Nawaz: Survival Guide for Camping with Kids

Late June last year, I had my daughter a playground with an idyllic little fence hidden behind Mont Royal. I took him to Albert St. Martin Park. -Royal Avenue. With bottles full of swings, playgrounds, toys, bicycles and scooters, the park is usually crowded with children and parents. That particular morning I was shocked to find it abandoned. We were the only ones there. It felt like a rapture, but it turned out to be justSt. John's Baptismal Day. Everyone in the neighborhood seemed to leave town on a holiday weekend. So this year I decided to do the same and go on a family camping trip.

Since I had a child, I have only been able to set up a tent a couple of times. Some people book their favorite campsite five months in advance, but this year we've discovered that rushing campers can take advantage of last-minute cancellations dozens of times. I learned a few other things.

It's very easy to find out about gear. This is especially true if you have a summer sale with decathlon and Canadian tires. The absolute luxury of a 12x12 pop-up canopy with a mosquito net that fits around a camping chair, camping stove, or picnic table — where to draw the line between need and luxury. My special weakness is camping kitchen gear. A lovely 1 liter kettle, a foldable dish pot, a dish with travel cups and plates stacked inside, and a nested pot with cutlery snapping together. Rule of Thumb of Purchase: Will this item be useful in the event of a future disaster or social collapse?

I was planning to go to the sandbar. In other words, we also needed sand and water. Beach mats, umbrellas and water resistant sunscreen. I decided to get a foldable wagon to bring everything to the beach. Much better than hanging on your shoulder. (Moreover, at the bottom of my heart, how convenient it is to carry all our mundane property along the road — Arako McCarthy.)

An important camp tip.

An investment headlamp, a hands-free tool ideal for night camping work. Be careful not to misplace it between trips. And when you really need to hit the freeway, don't spend more than an hour looking for it.

Do not move the firewood. Purchase firewood at or near the campsite itself to prevent the spread of invading pests such as emerald ash bowlers.

Arrive at the campsite before dusk. Know when the sunset is and plan accordingly. Setting up a tent in the dark is not fun. Especially if it's been a while since you last set up your tent. It's even less fun while being bitten by a mosquito. If you need to set up your tent in the dark, the best tool is a headlamp (see above). If looking for headlamps is the reason for your late arrival in the first place, don't be ironic.

Please bring a hammock. Can be used as a lounge chair, bed, or even a fictitious time machine if you have kidsone that clips with a tree wrap, not one that comes with a small figure of a complex knot Please select.

Camping with children

If possible, camp with another family with children of the same age. You'll be amazed at how little parenting is, especially when both kids are playing in a time machine hammock.

Feelings of project normality and excitement. Not only does it make sense to sleep on the ground hundreds of kilometers away from home, but you also need to convince your children that it's fun to do so.

Consider investing in an air mattress. Keep in mind that the ground may feel harder than it was before the child was born.

Do not let children play unattended on air mattresses. They jump on it and it contracts.

If your air mattress comes with a patch kit, don't forget to pack it.

Restrict year-round access to marshmallows. Marshmallows are an important bribe to continue the entire camping activity. If your predictions of normality begin to crumble outside the stinking home, remind your kids to come late that night to S'more.

Finally, start planning your next camping trip as soon as you come back. Before forgetting how your tent will come together.

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