Article - Camping does not just have to be outdoors

Let me start off by introducing myself. My name is Oliver Hill and I am the owner and CEO of Head Outside, I have written this blog post to give new and existing families, advice and support with camping with the children. I worked in childcare with ages from 3 months to 4 years for 4 years and I am NVQ level 2 qualified in childcare.

The perception of camping is that it is mainly just for the outdoors, but when we take a minute to think about it, it becomes clear that there is no reason why we cannot pitch up a tent inside! I do not mean pitch up a massive 9 man tent in the living room by why not just pitch up a small pop up 2 man tent for the children to enjoy.

Children love camping as we all know, but going camping for the first time with the children can be a scary process, not just for the parents but also the children. The children will be in a strange environment that they have not encountered before, so by introducing camping to the children before the holiday is a win, win situation. Anybody with children will know that when children change classrooms at school or start a new club where they do not know anybody they can sometimes become nervous and trepidation can kick in, that’s why easing children into camping should be given the same respect as starting a new class!

So how can we ease our children in?

Let us start by getting the children involved in picking the camping holiday. Let the children feel that they have had a good say in where to stay and this will also heighten the excitement for the children because they will feel happy with the campsite hey have picked. Let the children use Head Outside’s simple to use campsite finder.

Now if you are new to camping and are yet to buy anything to go camping with then why not get the children involved in looking through our website and letting them explore the site and helping pick out the new tent, sleeping bags and other camping accessories.

Now that you have your new tent and other bits and bobs let’s get the children involved in learning how to pitch the tent, plus by letting them pitch the tent by the time you do go camping the children can do it all while you sit back and watch! Guide your children in how to pitch the tent and give them as much advice and engorging words throughout the pitching.

Now let’s have a practice run, if the tent is small to fit into your front room, then why not pitch up the tent in there to save the tent from getting dirty and grubby. Again, it is important to get the children involved in pitching the tent, just remember to remove all the breakable items from inside the room beforehand!

With the tent pitched in the front room why not get the children to spend a night in there by themselves regarding the children ages. Show the children how to zip up and down the tent in case they need the emergency loo break during the night.

Before the children spend their first test night in the tent it is important to draw up a small list of rules on what the children cannot do in the tent, just like we all set rules for our children at home on what they are allowed to do and what they are not allowed to do it is just as important to set rules for the tent. Some tents recommend that shoes are not worn in the tent and by applying simple rules like 4 or 5 that children can remember this will let the children know what they can and cannot do. Also, why not get the children involved in drawing a design and writing a cool, funky design rule poster that you can display in the tent each time you go camping.

Before we set the children down for the first night in the tent let’s get the children to go and get their bedding and other bits they want to bring into the tent for the night, you could even give the children have a small torch and maybe a book or tablet to use at night depending on your tent rules!

So the time has come for the children to have their first ever night in a tent. We have built up the excitement for the children by getting them involved in as much as possible before hand but now it is time for the children to be independent and go camping by themselves, (in the front room only).

So it is over, the first ever night is over and the children are awake, probably very early! However, let’s ask the children how was it? How easy did they fall asleep? In addition, most importantly, do they want to do it again?

So these are some simple steps on how to get the children involved in camping, remember when booking and planning a holiday for the family it is not just you but the whole family so get those children involved.

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