HOW TO MAKE OVERNIGHT TRIPS SAFER, EASIER, AND MORE FUN WITH KIDS
By Jennifer Pharr Davis
Family camping is one of my favorite ways to get outdoors.
I love getting to a place where work emails can't reach me and my kids aren't glued to screens. I love booking a vacation that costs $20 a night instead of hundreds for a hotel room that's hosted countless strangers. I love the simple pleasures of creeks, lakes, and trails, cooking over a campfire, and feeling completely justified in turning in before 10 p.m.
It really is my happy place.
But that doesn't mean every minute of every camping trip has been blissful—far from it. We've had plenty of highs and lows as a family before arriving at a place where everyone genuinely looks forward to camping. Along the way, we've learned a few lessons the hard way, and I'm sharing them in hopes that your family reaches that peaceful fireside moment a little faster than we did.
1. Do Your Research Before You Go
The most miserable night our family has ever spent camping was on a picturesque deserted island in the Florida Keys. The weather was perfect. The sun was setting. And we were trapped inside our tent, scratching and swatting at swarms of biting no-see-ums while trying to explain to our young children how to use a pee bottle. The tiny biting vampires caught us completely by surprise and made us wish we had packed more bug spray.
Yes, we often worry about bears and snakes. But do you really know the biggest concerns where you're camping?
More often than not, camping hazards aren't apex predators—especially in established campgrounds. They're tiny ticks, slippery rocks, severe weather, twisted ankles, dehydration, or flaming marshmallows around the campfire. Take time to identify the risks and realities specific to your destination before you head outdoors.
2. Practice Before the Big Trip
If your kids are brand new to camping, try to get them exposed to it before you ever leave home.
Have a campout in your apartment with the windows open or practice pitching your tent outside and sleeping in the backyard. Take your kids on a day hike and talk through what it will be like to go camping together. Cook a meal on your camp stove. Go outside with your headlamp on at night.
A little practice helps everyone feel more confident and gives you the chance to discover what you might need to add to your packing list before you're at the campground.
3. Review Outdoor Safety Basics as a Family
One of our favorite camping memories came when our four-year-old son asked us while backcountry camping in Yellowstone, "Mama, can you spray me with bear spray?"
He assumed it worked like bug spray and wanted an extra layer of protection.
It was a funny reminder that kids need us to explain not only safety precautions but also the purpose of the gear we carry. Before every trip, we review the basics together so everyone knows what to expect.
If you'd like a refresher yourself, I highly recommend taking a Wilderness First Aid course before your next adventure.
4. Keep a First Aid Kit Ready to Go
One of the best decisions we've made is keeping a fully stocked first aid kit packed and ready at all times.
The kits you buy at the store are a great starting point, but you'll want to customize yours for your family's medications, allergies, and specific needs. If you're camping with kids, don't forget age-appropriate medicines.
This lesson hit home when our seven-year-old was stung twice by yellow jackets. Bee allergies run in our family, and we were over an hour from medical care. We gave him an adult dose of Benadryl to be safe.
He then asked to take a nap, and he never asks to take a nap! And he refused to wake up for dinner 5 hours later.
5. Pack Some Screen-Free Entertainment
The goal is to enjoy nature, but if it's pouring rain for a couple of hours and everyone is stuck inside the tent, you'll be glad you packed a deck of cards or a good book.
Even when the weather is perfect, slowing down with a game of UNO or reading aloud by the campfire can become some of the most memorable moments of the trip.
On one recent campout, we packed nothing more than a tennis ball. After finding a suitable stick, we spent hours playing an improvised baseball game around the campsite.
Something small, simple, and lightweight can provide hours of entertainment.
6. Stay Flexible
There's only been one time we've packed up in the middle of the night and moved campsites.
We were camping in Hawaii when a neighboring camper began acting increasingly erratic and unstable. Eventually, we quietly loaded our sleeping kids into the car, threw our tents into the back—poles and stakes still attached—and drove to another campground.
We probably would have been fine staying put. But it wasn't a risk we were willing to take. Our family has a simple rule: if it doesn't feel safe, we move.
Whether it's an uncomfortable situation, a bear, severe weather, or the smoke of a distant wildfire, we've learned that a campsite reservation made six months in advance should never outweigh good judgment.
7. Food Is Fuel—and Motivation
Whether we're backpacking or camping in a developed campground, I always pack a special treat my kids don't usually get at home. S'mores around the campfire aren't just delicious—they're a tradition, a reward, and often the highlight of the evening.
When you're camping—with kids or adults—food matters. Favorite meals become motivation to hike another mile, help with camp chores, or simply embrace the adventure.
And fortunately most camping food is pretty kid friendly. My kids think I'm the greatest mom ever when I boil water and make ramen for dinner over the camp stove. Thank you Maruchan! (I'll usually sneak in some vegetables and protein somewhere, too.)
Just be sure to establish one important family rule: No one is allowed to strip-mine all the M&Ms out of the trail mix!
8. Include Your Kids in Camp Chores
We've been camping since our kids were babies, which meant that for years we handled all the camp chores while I was also nursing babies and changing diapers in the middle of the night.
As they grew older, we kept doing everything around the campsite. It had become a habit.
Then, when they were about five and nine, and sitting around watching us set everything up I realized something had to change. They were bored AND I was making our lives harder by not teaching them how to contribute.
During a multiweek camping trip, we gave them a challenge: on the final night, they would set up camp and cook dinner themselves. In the days leading up to it, we practiced pitching tents, using the camp stove safely, and preparing meals together. When the final evening arrived, they did it all on their own.
There was a little complaining at first, but when they finished, they were incredibly proud of themselves—and celebrated with an impromptu dance party.
Now, setting up and breaking down camp is something we do together.
9. Reserve Early—or Be Willing to Walk
Popular campgrounds often fill months in advance, especially during peak season. Check reservation windows ahead of time and set reminders if there's a campground you really want to visit.
Many of our favorite campgrounds open reservations three or six months ahead, and we've learned that planning early pays off.
Of course, life doesn't always allow for that. And some of our best adventures have come together at the last minute, long after front-country campgrounds were full. When that happens, we often look for nearby backcountry campsites. As long as we're willing to hike a mile or two with our gear, we can almost always find a quiet place to spend the night.
And we intentionally keep our camping setup light – no ginormous tents and twinkle lights for us – just so this option is always available.
10. Remember That Perfect Isn't the Goal
Not every camping trip is going to be magical.
Someone will probably forget something important. Someone will complain about bugs. It will probably be a little too hot or a little too cold. There may be a noisy generator running all night in a car campground or a mouse that gets in your food at a backcountry site.
That's okay. Kids rarely remember the perfectly executed trips. They remember catching fireflies, laughing around the campfire, spotting wildlife, telling stories in the tent, and drinking hot cocoa.
It's the time together, the time outdoors, and the s'mores that keep bringing our family coming back to our double-walled second home.
The Bottom Line
Family camping doesn't require expensive gear, elaborate itineraries, or years of outdoor experience. It simply requires a willingness to get outside, embrace a little uncertainty, and enjoy time together. So Pack thoughtfully. Stay flexible. And remember: the best camping memories often come from the moments that weren't part of the plan. 
