Camping and Fun For the Family

I’ve been checking around and I found this site shaggyoutdoors.com which has excellent family camping information. The Team Shaggy Outdoors finds products and services that are beneficial to the outdoor family, hunters, and fisherman and provide some details about the products and then where to purchase them.

I’ve been looking for a rod holder for my fly rod for some time and I found a great clip for my waders on their site.

On a recent outdoor camping and fishing trip, we were in Minnesota having a great time at the lake. When we figured it out I forgot one important item. I forgot our fishing rods. It’s hard to catch any lake trout or northern pike without a fishing pole. We didn’t forget the lures or the worms for the kids, just the rods and reels.

Have you been out to the lake recently?

Taking your family fishing or camping can make a huge difference in their life and yours.

Turning off the T.V. and shutting down the Apple iPad can change your life too. Introduce your kids or reintroduce yourself to some good old family camping fun.

In the United States there are 423 National Park Sites.

The Top Six National Parks Are

• Great Smokey Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee
• Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
• Zion National Park, Utah
• Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
• Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
• Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

There are over 6,600 State Parks in the U.S.

There is always somewhere new to explore outdoors!

Here are a few games to play!

• Hide and seek
• Frisbee
• Play Catch with a Nerf ball
• Play wiffleball
• Play kick the Can
• Get to the lake and skip some rocks
• For the older kids or parents take old golf clubs and play tree golf
• Cornhole
• Ring toss
• Board Games
• Cards
• Cribbage
• Checkers
• Horseshoes
• Water Balloon Fight
• Tug-of-war
• Lawn Jenga

There are so many games and activities to do outdoors with your family that you will be tired and looking for a vacation when the weekends are over.

Don’t forget about the best option when out with the family.

Hiking and exploring…

Take a walk away from your campsite or lake and check out a few fallen trees or rock formations. Talk to your kids about the history of the area and those who may have come before you. This is the best way to distract the kids and educate them at the same time.

Camp Do’s and Don’ts For Families

Do:

• Have Fun
• Make it about the kids
• Educate the Family about what to do if they get lost or away from others
• Provide security for kids – I’ve always had a plastic whistle for the kids when they were younger. I taught them that it was to be worn and used only camping and it was their means of letting me know where they were at or if they got lost to blow the whistle so I could find them. It’s not a toy, it’s a tool and you need to explain it that way.
• Have snacks and drinks for fun – it’s about the kids
• Have activities for daytime and nighttime
• Take a Camp Toilet – you will need it!

Don’t:

• Stress about time, food, or activities
• Keep your kids from exploring, climbing trees, or jumping off rocks
• Forget to have fun

Go Have Fun Outdoors!

When you take the family camping and exploring when they are young you might just end up with an adult who likes to be outdoors. When I think of all the places I’ve been with my boys I stop and think of the fun we had. I never tried to overdue and experience, sometimes it was about finding bugs, and sometimes it was about riding in a boat for 4 hours. But it was always about them.

Now my boys are 20 and 22 and love the outdoors. I never forced it on them, I just was an outdoors person myself. If I was heading out to hunt, fish, camp, or hike I would invite them. If they wanted to come, they did. If they didn’t, I didn’t for them. Ya, there was a time they preferred their friends over me, but now that they are older they are finding their way in the outdoors. My oldest just scheduled a three-day hike and we’re covering 50 miles. Yet it was only about 8 years ago that I didn’t think he was going to be an outdoor adventure seeker at all.

You never know what your kids will be. Get them outdoors, we need to have the right people doing what’s best for our public lands. Those people are the young adventure seekers of today!

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As an outdoorsman or outdoorswoman, you need to have the right gear to make the experience the best possible.

Start with your shoes, no wait, start with your socks. Having the correct socks will be the most important part of your outdoor experienced. So many hikers and campers don’t think about this small detail, but once you spend 3-4 days backpacking with 40 pounds of gear you have a better appreciation.

Next are your hiking shoes. What’s the terrain? Here is where you need to consider a couple of important items. The weight you are carrying and the terrain you are hiking.

If you are on a good trail with a lighter weight pack go with a more cross trainer boot. These typically have softer soles and are much more comfortable. If your backpack will be heavier with more rugged terrain then think more stability. A good hiking boot with mid-high ankle support will be an option for you.  This boot will give you more ankle support and will give your feet more structure for carrying your pack.

Next comes your clothing. What’s the weather going to be like? Expect the unexpected. Be ready for rain and be ready to change out your clothing to keep warm.

Personally, when backpacking for multiple days I will bring my trekking poles. These poles will give you stability on the tail and help keep you moving. I double mine up as a tripod for those outdoor photos. When you buy lightweight poles you can’t go wrong.

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