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Camp!
Thursday, September 09, 2010 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
Summer. I'm not ready to see it end (and it doesn't officially end until September 21
).
I'm not going to let it end. Yet.
It's time to head out for...one...last...summer...outing. This summer, with a toddler in tow, I decided to give camping a try. Before now, camping seemed a bit too overwhelming of an excursion. Camping with an infant, too much of a challenge for me. (I know MY limitations, but have to say, I saw several new mamas doing just fine with infants in our camping area.) As for our family, now that we have a walking, talking, and potty-trained machine, we decided to give it a try. The price of camping is definitely right, and if you are a young family looking for a reasonably priced getaway, this may be the answer you are looking for!
Before heading away from home, I gave the campout a test drive in our sunporch. Smooth sailing
. Next up, I made reservations at one of our wonderful (i.e. organized kid activities, playground, and flushable toilets) state parks. I packed up everything (and I do mean EVERYTHING) and off we went! Two days later, no one was in tears. We survived. We thrived. Now, we are heading back for one last summer weekend of fun.
Why camping? Why not?!
The outdoors is a natural teacher. There's textures (grass, pine cones, sand, etc.), there's sounds (crickets, birds, and nothing at all), and there's the simplicity of life (meaning no TV, cars, and - best yet - no place in particular to be). Yes, it's lots of packing, and - I'll admit - lots of work, but it's worth it.
Time to pack up and head out...
Have you camped with your munchkin? What has the experience taught you and your child?
