Indiana State Park review #3 - Tippecanoe River State Park

We have been trying for several years now to visit every state park in Indiana by visiting at least one new one each year. The past Labor Day weekend, we tried out Tippecanoe River State Park. (Our youngest son says that doesn't sound too promising - Tippy-Canoe River!) By the time we had reserved our site, all that was left were handicapped sites. The benefit is they were close to the restroom - with a paved path! 

Sites: All the sites at this campground seem to be good sized - room for kids and pets. Many of the campers this weekend had at least 1 dog with them. There are large trees on just about every site giving ample shade - great for summer camping, not so much for fall when you want to see the sun a little bit more!  There is a horseman's camp, which had many campers this weekend.  There is also a recreational building for rent as well as a youth tent area and a canoe camp.  Many options!

 

 Facilities: The restrooms were decent. The showers were large but were the push-button type that only stay on for about 20 seconds at a time. The stalls had been updated with nice wooden doors instead of the standard. There were no soap dispensers.

 Activities: There are LOTS of trails for hiking/biking that were well marked.

There is a Nature Center that's not near as nice as some we've seen, although there were lots of activities planned throughout the weekend for children.

Most that were there while we were there either had their own canoe or rented one sometime over the weekend. Great river for enjoying a nice, leisurely canoe ride.  Fishing would also be a great option, although while we were there, the river was quite low, so we didn't attempt it.





While you are there, be sure to climb the fire tower for great views.  I get a *little* uncomfortable at these heights.  (Notice I'm holding onto the rails on both sides!)

 





This was a great park to visit over a holiday weekend, because we had plenty of time to do the things we wanted to do, but still have time for playing games and enjoying each other as a family at the campsite.  It's nice when we go without another family because we don't have an "agenda" and we can just relax and spend time together.  We played many games throughout the weekend and spent some time shopping at Bailey's (discount store) in North Judson.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would place this park at a 10.  And I think one of our next purchases might be a canoe!

Free Camping Handbook!

Take advantage now!

Reader feedback!!

I'd like to hear some feedback from my readers.  I will try to do this periodically.  Just respond to the question below in the comment section!

Question:  What are your favorite camping memories and why?

 

My answer is uninterrupted family time!

 

Indiana State Park Review #2 - Mounds State Park (Anderson)

We have visited Mounds State Park (near Anderson) as a homeschool group hiking around the Indian mounds, but finally had an opportunity as a family to camp here last Memorial Day weekend.  We had super hot weather, but still managed to enjoy a hike or two.

Sites:  The campground is much smaller than some campgrounds, but the sites are a nice size.  Plenty of room for our dog and kids without feeling too crowded.  There are nice, paved drives at each site.

Facilities:  The comfort stations were not as modern as some campgrounds, but they could've been worse.

Activities:  This campground is built on the site of ancient Indian mounds.  The Interpretive Center has much history about these Woodland Indians and several of the trails pass by some of the mounds sites. 

The White River passes through this state park, so fishing is an option.  They also have a nice pool at the campground complete with a diving board.  (We spent a day there because it was so hot and humid the weekend we were there!)  The roads are decent for biking as well.

Because of the historical significance of this state park, they generally have an Archeology Weekend here and other historical events.  Just check the calendar when you book your site.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate this campground a 10 because it has a little of everything.

Hiking - Great exercise and fun for the whole family

Just about every state park you go to has several options for hiking, whether you are a beginner or are looking for a challenge. When you book a campsite, be sure to look on the website for activities or maps to find where the trails are. The best hiking experiences will be when you have prepared properly for the trip.

Essential hiking supplies:

- water


- camera


- snack
Trail mix
Granola bars - this is my all-time favorite granola bar recipe.  I make it every time we go camping, whether we are hiking or not.
Protein bars

- hiking shoes


- map of the area and/or campground

- bug spray

- first aid kit


- cell phone

- and a backpack to keep it all in


Other hiking supplies:

- knife


- thermal blanket


- emergency shelter


- extra socks - in case you walk through a creek or it starts raining. The last thing you want to do is walk the rest of your trip in wet socks. It will for sure give you blisters on your feet!

- compass or GPS

Another great family activity that goes along great with hiking is geocaching. Basically, this is a scavenger hunt. You go the website and print out caches in the area you will be in. Look at the coordinates, find those coordinates using your handheld GPS and using clues from the post on the website, locate the cache. Once you find the cache, there is generally a log book to sign. Most people take little gadgets to leave in the cache and take something from it.

Free Kindle book on Amazon

Here is another great deal for camp cooking:

Indiana State Park Review #1 - Mississinewa Lake

Mississinewa Lake Campground is one place we have camped the most often.  Usually we go with extended family, but we have also gone with our scout group.

Sites:  The electric sites are quite large in comparison to other campgrounds, leaving plenty of room for privacy.  We have also camped at the youth tent area for scouts, which have been remodeled since we have been there.  Most of the sites are flat with plenty of grass - great for tent camping.

 

Facilities:  The comfort stations have all been kept up to date with plenty of showers and roomy toilet areas.  There are also non-electric sites with pit toilets. 

Activities:  There are plenty of things to do to keep a family busy.  Since the campground is on the lake, there is fishing, boating and a beach for swimming.  Since the beach has small gravel rather than sand, building sand castles is out of the question.  But you can throw a football or frisbee.
 

 

There is a fishing pier near the beach area and there are a couple of inlets that many people use for fishing.  The campground also has a disc golf course - I believe it is a 24 hole course.  You will need to bring your own discs or purchase one in the camp store near the beach.  They also have basketball courts and volleyball close to the campground.  There are a couple of older, wooden playgrounds for the younger children.  There are several trails for hiking and a bike trail.

One thing this campground is missing is an Interpretive or Nature Center.  I always enjoy going to the peaceful Nature Center when we are camping to watch the birds.

The campground is know for it's fall camping weekends.  Although we have never camper during one of these weekends, we did drive up there one weekend and walk around the campground.  Most campgrounds were decorated and since this was close to Halloween, our boys had the opportunity to "trick-or-treat" at the campsites.  You'll have to book early if you want to camp during one of these weekends, unless you use the youth tent area or the non-electric sites.

Every year, they hold the Mighty Mississinewa Triathlon in September, if that's something you are interested in either participating in, or watching.

On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best), if give this campground a 9.  And since it's close to home, we are more likely to just head up there to camp over a weekend.

More Recipes

If you are a tent camper, you are most likely cooking over an open fire for 80% of your meals.  Sometimes hobo packs get old and you just want something different.  Here are a couple of other recipes I found in an old Family Fun magazine.

For both recipes:
Combine ingredients in a 4 1/2 inch disposable aluminum pie pan and seal it in foil.  Wrap a second layer over the pan and fold over the extra foil at the top to make a handle.  Poke a stick or tongs through the handle and hold it over a fire.  (You can also set it on the grill over the campfire).  Cook according to the directions below.  Let pack cool briefly and open carefully.

Fire Roasted Nachos

1/2 cup tortilla chips
1/2 cup Cheddar or Monterey Jack
Toppings (diced tomatoes, bell peppers, sliced jalapenos, black beans, etc)
Salsa (optional)

Cook for 10 minutes to melt the cheese and serve with salsa, if desired.

Foil Pack Mac 'N' Cheese

1/2 cup cooked elbow macaroni (plan ahead)
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar
1 Tbsp. Parmesan
1 Tbsp. milk
1/2 Tbsp. butter
salt and pepper to taste

Cook for 7 minutes until the cheese is melted.  Stir before eating.

Plans change

We've been on a couple of camping trips where we had a fun day planned and something happens to bring the plans to a halt. It's disappointing, to say the least. You try to make the best of things, but you know you only have so much time at that campground and sometimes the opportunity to return is months or years away.

Several years ago, when our youngest son was about 6 or 7 years old, we were camping at Chain O' Lakes State Park. We were fishing and my husband laid his fishing pole down on the ground instead of leaning it against the tree and our son stepped on the hook with his bare foot. We had planned to canoe later that day, but suddenly our plans changed. We had to find the closest Urgent Care center, which was about 1/2 hour away, to get the hook removed. By the time we got back, we had spent about 3 -4 hours away from the campground. Although we still had fun, we didn't get to go canoeing that year. We have not been back to that campground yet - and that was 5-6 years ago.

A couple of years ago, we went with my in-laws and sister and brother in-law to Holiday World and Splashin' Safari.  It was a family vacation - all 10 of us.  We were going to go into the park 2 different days.  We decided to do the theme park the first day because the second day was supposed to be warmer, which would be better for the water rides.  The morning of the second day, my nephew woke up with pain in his leg.  He had a cut on the bottom of his foot that had become infected and was moving up his leg.  Another unplanned trip the the nearest doctor!  He was put on an antibiotic and was told he could not go swimming and in order for it to heal faster, he should stay off the foot.  He got to ride in the kiddie wagon for that afternoon.  Bummer weekend for him!

Another time, we camped at Pokagon State Park, it rained almost the entire weekend. We had planned to bike and hike, but instead spent quality time inside the inn playing board games and ping pong. We still had a great time and we have since gone back to Pokagon.

I guess the point of this post is to be flexible.  I'm a planner. I like to have the weekend all planned out - menu plan and activities, time of arrival and departure, etc... But when you are dealing with Mother Nature, you have to be flexible. Accidents happen, illnesses and weather can delay things, mechanical failures (so far all of ours have been on the return trip home) and flat bike tires - all these things happen unplanned. If you go into a camping situation with many possibilities, then you have options. And be sure to know where the closest hospital and department stores are. :) These are great teaching moments for our kids.

Setting up your campsite

When you get to your campground, you want to first determine whether you want your living area in the sun or the shade.  If you are fall camping, you might want to be in the sun depending on temperatures.  If there are no trees on or near your site, you will be in the sun whether you like it or not!

Secondly, you should determine where the sun rises and sets and depending on where your trees are, where will the shade be at different times of the day?

If you are tent camping, you will want to find the flattest area on your campsite.  And if there has been or will be rain, you will want to stay away from dirt/muddy areas.

Also, if you are using a tent, you will need to see where your fire pit is in relation to where you want your tent.  You want to be sure it is far enough away that sparks will not ignite your tent!

Once you know where you will pitch your tent, clean that area as much as you can of sticks, nuts, rocks, etc.  If you are using a camper, be sure the area you aim your door towards is free of dirt/mud and there are no holes you could trip in.  Also, be sure you get your camper close enough to the electrical outlet.  (Ha!  Ask me why I made a point of that!)

After your living area is set up, you should work on your dining area.  If you have a dining canopy, you will want to place it over your picnic table (that should be supplied at any campground).  Make sure, again, that it is far enough away from your fire pit that you don't have sparks burn holes in your canopy.  (Again, experience has prompted this piece of advice.)

I also like to make sure to not have the picnic area too far away from the camper so there's not as much walking back and forth.  Place a table cloth over the picnic table and clamp it down.  If there is not grill over your fire pit, you might want to purchase a tripod grill.



Finally, get your lounge/lawn chairs out and set them up where you will be comfortable.  And have fun in the great outdoors!

Great Outdoor Games

When you are not swimming, fishing, hiking, biking or boating...When you're not cooking, eating or sleeping at your campsite..what are some games you can enjoy at your campsite?

Depending upon how much room you have at your site, here are some great options:

Bocce Ball (or lawn bowling) - This game is similar to shuffleboard.  One person tosses the yellow or white ball (the Palino ball).  This is now the target.  The other players then take turns to get their colored balls to be the closest to the yellow ball.




Ladderball (or Hillbilly Golf) -From a predetermined distance,  2 players or teams toss the golf ball ropes towards the ladder.  Depending on what level the rope lands on determines the number of points received.  For those with limited space, you can get just 1 ladder.




Corn Hole (or bag toss) - From a predetermined distance, 2 players or teams toss the bean bags or corn bags towards the hole on the opposite side.  You score points by your bag going through the hole or landing on the box.  This game is generally larger, and unless you had extra room, like a truck or a camper, you might find it too big for camping. Again, you can just buy one target instead of two.




Washer Toss - Similar to corn hole, but with a smaller target and smaller throwing objects.  This one would travel easier for those with limited space.




Kan Jam - 2 teams or players take turns throwing the Frisbee towards the can.  The teammate on the other side should hit the Frisbee so that it lands inside the can.  The cans fold down flat making them easy to travel.



Volleyball - 2 teams or players take turns hitting the ball over the net. Many sets also come with Badmitton rackets.




Of course my boys just bring a football to play catch, or possibly an impromptu game with friends they make in the campground.  They also grab their ball gloves and a baseball for the same purpose.  You could also bring just a Frisbee for throwing at the campsite or at the beach.  If you are near sand, you might be sure to have sand castle tools with you.

What do I look for in a campground?

There are so many campgrounds to choose from.  How do you know if it's a good campground or if it will meet your needs?  Most generally, we camp at our State Parks.  We live in Indiana and out of the 30 State Parks and Reservoirs, we have camped at 11 of them so far.  (Our goal is to visit them all before the boys are grown and out of the house.  We try to camp at at least 1 new one every year.)  We have found that the State funded campgrounds have more to do than a private campground might.  Since we are in Indiana, I will link to the best campgrounds we have found so far.  Just know that every state has great state parks to choose from.

If you have a boat, like to fish or enjoy lake beaches, you might be sure to find a campground with water within the park.  Fishing is usually better at a river rather than a reservoir.  However, you will find beaches at a reservoir and more boating opportunities.  We don't have a boat - but might occasionally take or rent a canoe.  But we have a son that loves to swim at the beaches, so we enjoy both.

The best State Park we have found for fishing and swimming is Patoka Lake State Park in southern Indiana.  We went when the boys were pretty young, so we need to visit there again.  I notice there is a disc golf course there.  (I don't think that was there before.)  I remember we did a fitness trail that the boys really enjoyed and the fishing was good when we were there.

If you like hiking and/or biking, there are many parks that offer numerous hiking trails, including mountain bike trails.  Look for a state park that has many trails to choose from at different difficulty levels.  If you have young children, or children still in a stroller, you will want to look for trails that are easier.  If you are the adventurous type, or have adventurous children, you might look for the more rugged trails.

Potato Creek State Park in northern Indiana (near South Bend) is a great park for trails.  Even in the winter time, they have cross country ski trails.   There are a few bike trails also.  Even if you'd rather walk a road, there are so many loops in this campground, that you can get plenty of walking or biking exercise without really getting off a paved road.

If you like educational trips, you might look for Interpretive Centers or good Nature Centers.  Many campgrounds provide programs throughout the year.  If you are flexible in your dates, you might plan around one of these programs.

For example, Spring Mill State Park has an annual Gus Grissom Day in the middle of July.  We visited there a few years ago.  They have special programs all day and the local Stargazers club comes in with their telescopes to allow you too view stars, sun spots and other objects in space.  Another great example of an educational trip, is to visit Mounds State Park near Anderson.  Within their park, they have Indian Mounds that were built circa 160 BC by the Woodland Indians.  They have a wonderful Interpretive Center at the head of that particular trail to explain what you will see at the mounds site and artifacts that were found within the mounds.

A week of meals

We are getting ready to go on a week long camping trip to our local church campground for Family Camp.  We will be using electricity all weekend - electric skillet, electric griddle, crockpot, etc...

I wanted to share with you my meal plan along with some recipes.  I can't guarantee that we will stick entirely to this plan.  It allows for changes due to activities that are going on at the camp and meals that we may decide to just purchase at the campground.   But it will give you an idea how we do our meals for this type of setting.  These meals are much different than what we plan if we are at a state park on our own without a set schedule to keep (like church services and family activities we have during Family Camp.)

Monday
Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs
Smokey links
Toast
Lunch
Hot dogs
Baked Beans
Raw veggies
Supper
Pizza in a crockpot
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (or substitute 1/2 lb. for Italian Sausage) (I prebrowned)
1 med. green pepper, chopped
1 med. onion, chopped
1 - 15oz can tomato sauce
1 jar (14 oz) pizza sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
3 cups spiral pasta, cooked and drained (I precooked)
2 pkg. (3 1/2 oz each) sliced pepperoni
2 cups (8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown the beef, gr. pepper, and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.  Stir in the tomato sauce, pizza sauce and tomato paste.  In a 5qt. slow cooker, layer the pasta, beef mixture, pepperoni and cheese.  Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through.

* I make my own sauces with veggies already included, so instead of taking all those sauces, I'm just taking a jar of my own sauce.  I also have to cut this recipe in half because I don't have a 5 qt. slow cooker in the camper and we don't have room for lots of leftovers anyway.

Tuesday
Breakfast
Pancakes
Fruit (oranges, apples, grapes)
Lunch
Chicken/tuna salad
Hot veggies (corn or green beans are easy)
Supper
Crockpot smoked sausage, green beans, onion and potatoes
I do the potatoes and onion in some water first for a few hours, then add the canned green beans and smoked sausage about an hour before serving.

Wednesday
Breakfast
Muffins
Cereal
Fruit
Lunch
Bean and rice tortillas
*I premake the bean and rice mixture and warm it up at the campground
1 cup brown rice (cooked)
2 cans of black beans
1 cup of corn
1 can of diced tomatoes (with green chiles if you like)
1 Tbsp. chili powder
Put in tortillas and add cheese before rolling up.
Supper
Hamburgers on the grill
Chips
Raw veggies
Corn on the cob

Thursday
Breakfast
Scrambled eggs
Bacon
Toast
Lunch
BBQ chicken sandwiches
* This is from a meal I made last week and I froze the leftover for sandwiches later
4 chicken breast
1 bottle bbq sauce
1/4 cups brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
Put all in a crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours, or until chicken falls apart
(We served it on rice the first time we had it.)
Supper
Beef Nacho Casserole
1 lb. ground beef (I pre-browned)
1 1/2 cups chunky salsa
1 (10 oz) can corn, drained (I use what we freeze from the garden)
3/4 cup Miracle Whip (or sour cream - we will use mayo since that's what we'll already have in the camper for chicken salad sandwiches)
1 tsp. chili powder
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
2 cups Colby cheese
Place ground beef in a skillet until browned; drain.  Stir in salsa, corn, mayo and chili powder.
The recipe calls for you to layer this with chips and cheese and bake in an oven.  Since we don't have an oven, I will put cheese on top in the electric skillet.  Then we will serve this mixture over crushed tortilla chips.

Friday
Breakfast
Pancakes
smokey links
fruit
Lunch
Leftovers or lunch meat sandwiches
Supper
Beef stew in the crockpot
Cubed beef
potatoes
carrots (I pre-chopped)
onion
spices (to taste)
Cook on high for 4 hours.  Mix 1 cup water with 1 Tbsp. flour in a small saucepan until thickened.  Add to the crockpot and let cook for 1 hour more.

Other than the ingredients we need for the meals, we always take:
peanut butter
honey
bread
lots of fresh and canned fruit
almonds
cheese chunks and slices
pretzels
granola bars
cookies
plenty to drink (water bottles and pop cans - which we don't normally buy, so it's a special treat for the kids)
drink mixes (and we have a 1 qt. drink container in the camper to mix lemonade or tea)
popcorn (and an air popper)
condiments

I keep the meat, eggs, milk and cheese products in the refrigerator.  Then meal type stuff until it's full.  We keep a cooler outside the camper with fruit and drinks - things that don't have to stay super cold and it's okay if the container gets wet as the ice melts.

Free Kindle Book on Amazon

To go along with my post on Hobo Packets, I noticed this free book at Amazon for Kindle. I don't know how long it will be free, so grab it quickly!

Hobo Packets

Generally when someone thinks of cooking outside, one thinks of hot dogs and burgers, chips, raw veggies and fruit.  Hobo packets are also a popular meal to cook over the fire - hamburger, potatoes, carrots and onion.  But there can be so much more to hobo packets!

Step 1: Prepare the foil
Cut 18 inch square sheets of foil.

Step 2:  Choose your meat
Chicken - cut boneless, skinless breasts into 1/2 inch wide strips or use thighs.  Season with salt and pepper.
Kielbasa - Cut kielbasa or other smoked sausage into 4 inch long pieces and halve them lengthwise.
Hamburger - Make 4 inch wide patties and season with salt and pepper
Shrimp - Shell the shrimp and season with salt and pepper
Cubed steak - Just make sure it's tenderized well
Pork chops

Step 3: Toss in some extras
Beans
Vegetables - peppers, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, onion, cauliflower, mushrooms, garlic
Fruit - apples, grapes, tomatoes
Nuts
Cheese

Step 4: Add some zip
Parsley pump up - 2 Tbsp. parsley, zest of 1 lemon, 1 clove garlic, minced
Asian Fusion - 2 Tbsp. minced cilantro, zest of 1 orange, 1 1/2 tsp. grated peeled ginger, 1 tsp. sliced green onion tops or chives
Tex-Mex - 3 Tbsp. minced cilantro, 2 Tbsp. minced chipotle chile, 1 Tbsp. sliced green onion, 1 clove garlic, minced
Vinegar splash - 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper
Ponzu Power - 2 Tbsp. ponzu (a Japanese sauce), 1 tsp. minced ginger, 1 tsp. honey, 1 tsp. sesame oil, 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, salt and pepper
Mustard Madness - 1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 2 Tbsp. lemon or lime juice, 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, salt and pepper
BBQ sauce
Ranch seasoning

Step 5: Seal, label and grill the packets
Make a campfire, or heat a grill on high.  Select your choice of ingredients and put them on one side of the foil.  Fold over the foil and roll up the edges to seal in juices.  Roll the foil as close to the food as possible.  Use a permanent marker to label the packets.  Lay the packets on the grill, on the coals of the campfire, or on the grate over a campfire flame.  Cook until the meat is cooked through - about 7 minutes per side.  Carefully remove them from the fire with fire resistant gloves.

Some varieties:
Oktoberfest
Kielbasa, butter beans, carrots, summer squash, Mustard Madness

Mediterranean Coast
Chicken breast, red potato, broccoli, red onion, feta, Vinegar Splash, Parsley Pump-up

South of the Border
hamburger, black beans, red onion, zucchini, grape tomatoes, corn, Pepper Jack cheese, Tex-Mex

Off to Asia
shrimp, red bell pepper, asparagus, pineapple, sliced almonds, Asian Fusion, Ponzu Power

BBQ Pork
pork chops, BBQ sauce, green beans, potatoes, onion

Hamburger
Mix into the hamburger meat the following:
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tsp. Montreal steak seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

(Most of these recipes came from Family Fun)

Our upgrade from tent camping

Last year, we purchased a used tent camper (pop up camper).  It needed lots of work (and still does.)  It was worth it to me to purchase one slightly damaged and put work into it than spend the extra for a "nicer" one.  Honestly, for the price we paid, we got a pretty good shell.  The canvas is still usable and doesn't leak, nor does the top leak - anymore :)

 Benefits of owning a camper:

bed - not sleeping on the ground
more weather proof
electricity
more storage
more room
refrigerator
A/C - it really comes in handy during those super hot/humid days
couch/table to sit and play games when it's raining or dark (otherwise we use the picnic table)
less time spent in set up

Drawbacks:

more maintenance
higher costs

While I'm happy with my tent camper, I'm ready for the next upgrade.  :)

Essential Camping Equipment

Obviously there are different types of camping - primitive, semi-primitive (electricity only), and modern (for campers - water/electric hookup, sometimes with sewer).  We have camped at all stages, and I have to say I prefer water/electric hookup - even while tent camping.  It's much more convenient to have electricity for cooking than cooking over the fire for every meal.  And it's much  more convenient to have water at your campsite than carrying water from the nearest spout or restroom.

So here's my Necessity List:

tent

rubber mallet

sleeping bags/bed rolls/pillows


 lantern (battery or propane)-FYI - propane lanterns are generally brighter, unless you get an LED battery operated lantern.  However, if you have children, just be aware that the propane lanterns get hot.
 

a good cooler - the larger and more insulated, the better.  A good cooler can keep a bag of ice frozen in hot
weather for a couple of days.
 

cookware -For over the fire cooking, you will want roasting sticks, a cast iron pot (or other fire safe pot) and aluminum foil.  Many campgrounds have the grills to swing over the fire pit.  You can cook meat over the
fire that way, but I wouldn't without first covering the grill with foil.

eating utensils-You can buy paper everything and plasticware, but it gets expensive after a while.  We ended up buying plastic plates, cups and silverware for everyone.

wash basin(s) and dish soap- Even if you opt for paper plates and cups, you will need to wash dishes sometime.  I have 2 basins.  One for washing and the other for rinsing.  I purchased a small, travel size dish soap for camping only.  We just refill it when it's empty.
 

kitchen utensils - can opener, sharp knife, spatula

silicone hot pad glove or other fire resistant glove


dish towels/washrags- I would go to the dollar store and purchase a package of the cheapest ones you can find.  You'll be amazed how fast you go through them!  Between wiping the picnic tables, doing dishes and other odd jobs - you can never have too many!

firestarter/newspaper - for the campfires

napkins/paper towel

trashbags - some campgrounds give you one trashbag upon entering, but not all do, so be prepared.  (Also,
be prepared to put it in your car or tie it up high on a tree limb overnight, or the unwelcome critters will
find it and make a huge mess)

first aid kit - Trust me!

bug spray - Again, trust me.  Just get one to keep with your camping equipment so you'll always have one.

Optionals:
propane stove and small propane tanks - It's so much easier to cook pancakes and eggs over a stove than figuring how to do it over the fire.  We also heat up baked beans on the stove while burgers are grilling
over the fire.  Get just a propane stove or you can get a full kitchen!
 

skillet and saucepan


Rubbermaid tubs - We finally ended up buying 2 containers to keep all our camping stuff in - one for kitchen stuff only, the other for air mattresses, sheets, and bath towels.  We ended up using some older bath
towels from the house to leave with our camping stuff so we wouldn't have to remember to pack them for
each trip. The same goes for sheets.

plastic baggies - for left overs

recycled containers or collapsible containers - for left overs

tablecloth for the picnic table at the campsite

rugs - I always use one outside the tent and another just inside the door

flashlights and extra batteries - for the night time trips to the bathroom

air mattresses and battery operated pump or one that plugs into a lighter outlet in your vehicle

clothesline/clothespins - Some campgrounds do not allow you to tie clothesline up on their trees.  In that
case, you can clip towels to the poles on your tent, or lay them over your vehicle to dry

dining canopy

There are many to choose from:  dining canopy

tools - We bought an extra screwdriver, hammer and pliers

If you are camping at a site with electricity:

extension cord
small heater/fan
radio
crockpot or other electric applicances- for easy meals
small lamp - to see inside the tent better

You can find many helpful camping tools here at Amazon:
camping gear

Tent Camping - A Beginner's Journey

Our first tent was a 4-5 person dome tent.  We slept in sleeping bags on the ground.  We were young!  (The toddler in the picture is our now 14 year old son!)

After purchasing several more tents...

...we ended up with a 10 person cabin tent.

What to look for when purchasing a tent:

1.  Standing room.  Our first tent, my husband couldn't stand up straight in any of it.  Our second tent, he could only stand up straight in the middle.  Our last tent gives him plenty of standing room throughout.

2.  Room not only for the people in your family, but also for the luggage.  Unless you plan to keep your suitcases and bags in the trunk of your car, plan to have enough room for your suitcases in the tent with you.

3.  Sleeping room.  As we got older, we realized sleeping on the ground was uncomfortable.  We quickly graduated to air mattresses.  However, in our second tent, there was no walking room once we inflated 2 air mattresses (with an area to the side for luggage.)

4.  Ease of assembly.  The dome tents are fairly easy to get up.  The cabin tent is a little more complicated, although I won't say hard.  The steel poles are much more sturdy than the flexible ones of a dome tent and they are color coded for easier assembly.  I would just say, make sure to pitch your tent in your backyard before you go on an actual trip to be sure you know how it goes up and reduce some frustration.

5.  Do you need/want a screened in room?  We had one in the second tent pictured, and I have to say, we rarely used it.  There really wasn't a ton of room in there.  Now, if you are bringing a pet along to kennel, it might serve your purpose much better.  We kept our cooler in there at night to protect it from critters.  It was also nice to have when it rained for leaving muddy shoes outside the living space without leaving them out in the open.

6.  Layout.  Our last tent has a closet in the back.  Yes, you read that right.  There are pockets and shelves in a separate zippered area in the back.  This area comes in very handy for reducing the number of suitcases and dirty clothes laying around the living area.  It also became a nice changing room for me, since I'm surrounded by boys!  There is also an optional wall we can put up to have a covered "porch" area.  We only used it when we camped without the kids because that left little room for the air mattresses.

7.  Price.  Obviously you want to get the best for your money.  If you aren't in a hurry to purchase a tent, you might look at the end of the season (August-September) when stores begin to clearance outdoor equipment out.  Shop around.  Look online.  Make a list of what features you definitely want.  I know there are some tents out there that have electricity now.

This tent is very similar to what we have:




And this one has additional bells and whistles (like electricity and a hinged door):

But there are many more tents to choose from.

Why camp?

Bugs...rain...sleeping on the ground...mosquitoes...no air conditioning...

Doesn't sound like much fun.

Family togetherness...nature...exercise...cheaper way to vacation...meeting new people...

Sound a little better?

Growing up, our family camped some.  I hated it.  Period.  I hated sleeping on the ground.  I hated being stuck in a tent when it rained.  I hated the bugs.

After I got married and we began our family, I realized that camping is a cheaper way to vacation and see many things.  Of course it has gotten better as our boys have gotten older.  We didn't camp for many nights at a time when they were younger - and we didn't venture too far from home.

Getting away from the house, the TV, the Wi-Fi, etc. brings about more family togetherness.  We play games, we bike, we hike, we fish, and we just sit around the campfire and TALK!

As this blog continues, I hope to help make your camping experience a little easier with little tips we have learned over time.  And for those fellow homeschoolers, we have counted many school days on camping trips!  I hope you will continue to visit and share this blog with your camping friends.