Vancouver Issue 101

Nature Calls

Late Summer Camping Tips

It’s halfway through August and the flyers are all about school supplies. But have you really had your fill of the great outdoors yet?

We thought not. So this week SavvyMom is reminding you that it’s not too late to heed the call of the wild. Here are some tips that will help you pull off a quick and easy family adventure before the September crush begins.

Settle on a spot. There are still some reserveable spots at local provincial park camp grounds, and there are also first-come-first-served spaces for early birds. Check out family-friendly locations such as Rolley Lake (great playground in the forest) and Porteau Cove (you can’t beat the seashore for entertainment value).
If you don’t want to pay for gas, sleep al fresco under the stars in your backyard or on a sundeck—your kids will love it, and so will you.
Keep it simple. Eat tinned beans with bread and butter and hot dogs from a stick. Clean out your cupboards from home; we’ve found that back-of-the-shelf food that never seems to get touched takes on new appeal when you’re around a picnic table. If you’re looking for a wider range of fun and tasty camp food, we recommend The Scout’s Outdoor Cookbook (FalconGuides, 2008)—especially Pickaxe Pete’s Cowboy Coffee for those early mornings!

Print off one packing list for each camper, customize as needed (use drawings for pre-readers), and get the kids to be responsible for their own suitcase. We’ve laminated a set of lists, and customize them for each new trip with a dry-erase or overhead projector pen. Your kids will be travel pros before you know it!
Make sure your gear is user-friendly (and with late-summer sales on, now’s the time to get your equipment). The EZ tent from Canadian Tire literally pops up like an umbrella and comes in a variety of sizes. You might also splash out on a small battery-operated pump to take the drudgery out of filling air mattresses.
Green your clean, and keep it lean. Get one bottle of good, all-purpose liquid soap that can be used for people and pots alike. We like Dr. Bonner’s castile soap, available in health food outlets and groceries such as Whole Foods Market.
Don’t pack all their favourite toys. Bring one or two, then rely on the old-fashioned stand-bys (storytelling, easy card games and nature walks) to make this a special getaway.

Get off the grid—you’ll be glad you did.

PS…stay tuned for the next edition of EatSavvy this Saturday morning coming straight to your inbox.

Tested by Peggy TJ., North Vancouver