On our first camping trip of the year, I assumed the kids wouldn’t need very many toys or things to keep them entertained – after all, they had sticks and a campfire to entertain them. I was wrong – the second, third and fourth time we’ve gone out camping this year, we brought along the ‘fun’ and the camping experience was so much better.
Disc Swing | If you buy one thing for fun at the campground, and want to stay on budget, spend $20 on a disc swing that you can attach to a tree at your campsite. This is especially helpful if you’re not close to the playground at your campground – or if there isn’t a traditional playground. Not only it is a great way to entertain small kids that can’t yet go to the playground alone – but you’re going to attract new friends to your campsite.
Hammock | Lounging is best done in a hammock – and that’s how it should be. If you’ve got nice weather and a book to read, or want to take an outdoor nap, the hammock is a great choice. Make sure the campground you’re staying at has plenty of trees to attach it to.
Glow Sticks and Toys | We love the Life Gear glow sticks because they last a couple of weekends, have different modes of glowing, and they make a fantastic night light – even if you are ‘glamping’ in an RV. You can find them for seven bucks at Canadian Tire, and they’re well worth it. Other fun options include things like glow balls, for an impromptu game of ‘dusk solo cup bowling’ and glow sticks for around the campfire.
Cooler (and Freezies) | For the day trips, you’re going to want to keep your food warm when you’re away from the campsite. Choosing a cooler that has the capability to keep your food cool all day is essential. For an added bit of fun, stash a few treats in the bottom (like freezies from the freezer at home).
Ogo Sports | Quite possibly the most durable (and the most used) outdoor toy that we’ve purchased for the kids – we’ve had just as much fun with it. You can find the discs at Mastermind Toys, and they come in a variety of sizes for little hands to a fun, larger size for the whole family.
Magic Fire | Never has two bucks been more exciting than Magic Fire – a bit of powder you stick into the fire and watch rainbow flames come to life, it’s one of those staples on our camping trips with the kids, as they guess which colors are going to appear next (also one of those ‘wind down’ secrets from our DADhacks of camping).
This feature is a part of a series that we’re working on to encourage families to get outside. We’ve teamed up with Go RV to explore four campgrounds in Alberta. To make it easier for your family to get out there and discover a new Alberta campground, Go RV is giving one reader the chance to win a week long RV rental to see what the RV Experience is all about.
