family camping hacks

Keep Showers Comfortable on Trips With an RV Gas Water Heater

If you want to be sure everyone gets enough hot water for their showers on your next RV camping trip, you NEED an RV tankless water heater.

As the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting colder in the Northern Hemisphere, those of us who enjoy family camping are shifting mental gears from the joys of summer to the different joys of cooler-weather camping. I LOVE autumn and winter camping trips, but they definitely require a different mindset and different preparation.

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100 Genius Hacks to Make Family Tent Camping Easier

Whether you're new to camping or are experienced campers trying to add kids into the mix, these 100 must-have tips will make family tent camping easier.

Family Camping Essentials to Make Family Camping More Comfortable: Now that summer’s in full swing, have you been camping yet? Or are you still gearing up for your first family outdoor adventure? My hubby and I used to go camping several times each summer, until the girls entered our lives. While he wasn’t game for

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How to Protect Your Kids From Tick Bites: What Works Best?

Summer is just around the corner. Are you ready to protect your kids from tick bites? Here's what I've learned about the best way to prevent tick bites.

How To Avoid Tick Bites This Summer: Your Best Bet for Preventing Tick Bites (Originally published May 20, 2017; last updated May 2020) Summer is just around the corner in the Northern Hemisphere. Are you ready to protect your kids from tick bites? Since at least 2017, it seems that each spring brings fresh warnings

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Super Stocking Stuffers for Happy Travelers

Need some stocking-stuffer ideas for Christmas? Or a "little something" for friends' kids at the holidays? These super stocking stuffers are under $10 each!

Need some stocking-stuffer ideas for Christmas? Or a “little something” to give to friends’ kids at the holidays? These super stocking stuffers are under $10 each, and are favorites in our house for family travel. And one of the best parts? There are no batteries or sounds involved! No fighting over electronics, running out of

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Summer Science Fun: S’Mores Solar Oven (Easy DIY!)

August 10 is National S'Mores Day in the U.S. Making your own s'mores solar oven is a fun, easy project - and (shh!) your kids may learn some science, too!

How To Make Your Own S’Mores Solar Oven: Looking for some summertime fun activities for your kids? S’mores always ranks at the top of my kids’ favorite summer activities list. And making solar oven s’mores is where easy kids’ crafts meets summer fun activities for kids. With supplies you already have on hand around the

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Family Camping Splurges: My Top Ten Picks, Part 1

If you and your family like to camp, these family camping splurges will make your adventures oh-so-much-nicer.

As longtime readers know, I’m not a fan of having stuff one doesn’t need. But if you camp often enough, these family camping splurges are worth considering. And many of them have uses beyond family camping trips. I added these things to our family camping checklist after three back-to-back camping trips last summer. While we

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Permethrin Clothing Treatment: A DIY Guide (Save Money!)

Want to give your family the best protection against ticks and mosquitoes this summer? DIY permethrin clothing treatment is easier than you'd think.

Tick season is going to be especially bad this year. More ticks = more tick bites = greater risk of contracting Lyme Disease or another tick-borne illness. And as I noted in my last post, permethrin clothing treatment is your best bet to keep ticks away. Of course, you can buy clothing commercially treated with

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Responsible Kids On the Road: My Top Tips for Travel

Do you have responsible kids on the road? Maybe you’re thinking, Hah, I can’t even get my kids to be responsible for their own stuff at home, let alone when we’re traveling. (I hear ya; it’s an ongoing struggle.) But take heart. Being away from home is a great time to mold responsible kids. You’re

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Our First Family Camping Trip, Done Better (Learn From Our Mistakes!)

While there were plenty of things we did right on our first family camping trip, there are plenty of others we could have done better. Learn from our mistakes, so you don't have to repeat them!

Overall, our first family camping trip went quite well. Still, though, I’m someone who’s always looking to improve things the next time around. So on the way home from our first camping expedition with kiddos a few weeks ago, I made a list of things I wish we’d done better. Sure, it would have been

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Prepping for our First Family Camping Trip

This weekend marks our first family camping trip. My husband and I used to camp (or at least hike) every summer, back in our pre-parenthood existence. The further away from home our car-camping and occasional backpacking trips took us, the better. We’ve been kept awake all night by the foghorns near the Bay of Fundy

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