The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids: How to Plan Memorable…

Camping with children can be difficult but Helen offers a simple guide to make the trip more successful for everyone involved. She starts with planning. Planning an outing is a tough thing to teach so instead she offers some points to consider when planning a camping trip. Location is everything and researching the campsite you are going to will ease surprises when you arrive. Prepare your children with fun books about camping and information about activities you can do. For me, gear is the hardest part. Helen has nicely broken down all the parts that make up a great campsite and how to shop for them. She includes bringing along a play tent to keep the kids occupied while you set up. Then comes section 2, arrival at the site. Helen offers an amazing detailed description of setting up a campsite. I don’t think I have ever seen a better manual and I have read a ton of camping books. She offers a chapter on camp food with recipes. Then goes on to offer games and activities to keep children occupied. The book ends with a section on hygiene, first aid and safety. Camping is a daunting activity for any beginner. Add children and camping becomes forbidden. Helen Olsson has created a simple guide to break down those barriers and get the family out into the woods. I can see so much potential for this book from scouting groups, youth groups to just learning to enjoy nature as a family. ( )

I loved this book. It is fun to read and highly informative. If you are new to camping, new to camping with kids or looking for new ideas about how to make camping with kids better then this book is for you. I have recently read several books on camping, cooking while camping and cooking for kids while camping and this is the best out of all of them. The book comes with very helpful lists (I happen to love lists!). The lists are for packing equipment, packing activities for the kids, and packing and preparing food. There are very useful and basic but interesting recipes and food menus. Olsson includes very helpful information about what to do if it is raining/storming, what to do with the hours in between meals and sleeping, what to do on a hike when the kids become tired, what to do if you are far from a bathroom, and what to do when you have unhappy campers. Every page of this book has helpful tips, lists and I found myself highlighting parts on every page. What makes this book even better is Olsson's sense of humor and style of writing. The book opens up with a very funny camping before kids were in her life -- I have recounted that scene to several friends already. Olsson doesn't just give advice, she gives advice with examples of where she or a friend encountered the exact same situation and dealt with it poorly or perfectly. The personal anecdotes make this more than just a how-to-guide. In the end the book is inspiring and helpful. I highly recommend this book for anyone thinking about camping with kids or who regularly camps with kids. ( )