The younger that kids begin camping, the more comfortable they are with the experience. The more opportunities they have for learning about the environment, the more they’ll love and respect nature. And the more they’re involved in planning, packing, setting up camp, and breaking camp, the more engaged and excited they’ll be about the trip.

Many kids love to have an assigned role for different parts of the camping trip, like the photographer, the wildlife spotter, the Leave No Trace monitor, etc.

Planning ahead is a key to any successful camping trip, but it’s especially important when taking kids into the great outdoors. Before your first time camping with kids, try a test-run in your backyard or a friend’s backyard to make sure that your gear is shipshape and that you have everything your kids will need to be comfortable.