cooking area. Set this area up far enough away from your sleeping area so you don't attract bugs and wildlife to your sleeping area.
It is a good idea to set this area up close to your vehicle so you don't have to lug all of that heavy equipment a long distance.
Keep this area clean and all of your food secured in your cooler when not in use. If you are in bear country make sure you use proven techniques to store your food so you will have something to eat when you need it.
The play area and sitting area should also be located away from your tent. It should be far enough away so your family members will not trip over the stakes and guide ropes of the tent. I like to include the campfire pit in this area. Also if you decide to set up the campfire here your tent will not suddenly burst into flames from being too close to the fire.
Setting up your family campsite properly will increase the enjoyment and provide for the safety of your family. Follow these simple camping tips and you will have fewer problems to deal with during your camping trip.
Next article in the family camping course: Camping Cooking Basics
One of my favorite things to do while camping is cooking over a campfire. When I first started out I used mostly sticks and foil to cook all of my food. I quickly learned there are other ways you can cook while camping including cooking with portable gas stoves. But even though there is a lot of high speed equipment out there, I would still rather cook on an open campfire. There might be some differences between cooking at home and outdoors but the basics are still the same.
Camping Cooking can generally be lumped into two different categories. Cooking at an establish campsite where your car and all the equipment you can carry are readily accessible and back country cooking such as when you are backpacking and you have to carry all the food and cooking equipment on your back .
You can cook basically the same foods at an established campsite as you do at home and you have many different options of how you can cook food. You can use a gas stove, dutch oven, grill with store bought charcoal or right over an open campfire. There are usually stores close by where you can buy other ingredients you didn't bring from home.
While backpacking though you have to rely on a backpackers stove or a campfire and light weight cooking equipment. The most common way people cook while backpacking is to bring dehydrated foods to keep down the weight they carry. Then all you have to do is add water to the dehydrated foods in a backpacking cooking pot and rehydrate them.
No matter what type of camping you are doing you want to base the types of foods on what camping activities you are going to participate in. If you are going to be sitting around fishing or just enjoying conversation regular types of food will do just fine. But if you are going to be hiking or climbing you want to make sure your food choices are high in fat and carbohydrates to fuel your activities.
Preparing some of the ingredients of your camping meals at home will save you time and hassle out at the campsite. At a permanent campsite it is best to eat fresh foods. But if you are going to be camping out in the wilderness you might want to buy some prepackaged freeze-dried foods. You can get individual ingredients or full meals from a variety of specialty companies. You can also buy, from your local supermarket, dried goods like oatmeal, instant rice, soups and pastas or no refrigeration required precooked meals in foil and plastic packaging.
You also have to consider your water source. At an established campsite water is usually readily available and comes from clean sources. But if you are backpacking or the water quality at your established campsite is poor then you want to use techniques to purify your water. Boiling your water is the best way to get rid of all of the nasties but you can also use chlorine or iodine based purifying methods although they are not as effective. You can also use a water purifier. You can buy a large one for an established campground or a small one for backpacking.
I think camping cooking tastes better then home cooking. Every time I go camping I can't wait to start up a fire. Cooking at your campsite doesn't have to be complicated just focus on the basics. It doesn't get any better than this. Learn the basics of camping cooking and your next camping trip will be a phenomenal success.
Go to our Camping Equipment section for more information on the camping cooking equipment mentioned in this article.
Next article in the family camping course: Planning Your Camping Trip
All of the camping equipment and supplies you take with you depends on where you are going to go camping and what your camping activities are going to be. The fastest and easiest way to figure out where to go camping is to ask around. Ask your family and friends that camp where the best campgrounds they camped at are and you are done. But if you don't have any idea where you are going to camp and your friends and family can't help, I have some simple planning tips for you.
Go buy a good US Road Atlas. Open it up to an area you are interested and look for a National or State Park. Pack up the family and take off. However, this is not the best way to plan a camping trip. All types of things could happen. You could get there and the campgrounds at the National or State Park are closed. Or you get there and all of the camping sites have already been taken up. Or you can't find a campground with any of the amenities you want, or camping activities you want to do nearby. Or any other number of things.
You can buy a Campground Guide Book. Flip through the guide book. Find a campground with all the amenities you could want and camping activities nearby. These camping guide books are good sources of information. They usually include lists of amenities, short little campground reviews and you can find numbers to campgrounds to make a reservation. But there are a few problems with these books. You have to buy them. They cost money. Also once they are printed that is it. It can't be updated until another edition is printed. Most of the campgrounds will be still there. But the conditions and camping amenities could have changed since the last edition. Or the campground could simply not be there anymore. Also some of these guide books are like the Yellow Pages. National and State Campgrounds might be included in these to add content. But private campgrounds have to pay to be included in these camping guide books. So you could miss out on some great campgrounds and good times.
Picking a spot to go camping on the map works, but there are a lot of problems with it. Campground Guide Books are an OK way to plan your camping trip. But there still is a better way. The way I plan a camping trip I believe is the best way. This is what I do. I use a couple of Free Online Tools to plan my family camping trips. What is great about the online tools are they are updated regularly. You can instantly see what you are looking for and find information on all the other camping activities near your destination. Two of the online resources I now are Reserve America and Google Maps
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With Reserve America you can search for campgrounds near your destination and make reservations. You can find most of the State Campgrounds, National campgrounds and KOA campgrounds in the US. Just put in where you want to go any US city or State will do, click on the amenities and camping activities you want, press a button and less then a minute Reserve America will spit out a long list of campgrounds near your destination. You can then click on each campground you are interested in. You will see all of the amenities they offer, look at maps of the campgrounds, choose a specific campsite and reserve it up to six months in advance. When you are done with Reserve America make sure you have printed the information on the campground. Note the address to the campground and go to Google Maps.
Google maps is the best free online tool for planning any family trip. Just enter your starting point and camping destination. You can add as many destinations as you want. You can also use Google Maps to search for gas stations and restaurants along your driving route. You can add these places to your route too. Click a button and Google Maps spits out your very own driving route complete with mileage and drive times. You can then print out the directions and maps or send them to your cell phone. I believe using Reserve America and Google Maps is the best way to plan your family camping trip. I can literally be done with picking the campground destination, make reservations, and figure out the route portion of the camping planning process in less than 15 minutes. Once you have these tools figured out it will save you so much time and brain power you will never go back to the old ways of planning a camping trip. Congratulations you have completed the Beginners Camping Course. By now you should be well on the way to becoming a camping expert.
Visit our Camping Equipment page for articles on how to choose specific camping equipment. You can start with: How To Choose Family Tents and How To Choose a Sleeping Bag Or if you are ready to jump in feet first check out our RV Camping section.
You can start with: Types Of RVs and How To Buy An RV. Also check out my other article on how to use the online tools: Free Online Resources For Planning Your Camping Trip.
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Resources Used In This Article: US Road Atlas Campground Guide Books, Google Maps and Reserve America