Making Camping Fun for Preschoolers

I've always been an avid outdoorsy-type. Hiking, backpacking, and camping were among the highlights of my life prior to having my daughter. For the first few years of her life, camping trips were short, few, and far between. But, now that she's four years old, it's become much easier and more practical to go camping with her. Our last camping trip was a wonderful success. Here are some of the ways I made camping fun for my preschool-age child.

1. Talk about it. When I told my daughter we were going camping, she seemed unimpressed. When I told her we would be seeing a huge waterfall, would be riding a horse for the first time, and would get to sleep snuggled between her parents, her attitude shifted dramatically. Talk about your specific camping plans with your preschooler to help her feel excited about the trip.

2. Bring toys and books. The whole purpose of a camping trip is to get away from it all, but there are certain amenities from "it all" that are useful to bring on a trip. I let my daughter bring two books and her favorite toy, and that was sufficient to keep her happy and entertained while also giving us all a much-needed detox from the daily grind. I recommend keeping video games and movies at home. Camping should be screen-free time, even though it should still be entertaining.

3. Bring on the junk food. If there's one time when it's okay for your preschooler to eat marshmallows and candy, it's on a camping trip. While healthy staples should still form the bulk of your camping fare, you can keep the experience fun by introducing junk foods that your kid isn't typically allowed to have. This will emphasize that it is a special experience and a vacation.

4. Keep activities fun and kid-friendly. Maybe you want to just spend the evening by the camp fire with a beer, but, when you've got a preschooler in tow, it's important to keep your activities kid-friendly. Tell stories. Lace together flower necklaces. Teach your child how to build a fire (carefully, of course, and with hands-on supervision). Sing songs. Play "I Spy." There are many, many fun things that you can do with your preschooler while on a camping trip.

5. Make it an adventure. Preschoolers love the idea of exploration and adventure, so emphasize that it's exactly what camping is about. Describe hikes as heroic adventures rather than grueling woodland walks. Talk about woodland survival, bringing up hypothetical situations about how you could survive if you were forced to camp forever. The idea of camping as an adventure, rather than a trip with family, makes it far more fun to young children.

Preschool age is a perfect time for children to begin to truly and completely enjoy camping trips. By taking steps to make your camping trip more fun for your child, you help to ensure that the experience is enjoyable for all involved.