Over the summer, our family spent each weekend at the river. We happen to live just three minutes away from a beautiful spot, so packing up the kids each Saturday morning became a ritual that we all looked forward to. The weather is starting to cool off here in Nashville and sadly our weekly trips to our secret river hangout have become a thing of the past. But, the bugs have disappeared, the leaves are turning, and now we are looking forward to going camping before it gets too cold and the snow starts falling. We’ve never taken the little kids camping before, so we are excited and a bit apprehensive for our upcoming trip. We don’t want to go to a fancy campground. We want to find something that is secluded and peaceful. I put together a fun list of dreamy camping must-haves, along with some outdoor toys for the kids and our favorite gear to bring along.
We were given an amazing yurt-style tent from Stout last year and have yet to take it out for a test-drive. It’s huge, so there is plenty of room for all six of us. I am overly excited about getting a camping stove—there’s just something about cooking outdoors! We usually grill when at the river, but this little compact stove-top will be perfect for making coffee and cocoa, hot soup, proteins, veggies, and more. Here are some other things that I’m thinking we should take along: A lantern, a folding table for food prep and card games (ahem, Uno!), air mattresses and plenty of blankets for comfort. A thermos and enamel mugs, cooking gear, hobo knives (travel silverware), a flask for the adults, warm sweaters and socks, sling shots and jump ropes for the kids. All-natural soap, a first aid kit, dog bowls for Frances, and, of course, a good cooler to keep our food fresh—Aubrey has always wanted a Yeti because they stay refrigerator-cold for up to six days, but there is no way we will be camping with small kids for that long. We will just bring along our trusty Coleman. Of course, we can’t forget the marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate bars!
Foot note: This post was really fun to put together. Now, I can’t wait to plan our trip! Happy camping!
