Camping is no easy chore. For beginners, you can save a lot of headaches by learning from the camping mistakes of others. Consider avoiding the following common camping mistakes on your next trip to the woods for a better time!

1. Arriving at your campsite exhausted and near dusk. Setting up camp in the dark can be a complete nightmare. Be sure to arrive with a sufficient amount of daylight left so you can get everything situated.

2. Leaving the mattress pad at home. If there’s nothing but the bottom of the tent between your sleeping bag and the ground, be ready for a restless night!

3. Leaving food or trash out overnight. Do this and you can almost certainly expect to wake up and find that an animal of some sorts has ravaged through everything.

4. Thinking a tent for four people will comfortably fit four people. Unless you like sleeping on top of your friends and family, always buy a bigger tent than you think you’ll need. Believe me, you’ll be glad you did.

5. Bringing too much stuff. People, you’re camping! You don’t need to bring your kitchen sink with you. Unless it’s an essential item, leave it at home and rough it up a bit!

6. Letting the dog off leash. Even the most obedient dogs will find it hard to contain themselves in an area full of new smells. Unless you want to be walking through the woods calling out “Sparky!? Sparky?!” all night, consider keeping your best friend curbed.

7. Setting up camp near a cliff. Going to the bathroom in the middle of the night should not be a life or death matter.

8. Bringing insufficient drinking water. If there’s one thing you don’t want to skimp on, it’s drinking water. Think about how much you think you’ll need and bring double.

9. Not bringing enough blankets. Do you know how cold it gets at night when you’re sleeping outdoors? Oh, double up on the socks too!

10. Leaving the flashlight at home. Bring several flashlights and spare batteries for each of them.

11. Forgetting bug repellent and/or sunscreen. Both of these items are crucial to enjoyable camping.

12. Not cleaning up. Camp responsibly. Clean up after yourself before you leave. The only evidence of you having been there should be your fond memories.

13. Building a fire or using a stove inside a tent. This is incredibly stupid. A torrential downpour is still no reason to start a fire in a tent. Never start a fire in a tent.

14. Setting up a beach campsite below the high water mark. Usually high tide is around midnight. If you set up camp close to the water line during the day, you’re likely to wake up to a wet campsite. You should be able to detect evidence in the sand of the high tide point from the night before. Set up camp considerably behind that mark.

15. Cooking elaborate meals. Even if you have a stove or grill, cooking at a campsite is nowhere near as nice as cooking in your kitchen. Keep the meals simple and easy!

This is a popular drinking game on college campuses, but it’s perfect for a camping drinking game as well.

What You Need:

* A long, flat surface (like a picnic table or the tailgate of a truck)
* Plastic Cups
* Ping-Pong Balls
* Beer

This game can be played one-on-one or in teams of two. Players set up 10 cups “bowling pin” style on each end of the table. The cups are filled about halfway with beer. Players on one end of the table try to throw their ping pong balls in the cups on the other end of the table. If a shot is made, the other team must consume the beer in the cup. Each team gets two shots. If they make both shots, it remains their turn, if one or both miss, it is the other team’s turn. The game is played until one team has made a shot in every cup.

Alphabet Game

This is a great way to have fun and get drunk in a hurry. Go around in a circle and say a word that starts with the next letter in the alphabet. Create a theme. So if the theme were “cities”, the first person would say “Annapolis”, the next person would say, “Annapolis, Baltimore,” while the third person would say, “Annapolis, Baltimore, Cincinnati,” and so on and so forth. When a person forgets one of the cities, they forfeit their turn and must take a shot.

I Never

While sitting around the campfire, participants take turns saying “I never…” statements. Anyone in the group who has done that particular thing has to take a drink. For example, if someone said “I never have had sex outside,” anyone who has had sex outside would have to take a drink.

What Lodden Thinks

Professional poker players started a game called “What Lodden Thinks” where they bet on the answer to a question that was asked of poker player Johnny Lodden. You don’t need Johnny Lodden to play this game though. Two people come up with a question and bet (either money or a shot) on what they think a third party’s answer to that question will be. For example, Bill and Bob are betting on how many times Jimmy thinks the average person gets bitten by a mosquito in one year. The actual answer to this question is irrelevant. All that matters is what Jimmy thinks the answer is.

So Jimmy thinks of his answer and keeps it to himself. Then Bill and Bob hold a “Chinese auction” where they establish an over/under for Jimmy’s number. So Bill might say “40,” Bob could counter with “55,” Bill could say “60,” Bob would say “72,” and Bill would say “sold”. This means Bill is betting that Jimmy’s answer is under 72 and by default, Bob wins if Jimmy’s answer is over 72. Ask Jimmy to reveal his answer and the loser takes a shot. Of course, if your “Jimmy” happens to be untrustworthy, just have him write his answer down before the auction begins.

The first thing you need to do is to protect yourself. This means wearing long sleeves and long pants whenever practical based on the weather. Mosquitoes seem to be attracted to darker colors, so choose light colors when you can. If you?re camping in an area where mosquitoes are prevalent, you might also want to consider treating your clothing with special mosquito repellents made for clothing or perhaps investing in pre-treated clothing. However, be aware that the repellents that are designed for clothing can?t be applied to the skin. Follow the manufacturer?s instructions regarding their use and laundering.

The parts of your person that aren?t covered by clothing should be treated with a mosquito repellent. The most effect ones contain various concentrations of DEET. Depending on the concentration, a product with DEET can protect you from 2-5 hours without re-application. There are also some naturally-derived repellent products on the market, but they require more frequent reapplication to be effective.

If you don?t want to have to worry about slathering on some repellent, there are some products that are available in the form of towelettes, which may be easier for you to carry around. Whatever you choose, follow the label directions carefully when it comes to application and removal. Don?t apply mosquito repellent to broken or irritated skin, or to skin that will be covered by clothing. If you don?t have a combination sunscreen and mosquito repellent product, you?ll usually get better results by applying sunscreen first, then the repellent. Don?t forget the back of your neck!

Now that you have your person protected, it?s time to think about your campsite. First, your tent should have a mesh door ? keep it closed at all times to keep mosquitoes out. This is also a good time to think about using that mosquito repellent for fabrics again. If thing are really bad, you can even use a mosquito net inside your tent. Netting is also a good way to protect yourself when you?re sitting outside and eating or cooking. Many outdoor stores sell square tent-like structures with net on the sides to keep mosquitoes away from your campsite.

A camp fire is also good for keeping mosquitoes at bay, as they don?t like the smoke. Depending on your camp site, you may or may not be able to have a campfire and you may or may not be permitted to keep it burning all night. Always follow the rules and regulations of the site where you?re camping.

In areas where mosquitoes or other flying pests are prevalent, you may want to consider treating the area. One of the newer products available is a portable device that uses butane to infuse the air with repellent over a 15 foot by 15 foot space. There are models designed especially for camping, as well as mini-models designed for easy portability. Just a few of these would provide effective mosquito protection over your entire camping area, allowing you to enjoy your camping trip without the constant threat of mosquitoes.

Hiking is a truly wonderful way to get some really good exercise in a healthy environment while enjoying the unique wonders that nature has to offer. There is nothing in an indoor fitness club that really compares to the refreshing air, the smell of flowers and trees, and the warm feeling of the sunshine on your skin producing some nice vitamin D to nourish your body. If the weather is right then now is the time to recoup any missed opportunities at natural bliss.

Hiking often seems, due to popular media and so forth, to conjure up images of people with huge mountain boots and potentially gigantic backpacks to carry on their potentially rigorous adventure through the wilderness. Taken to the extreme they may be carrying a pair of hiking poles and maybe even a knife to cut through any vegetation which may be in the way of their expedition into the vast unknown. This conceptual image of human against nature is a great misnomer and likely the reason that more people are sitting at home watching a rerun of a sitcom rather than out enjoying a refreshing hike through nature right now. Modern towns and cities can often be so void of natural vegetation that one can even forget what it is like to smell the dazzling myriad of refreshingly vibrant flora that abounds in natural environments. A patch of grass in the forest, no bigger than the size of a human, can potentially be more entertaining than any show on television. Looking closer and closer, one can see further and further mindboggling layers of the organic wonderland.

All you really need for a good hike is a pair of shoes that are comfortable to walk in. You don?t even need them, if you are hiking in a nice area and the weather is nice. We aren?t talking about trekking in the wilderness on a six-month expedition, just an hour or a few enjoying an invigorating walk through nature. It is advisable to bring a bottle of water or juice if you are hiking for more than an hour, as it is obviously wise to stay hydrated. It?s best to carry it in a small backpack or just use a small hydration backpack.

Finding a good spot to enjoy should be easy with the advent of the internet. You can likely even view the location with Google Maps or other such services. Once you have a good idea of the location, either check the forecast or be spontaneous and go on days when the weather inspires you most.

Once you start enjoying exercise in nature, it is likely that it will enhance much more than just your bodily fitness. You may even realize that you have found an even healthier health club that is free and has always been available to you.

First, one of the most important things you need to take with you on your camping trip is a good first aid kit – a box of band-aids and some Neosporin just won’t cut it. A good first aid kit should include all of the following:

Band-aids in a variety of sizes and sizes
Sterile wound dressings
Bandages (crepe and elastic)
Antiseptic fluid
Eyebath and eye drops
Q-tips
Adhesive surgical tape
Thermometer
Scissors
Safety pins
Tweezers
30+ SPF sunscreen
Insect repellent
Insect bite lotion (Stingose or calamine lotion)
Pain relief tablets
Antihistamine tablets

Most camping stores sell pre-packed first aid kits that contain all of these items, although you may need to supplement it with additional items. It’s also a good idea to include an extra supply of any prescription medications you take in your first aid kit.
But a first aid kit alone won’t treat your maladies. Print out the following tips and carry a copy in your first aid kit so that you’ll know how to cope with any incidents that occur.

Bee Stings – If you know you’ve been stung by a bee, take the following steps:

1. Scrape the stinger out using a knife edge or fingernail. Don’t squeeze the area, as this will only inject more venom.
2. Apply a cold compress or take antihistamines to reduce pain and swelling.
3. If you experience any allergic reaction with bee stings, including rash, hives or swelling of the tongue or throat, seek medical attention immediately.

Ticks – Ticks are nasty, blood-sucking nuisances that live in the woods and fields of campgrounds, and that can carry Lyme Disease and other bugs. Treat tick bites with the following steps:

1. Spray the tick with tick repellent spray or dab with kerosene.
2. Using tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upwards, removing as much of the tick as possible.
3. Treat the bite area with antiseptic and cover with a bandage.
4. Save the tick – if you experience any unusual rashes or symptoms in the following days, seek medical attention and have the tick tested.

Scrapes and Scratches – There are numerous opportunities for scrapes and scratches on the campground. If you find yourself affected, take the following steps:

1. If you notice bleeding, wash the injury and remove any debris.
2. Cover with a clean bandage and apply pressure to the area.
3. If the bleeding stops quickly, cover the wound with antiseptic cream and a clean bandage.
4. If the bleeding does not stop, apply additional bandages on top of the original, maintain pressure and elevate the affected area above the heart. Seek medical attention if the bleeding is severe.

Dehydration – Spending all day in the sun can quickly lead to dehydration if you aren’t careful. If you feel excessively thirsty or nauseous, or if your skin looks pale and clammy, take the following steps:

1. Rest in the shade or in a cool place
2. Remove any unnecessary clothing
3. Drink cool water

If symptoms don’t go away, or if you begin to sweat profusely, feel headachy or confused, seek medical attention – you may have more serious heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Seasonal Help

College students, high school students, retirees and stay at home parents may all be interested in the temporary, seasonal positions offered by many campgrounds. The following are some of the seasonal positions available at many campgrounds:

Office Help – During the busy summer season, campgrounds must maintain a small staff whose duties include checking in campers, assisting campers with questions and problems and enforcing campground rules. The work can be full- or part-time, and qualified applicants must have good customer service skills and be comfortable interacting with a wide variety of people.

Lifeguards – Some campgrounds hire part-time lifeguards to oversee camper safety in their lakes and pools. Qualified applicants must have experience working as lifeguards, and should be certified in first aid and water safety.

Environmental Educators – Many campgrounds offer educational programs for visitors of all ages. For example, an environmental educator may lead a class on identifying native flora and fauna for children staying at the campground. Employees in these positions typically have associate’s or bachelor’s degrees in environmental issues and experience developing and implementing environmental education programs.

Campground Host – Some campgrounds enlist the support of volunteers to act as campground hosts for the summer. Typically, these campers set up in a designated spot for the duration of the summer and act as a resource for other campground visitors, offering coffee in the morning and advice on local destinations and activities. Although these positions are typically unpaid, most volunteers receive free accommodations at the campgrounds where they host.

Year-round Positions

Don’t forget – people camp year-round, even in the coldest of climates. Consequently, campgrounds need to maintain a small year-round staff to accommodate these visitors. If you’re interested in working full-time, consider the following positions:

Campground Manager – The campground manager is typically in charge of the campground operations year-round. During the summer months, the manager is in charge of overseeing the seasonal staff and acting as a point of authority for any disputes that arise. In the off-season, the campground manager may take over more of the tasks formerly carried out by the seasonal staff, including checking in visitors and overseeing campground operations. Applicants interested in these positions should have experience managing facilities, preferably in the hospitality industry.

Park Ranger – State and federal forests often employ park rangers to work year-round on protected lands. Rangers may have limited policing authority and are often responsible for undertaking maintenance projects, including brush clearing and facility renovation. Applicants for these positions should have a background in law enforcement or forestry and a solid resume of prior experiences.

Of course, it’s worth mentioning that you’re not going to get rich working part-time or full-time for a campground, unless you’re lucky enough to be the owner of a popular private campground. However, most people undertake these positions out of a love of camping and the natural world and find a deep fulfillment from these aspects of their work.

Buy from a Hiking or Camping Store

Buying hiking boots is one of those times when it’s best to buy from an expert on the subject. If you’ve never purchased boots before, a professional fitter will help determine which pair is best for your feet. If you have wide feet, fallen arches or any other condition that requires special shoes, you’ll need to find hiking boots that accommodate these needs. A professional salesperson who has an extensive knowledge about the different styles of hiking boots available will be able to find the best fit for your needs.

Think Support

When you try on a pair of hiking boots, the first thing you should look for is good support in both the arch and the ankle. The arch of the boot should feel comfortable, but not too high. While you can expect the arch to settle slightly with use, an insole that feels uncomfortably high is unlikely to give enough to fit correctly. In addition, the upper portion of the boot should feel snug around the ankle, but not so tight that it will chafe with regular use. The upper boot will help to protect the ankle from rolling or twisting while hiking, but again, don’t expect it to give too much if it feels uncomfortable on your first fitting.

Examine the Construction

As with regular shoes, the way hiking boots are constructed will vary. Some boots are attached to their soles with glue only, while others are supplemented with stitching. Once you’ve narrowed down your selection of hiking boots, closely examine the construction of each of your finalists. Is the sole made out of a durable material? Is the boot made out of high quality leather, or does it feel cheap to the touch? Does the tongue appear to be connected firmly to the boot? If you have any concerns about the construction of the hiking boot, see if there’s another pair that feels better – the last thing you want is for your boot to come apart on your trip!

Consider Cost

Of course, cost shouldn’t be your first consideration – cheap boots are just that, and put your whole vacation in jeopardy. However, expensive hiking boots can easily run as much as $300 or more, so it’s important to find the right fit for both your feet and your budget. The price of the boots is often an indication of the quality of the materials used in their construction, so you’ll need to find a balance between cost and value. Spend as much as you can afford to, without taking out a second mortgage to do so.

To get started on your campfire, there are a few things you’ll need to gather, including matches, newspaper, twigs and logs of varying thicknesses. It’s probably easiest to bring the matches and newspaper from home, although you may be able to find a camp store nearby that carries these items. You can find twigs around the campground, and you can even make it a game for small children to see who can gather the most. As for the firewood, drive around the community surrounding your campground. You should be able to find at least one home that has firewood stacked for sale with a “scouts honor” cash box.

As a note, many campgrounds are asking that campers refrain from bringing firewood from home, in order to control the introduction of emerald ash borers and other pests into managed forests. Don’t waste valuable car space bringing firewood that you may just have to throw out – wait until you get to the campground to purchase firewood locally.

When you’re ready to start your campfire, begin by crumpling up several pieces of newspaper and stacking them in the middle of your fire ring. Don’t ever try to start a campfire in anything other than the cement-filled fire ring located on your site – this could have disastrous results! The best time to start your campfire depends on what you plan to do. If you intend to cook lunch or dinner over the fire, start it at least an hour ahead of time to give the coals time to form. If you’re only interested in roasting marshmallows and spending the wee hours with friends and family around the fire, shoot for a mid-evening start.

Once you have a small pile of newspapers built up in the middle of your fire ring, begin to stack the twigs vertically around the newspapers, forming a small tee-pee over them. You don’t need to completely cover the newspapers with twigs, but you do want to include enough so that the twigs will burn long enough to catch the heavier firewood on fire. Next, add pieces of firewood around the twig tee-pee in the same structure. For best results, make a pyramid of three thin pieces of firewood over the twigs, and then add 2-3 heavier logs around the perimeter.

Once your structure is set, light the newspaper in several places around the fire ring using the matches you brought along. The goal is for the newspaper to burn long enough to catch the twigs on fire, which in turn catch the thin logs and then the heavier logs on fire. If the newspaper goes out before catching the twigs, add more, being careful to avoid any pieces of paper that are still on fire. Once the fire is going, keep an eye on it, using a separate stick to nudge any falling pieces into place. At the end of the night, be sure to douse any remaining embers with water to be sure the fire doesn’t spread overnight.

Breakfast

Check your local grocery store for pre-mixed pancake batter.  In most cases, all you’ll need to do is add a certain amount of water to the package, shake to mix and pour onto a fry pan on your camp stove.  To round out the meal, pack a few eggs and some strips of bacon.  Cook the pancakes first, then the bacon and then the eggs – they’ll pick up a nice outdoorsy flavor from leftover bacon grease in the pan.  Just be sure to eat this meal within the first day or two of arriving at your campsite so that the eggs and bacon will still be fresh.  After the fresh stuff is gone, cereal and toast (check your sporting goods store for a camp stove toaster) can get you through the rest of your trip.

Lunch

Lunchmeat and deli cheese make great lunch sandwiches for the first day or two you’re at your campsite, but if you’re going to be around for longer, you’ll want to pack some non-perishable items as well.  If sandwiches are your thing, consider peanut butter and jelly or grilled cheese – their ingredients will keep longer in your cooler.  You can also try things like canned spaghetti or soups that heat up well in only one pot.  Be sure to pack plenty of goodies – like cookies, crackers and other snacks that will help round out your meals and keep hungry kids going until mealtime.

Dinner

When you’re making dinner at your campsite, you have a couple different options.  For an authentic camping experience, consider roasting hotdogs on sticks over the fire.  Just be sure to purchase pre-cooked hotdogs – there’s no guarantee that an over-excited 8-year-old will evenly roast a hotdog to an internal temperature of 160o!  If you have a Dutch oven or tripod for hanging pots over the fire, you can also experiment with stews (either canned or pre-mixed from home) or by cooking baked potatoes in the fire. 
If you’re working with a camp stove, you’re options are only limited to what food products you can bring with you or purchase from a local store.  With a single fry pan and sauce pot, you can cook up dinners as complicated as ham steaks and rice pilaf or as simple as canned ravioli and green beans.  You can also ask at the campground check-in station for directions to the nearest pizza place. If it’s nearby, you may be surprised to find out that they’ll deliver directly to the campground.

Above all, when you’re planning meals for your upcoming camping trip, think food safety first.  Meat products and any salads should be eaten within a day or two, since the temperature of your cooler isn’t as stable as your refrigerator at home.  Milk, cheese, eggs and condiments have a slightly longer shelf life, provided you ice down the cooler regularly and make sure that the items are as buried in the cooler as possible. 

Start with Short Trips

Even if you pride yourself on the month long wilderness adventure you recently took, it’s best to start young children on shorter camping trips – no more than two to three days at a time.  Camping trips – as fun as they may be – are stressful on young children, who aren’t yet used to being out of their comfort zone for an extended period of time.  Young children may feel uncomfortable when they’re away from their usual routines, even if you believe the natural world is infinitely more fascinating than the host of television programs and video games that seem to constitute a normal day in your house.  Start small, and when your children start begging to stay longer, go ahead and up the length of your trip.

Plan Your Days Wisely

However, don’t think that you need to pack more activities into these few days, just because you’re taking a shorter trip.  Camping should be a relaxing activity for you and your children – and you won’t achieve that if you plan something for every moment of every day.  All those fabulous attractions and learning opportunities will still be there next year, but if you try to shuttle your children back and forth to all of them over the span of a weekend, you’ll end up with some cranky children – at best.  Instead, shoot for one or two attractions a day, and be sure to leave plenty of time for bumming around the beach.

Look for Campgrounds with Family Amenities

Campgrounds vary widely in the amenities they have on site for families with young children.  While most have at least a playground for younger visitors, some campgrounds also feature waterfront access, picnic facilities and sports fields.  Some campgrounds even host special programming for children.  These programs are typically free to campground guests, and may include everything from identifying local plants and wildlife to junior ranger programs that teach children outdoors skills.

Get Feedback on Potential Campgrounds

So how do you tell if a campground is family friendly?  First, check online.  More and more campgrounds are setting up websites that enable visitors to look up their amenities before you make a reservation.  If you aren’t able to find a campground’s website, try giving the campground a call.  The person staffing the check-in office should be able to give you a good idea about what resources exist for families at the campground.  In addition, you might find it helpful to ask friends and relatives for recommendations – parents with first-hand knowledge of a campground may be able to tell you whether or not the campground is as family friendly as it claims to be!

Wherever you wind up going, remember to stay flexible during the trip. If bad weather hits and your children are miserable, don’t be afraid to pack up and go home. It’s far better to reschedule for a better weekend than to leave your children with a bad impression of camping!