Since I am off camping with my kids, I thought I'd pull up this post from last summer. I'll give you the full trip report when we get back.

Around here, summer time is camping time. We have just a few short months of warm weather, so we need to take full advantage of it.

Our family has been camping three times this summer. With an almost 2.5-year-old and a 11-month-old, camping can be a little bit of a challenge. At least, more than it was when it was just me and my dog.

Follow up:

Some of the challenges we've faced are:

* mosquitoes
* rain
* setting up a tent in the rain and mosquitoes with a crying baby
* kid activities (Apparently, watching me read a book just isn't enough)
* bedtimes
* hygiene

There are lots of articles about camping with kids and a few are listed at the bottom of the post, but here is how we have dealt with some of these challenges and managed to have really fun camping trips.

Mosquitoes

I don't want to use DEET, unfortunately that is the most effective mosquito deterrent out there. We've tried several "natural" sprays and found that most work ok, but only for a short time--good for when you are cooking, eating or doing something where you have to stay in one spot.

Better to cover up. White clothing is supposed to keep them away, but I haven't seen that one color works better than another. Long pants, long-sleeve shirt and a hat are your best bet. Of course, the material has to be thick enough that mosquitoes can't bite through it.

Sometimes it is just too hot to cover up, so we hop in the tent and play games or read books when it becomes insufferable. Or hike quickly. For us this means carrying the boys since the 2-year-old can't outpace buzzing mosquitoes. Or hop in a lake and stay mostly submerged. I think if the bugs were really horrible, we'd have to resort to DEET, but I'll avoid it as long as I can.

A friend in the Midwest suggested Bug Bands. She lives near a lake and I imagine the mosquitoes are horrible. She says these work really well.

Rain

On one camping trip it was just me and the boys. I was setting up our humongous tent by myself when it started raining. The baby was sitting in the dirt (quickly becoming mud) and crying. Anders was "helping", which was making the whole process take even longer.

So, what do you do about rain? Revel in it! Unless you are worried about the kids getting too cold, play in it, splash in it, get wet and muddy. Kids love rain. And if it is cold, make sure you have the right rain gear. "There's no bad weather, only bad gear."

We also use it as an excuse to play in the tent a bit. I don't know why, but both boys LOVE the tent. Maybe it's the novelty.

Kids activities

Nature pretty much provides all the activity my boys need. Anders plays with rocks, Finn chews on rocks. Anders throws sticks in the creek, Finn chews on sticks.

I do bring a couple buckets and shovels (the little plastic ones you get for the beach) and some books and toys for in the tent. I just love how even the baby can entertain himself outside. My job is to just make sure no one falls in a creek or gets hurt. (And to skip a few stones myself!)

Older kids might like a scavenger hunt of items that can be found around the campsite (rock, pine cone, fallen leaf etc.). If you need more ideas, check out my post on trail games. Many of them can be used as is or adapted to a campground.

Bedtime

This is the toughest one for us. With all four of us in the tent, there are a lot of distractions that keep little ones from going to sleep. We still haven't quite figured it out, but here is where we are so far.

First, we let them stay up later hoping they will be more tired (or putting off all the effort is it going to take us...). Then one of us puts the baby to sleep first. This involves a bottle and a lot of rocking. Once Finn is asleep we bring Anders in the tent, read a couple books and get him in his sleeping bag. Then we lay there, without talking to him. Last time, my husband and I fell asleep before Anders did! It's not a perfect system.

When I had the boys alone, I resorted to putting them in the car and driving for 20 minutes. Then, I carried their sleeping bodies into the tent. I'm not proud, but it worked.

Basically, we've had to give up the idea of romantically sitting in front of the campfire, sipping glasses of wine while the boys doze peacefully in the tent. Maybe when they get older.

Hygiene

This has gone the way of sleep. I swipe them with a wet wipe now and again and call it good. Bonus if there is water we can swim in. They get a bath when we get home.

What tips do you have on camping with little ones?

Other articles on camping with kids

GORP
Amazing moms
Love the outdoors
KOA