{"id":6696,"date":"2019-02-24T01:20:22","date_gmt":"2019-02-24T01:20:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rangetoreel.com\/?p=6696"},"modified":"2019-02-24T01:20:24","modified_gmt":"2019-02-24T01:20:24","slug":"camping-with-teenagers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rangetoreel.com\/camping-with-teenagers\/","title":{"rendered":"Camping With Teenagers: Making Camping Fun"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Camping can be a ton of fun or it can be a real drag. Who wouldn’t love to go camping? Your teenage children that’s who! Getting them to actually appreciate the forest isn’t going to be easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Getting out into the great outdoors, no phones, computers, only fresh air and quality time, with the family! You may be better off telling your teen that you’re locking them in a closet for a week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No phones service, and having to “hang out” with their family isn’t how most teenagers want to spend their weekends! Even though they might think it’s the end of the world it doesn’t have to be that way. By following these tips you should make your trip just a little more bearable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finding a way to spend quality time together is definitely a struggle. Once kids hit puberty they want to branch out away from their parents, and that’s a good thing. Wait until they head off for college, they’ll probably find their way back home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When planning a family vacation you’re never going to get everybody to agree on a location. Even though I’d love to afford monthly trips to the Bahamas that’s just not going to happen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A fun weekend getaway to a nearby campground is a little bit closer to my budget. That’s probably the last place your teenager is going to want to go. Some kids might embrace the outdoors and jump at the idea, but for the rest of Let’s face it we’re all pretty much dependent on our phones, tablets Having phone service everywhere and internet when we need it is just the way of the world. You don’t have to fight your kids and force them to give up their phones. Find fun ways to distract them so they decide to put their phones away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just do yourself a favor and plan your trip around swimming. The campground needs to either have a natural lake or pool to take a dip in. This will force them to leave their phones and actually have a good time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just face the facts, you’re not Davy Crocket out on the wild frontier. If there’s an emergency your family needs to be able to call for help. Even experienced hikers get lost or injured on the trail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You might think it’s a great idea to leave your phones in the car, but it’s actually pretty wreckless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More and more campgrounds have Wi-Fi these days, but even if they don’t you’ve probably got cell service. That being said, you still want to limit the use of your phones, and internet, so that you can enjoy your vacation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It doesn’t make sense to be on your phone the whole trip, but there’s going to be downtime. Sending out a few pics\/messages to friends is going to make everything a little more bearable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Plus you can never tell how the weathers going to be. Trapping teenagers in a small tent with nothing to do isn’t my idea of a good time. At least with a cell Just remember to bring along a few ways to charge your phones. I bought this solar charger<\/a> a few years ago and it’s worth it’s weight in gold. It has dual USB ports for charging and has a built in LED flashlight so it has multiple uses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that we got that out of the way, where do you go camping? Do yourself a favor and make it a family decision. That way you aren’t the sole bad guy when the mood inevitably turns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You have already said we’re going camp, now where is the real question. Do you want to truly “rough it” in a tent, and backpack You’re the only one that knows what’s best for your family. Either way can be fun, but truly roughing it isn’t for everybody. Convincing my teenage daughter to go without a bathroom and showers for a week just isn’t going to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don’t be afraid to approach your family and talk about this vacation. They’ll probably bitch and moan, but Make sure you take their input to heart and don’t force something that not everybody is comfortable with. Just because I like backpacking and hiking doesn’t mean everyone should.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Embrace them, and make note of the different places you can Do they like to fish? Look for fishing holes nearby, as well as boat rentals. This might just be the perfect time to rent a few jet skis. Camping doesn’t have to be about wilderness survival. It should be fun for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe you’ll want to bring a few four-wheelers or dirt bikes to go trail riding. Mountain bikes could even add a little variety to your trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So you’ve picked a place, where do you go from there? Planning a great family trip all comes down to prep work. Having a few tricks up your sleeve is what makes camping trips fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you go make lists of all the things your family likes to do, both together and alone. Think of fun easy meals that you can prepare over the fire. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bring along a big cast iron skillet so you can fry up some tasty grub. Hobo Pies are also a campfire treat that I can’t go without. Get yourself a Cast Iron Pie Maker and go to town with all kinds of crazy ingredients. Pizza and dessert pies are a must.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don’t forget your favorite pillows, blankets ETC anything that will make you a little more comfortable. Simply speaking, sleeping on the ground sucks. If you don’t want to bring a full sized air mattress at least buy a couple sleeping pads. (this is the one I use<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n I don’t care how well you plan the trip teenagers will eventually get bored. Make sure you have a radio to fill those awkward silences. You could either bring along a Is Going Without Phones and Internet Smart?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
What if There’s an Emergency<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
Go To A Campground With Wifi<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Where Should You Go Camping?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Take Everyones Input to Heart<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Come Up With Fun Activites<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Prep Work is Key<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Bring Comforts From Home<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
Don’t Forget The Music<\/h5>\n\n\n\n