How to Choose a Great Family Campsite This Summer

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A camping trip is one of those rare family activities that has stood the test of time. Perhaps now more than ever, there is a certain allure to leaving all of our day-to-day obligations behind us and just hitting the road. Of course, today more than ever even your local camping sites offer more in the ways of entertainment and convenience than ever before.

Family campgrounds used to be fairly sparse in terms of amenities. The local camping sites likely had little to nothing in terms of a shower system rigged up. The larger tent sites for camping might have had enclosed bathrooms, and shady campsites were considered a good find.

Entertainment options for family camping 20 or 30 years ago probably included hiking, fishing, maybe bird watching, and perhaps a couple of card games or ghost stories told by a small fire. Part of the appeal of getting out of the house and into nature is of course the opportunity to get some screen-free time. But leaving our technology behind doesn’t need to equate to boredom.

Family camping trips now look quite a bit different, and it mostly has to do with the level of convenience we expect. One study on the camping habits of families found that about 70% stayed at local camping sites that catered to families. A campground that is family-friendly is one that has more to offer than the camping sites of our childhoods.

For example, around 87% of campers took part in several activities when on vacation. Depending on which campsite they stayed at, these activities might have included everything from mini-golf to splash pads. As one of the hardest parts of a family camping trip is keeping the kids from complaining, local camping sites that offer scheduled activities can be a life saver, if not a peacemaker.

Many family camping vacation spots will offer the aforementioned mini-golf, but others will have a pool with perhaps water slides. Other’s may have volleyball courts or kid’s playgrounds. Still others will offer a way to beat the summer heat in the form of game rooms and small movie theaters.

Adults mainly like to go camping because it gives them a chance to spend more time with there immediate family members with fewer distractions. Still, it is a wise decision to have the option of some distractions built-in to the vacation schedule. While hiking can be a great form of physical exercise, it’s fairly unlikely that your children will be thrilled with doing it every day of the trip.

This summer, why should you not plan to take some time with your family? Experts say that spending some time in nature is good for your mind, as the sound of the wind in the trees and the birds and bees can be soothing. Just remember to have a few extra activities lined up, and everyone can enjoy the trip.

4 Reasons Why Family Vacations are So Important

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Taking family vacations is so important to the bond that families build together. The benefits of the vacation extend far past the week or two that you are gone. Whether you go on family camping trips to save money or can splurge on an international adventure, there are critical benefits that your children need to experience. Here are some of the benefits of family vacations that you will notice when you start making it a regular thing.

Bonding time for the family
Life can really pass you by if you aren’t careful. You can probably look back at the day your children were born and it feels like yesterday and here they are, starting high school. The great thing about family vacations is that is offers an opportunity to really reconnect and bond again. Days probably go by where the family hardly sees one another. Between work, school, extra curricular activities, business travelling, sports, camps, church activities, community involvement and more, it’s difficult for families to make time for one another. During your camping vacations, none of you have any of these responsibilities. In fact, all you have is time. You can sit around and talk and laugh and just generally enjoy being with one another again.

Broadening the children’s horizons
It’s important that kids see that there is a whole world out there. Getting out of the country is a fantastic way to take that literally but even just getting them out of their daily routine and their own little bubble of experience will help them to see that there is a big picture that they are apart of. Something about seeing that there is a whole world outside of your little life really puts things into perspective. It could be summer camping trips or it could be a two week hike around Europe, whatever the case may be, the most important thing is to show them that they aren’t the most important thing! This will help them to be able to be friends with people of different cultures and races, it will help them appreciate different senses of humors and styles and more.

Offering a variety of experiences
Family vacations are a great way to fit in some experiences that you know your kids have not encountered. If you are taking a beach vacation you could let them learn to surf, kayak, canoe, jet ski, sail and more. If you decide to going camping then they can learn the practical skills of building a fire and using a map to go hiking. Even at a theme park you could challenge them to overcome fears by riding roller coasters and high rides. Everything could be made into an experience if you really try. Just look around the area that you are in and see what kinds of things are there that your kids have never done. It’s also never to late to start experiencing things. Find some things that you and your spouse could do that you never have before like sky diving or even tasting foods that you never dreamed you would.

Building lasting memories
This is probably one of the most important factors of family vacations. The smallest thing that really make a difference in your children’s lives. Using myself as an example, my father was a very serious and non emotional man growing up but during one family vacation we were watching a movie that really tickled his funny bone and he was laughing so hard, he had tears running down his face. To this day, that is one of my favorite memories of him. It’s great to build memories about the places that you go and the things you experience together but it’s also a great opportunity to let your family see a side of you that they really love and will also treasure.

You might not be able to afford an extravagant vacation for the family but that’s okay. The important part is that you get out there and you experience things together and have a good time. That’s what really matters when it all comes down to it. Just take a few days and get away, you will be amazing at the good it will do.