Equipment Necessary for a Successful Family Camping Trip

We found, through experience, that the first accessory we needed was a fold-up camp wagon. This enables us to transport the camping equipment from the car to the campsite without having to make as many trips to the vehicle. There are many manufacturers of this vehicle readily available, but we found that some served us better than some of the others.

Next in line would be “Safety Matches”. If you are camping in an area that allows for open fires, this is a must have item. We always brought two boxes of the safety matches and put them in zip lock bags to prevent them from getting wet and stored it with our “dry goods” supplies. A necessary accompaniment to the matches is some kind of tinder to start the kindling, before adding larger pieces of wood. Many people have their own ways of appropriating this. Many use the lint from dryers while others use “steel wool”. Kindling, such as dry grass, leaves or twigs may be found at the campsite, but it is suggested that you have a back-up.

The next item we will have to have, if we will be having a campfire is a “camp axe or hatchet”. If the camping area allows us to use local resources, this a must have item. We will need this to cut our firewood and also to drive in tent stakes. They are readily available at local camping/sporting goods stores. They can also be purchased online, ranging in prices from $18 to $70.

There are general rules in having a campfire, that should be stringently observed. It goes without saying, that children and animals should be observed to ensure that they do not go too near the campfire. Be aware of the fire risk and any bans on open fires.

Proper sleeping bags from time of year, plentiful drinking water (two liters per day per person) and please don’t forget the toilet paper and other items needed to make your Family Camping Trip enjoyable.