An active wasp nest falls onto my daughter, leeches get bigger by the second gorging on my children’s blood, face plants and scraped knees … a camping trip with family is always filled with surprises
My husband and I enjoy switching gears and the opportunity to camp with our children and extended family.
In a recent story published in What’s Up Yukon, I share many reasons my husband and I love to go camping. We leave the background noise of our daily lives behind us and welcome the sound of silence. We can truly relax and enjoy our peaceful surroundings.
A few times a year we switch gears. We camp with our grown children, our grandchildren and extended family. We all leave behind the flurry of activities, agendas and commitments at home. We have fun and enjoy each other’s company surrounded by the incredible beauty in one of our picturesque campgrounds.
The sound of silence has now been replaced by the sounds of camping fun and chaos!
Eight Helpful Tips:
A Humorous Survival Guide To Camping With Three Generations
1. Bring plenty of food, and then double the amount.
The grandchildren eat a full breakfast at their own campsite. Then they head over to our picnic table with an empty plate, begging for more food. Every single day.
2. Bring extra first aid supplies.
Face-planting, scraped knees, and unexpected allergic reactions are just a normal part of camping. Also, prepare for blisters, burns, bruises, insect bites, potential infections and the list goes on.
3. Come prepared to share embarrassing and cringe-worthy camping stories.
The grandchildren love to hear stories about their parents as children, such as when their mother accidentally stepped into a fresh cow pie wearing only her sandals.
Or, the origin story of our daughter’s excessive fear of wasps. She was playing under a tree at our campsite in the Kootenays and a nest of agitated wasps descended on her. Not a happy camper on that trip.
I still get sick to my stomach recalling the panic and scrambling to get engorged leeches off both of our daughter’s legs at Green Lake, located in the South Caribou region of B.C. This story always elicits groans and looks of disgust. Especially from me. Not a fun experience to remove leeches, getting bigger by the second, off a screaming child. Although it makes for a good story.
4. Bring playing games.
We don’t need a rainy day to play games. We always try to include our entire group, ages ranging from three to 75. Even the youngest can press the buzzer or turn over the egg timer.
The games vary each year. New games are introduced and we enjoy old favourites. Some of our recent games include: Catch Phrase, Telestrations, Junior Pictionary, Taboo, Balderdash, Snakes and Ladders, many card games including a new one to us, Dutch Blitz.
Of course, we keep the games family-friendly. Our “Cards Against Humanity” game is gathering dust at the moment.
5. Prepare to step out of your comfort zone.
At our age we still require some form of agility, mobility and especially a fun, flexible attitude to camp with our children and grandchildren.
We join in on hikes, frisbee-playing, tossing a baseball and playing badminton. We enjoy water sports, such as (trying to) balance on a surfboard, kayak, or canoe and swim across to the big log.
It may not always look pretty, especially when the canoe tips over and a part of our usually hidden anatomy is now exposed to whoever is nearby. At least we try our best and reinforce the saying, “there is no fool like an old fool.”
6. Bring plenty of snacks.
I realize I have already mentioned bringing plenty of food. Snacks fall into a separate category. I am constantly reminded how children are growing human beings and always hungry. Grandparents are a good source of snacks and treats and we rarely say, “no.”
7. Find a place to hide for an hour each day.
The welcome peace and quiet will recharge your grandparent batteries so you can stay awake past eight p.m. You do not want to miss out on one of the best parts of the day, a fun-filled evening with the entire group around the campfire.
8. The evening campfire.
It is a magical feeling to see everyone sitting around the campfire and basking in the glow of a day well spent. The flames light up the tired, happy faces as we share stories and giggles about today’s adventures.
The evening campfire always includes roasting marshmallows, popping popcorn, and making s’mores. In past years we have made banana boats which include chocolate and miniature marshmallows tucked inside a banana and then wrapped in foil. We heat this over the campfire, unwrap it and eat it with a spoon. It tastes like a warm banana split sundae. Yummy!
The Joys Of Camping With Three Generations
My husband and I enjoy the tranquil sound of silence when we are camping on our own.
We also appreciate switching gears and the opportunity to camp with our children and extended family. A quiet camping experience has now been replaced with the sounds of camping fun and chaos.
Fast forward a few years from now and I hope our grandchildren will have the privilege and opportunity to take their own children camping. They will share camping traditions passed along from their parents and grandparents.
They will take their children on a hike through the forest, and a swim in the lake, appreciating nature and the joy of new adventures. They will play games and sit around the evening campfire sharing stories and giggles.
Most of all, they will share the priceless gift of spending fun, relaxing days together, with the people they love most … camping as a family.
