Camping Ideas
All you Need to Know

Even if you've never camped before camping ideas give wonderful views to make camping life more tempting.

Learn how to pack to save space and get everything safe at the camp ground.

Recycled small jam bottles handy for herbs and spices

Zip-lock bags and plastic containers with tight closing lids like Tupperware and lock-lock containers.

It's useful to store cooking oil in an empty dishwashing liquid bottle with flip top that closes tightly - make sure to clean thoroughly and mark clearly.

Place a bottle of cooking oil and other condiments into zip-lock bags remove excess air and close tightly this will prevent lid from popping off while traveling, and if it does the oil will be in the bag only.

Recycle empty containers like small bottles for storing herbs and spices.

Keep matches dry in an empty tablet container.

Empty margarine tubs make good storage containers to keep food dry.

Make ice blocks in 500g empty margarine tubs to use in cooler boxes to keep drinks cool.

Freeze meat solid and wrap in foil before storing in cooler box as this will keep meat frozen for longer periods of time.

Pack all cooking utensils in one container, pack close at hand in the vehicle, to be able to make a snack or something to drink if need be.

Keep drinking water, and things to make tea or coffee nearby for easy access to make quick drinks before setting up camp.

Take two cooler boxes one for drinks, as the family will use this more often and one for frozen foods, if the latter is kept closed tightly the temperature will be maintained for longer. Handy to have two different colors - blue for drinks and another color for frozen and other food.

Freeze water in plastic 2 liter bottles to keep foodstuffs cold in a cooler box when the ice melts you have refreshing cold water to drink or add to cool drink mixtures.

Pack dry foods in a crate to keep everything together.

Camping ideas for food and the camping food list get the creative juices flowing for food to take with.

Keeping Warm

More camping ideas for you to consider. Do not use an open flame heater inside the tent.

Use catalytic heaters in a tent with proper ventilation.

Take sufficient blankets and warm clothes to layer.

Cuddle up with a hot water bottle, two if necessary. Sometimes I put my hot water bottle on top of my lap before wrapping up in a blanket, while sitting outside.

Several layers of newspaper under the sleeping bag or mattress keeps cold from coming from the bottom.

It's cold to sleep on an air mattress always put an extra mattress insulating blanket or blanket folded double under the sleeping bag to prevent cold coming from the bottom.

Put a blanket or liner under an air mattress to prevent puncturing from the bottom.

Make a sleeping bag liner with soft fleece material. Fold double sewing up one short side and halfway up the long seam, leaving the top half open. Slide into the sleeping bag to give a cozy warm liner.

Green checkered fleece lining inside a sleeping bag

Personal Care

Always wear flip flops when using public showers.

Put wet facecloth, soap and toothbrush into a zip-lock bag or wrap in foil to prevent wetting other things in bag.

Sample shampoo and hand cream sachets are light and takes up little space. Collect and keep aside for camping trips, or pour shampoo and other products you use into small plastic containers to save space.

Sew ribbon loops onto towels and facecloth to hang on hooks in the shower cubical.

Put a drop or two of super glue on a thorn not completely under the skin, but hard to grip with a tweezer. Allow to dry for a minute or two, the thorn should come out when the glue gets pulled off.

Tie a bath plug with a long piece of elastic onto your toiletry bag or vanity bag, prevent forgetting it in the bathroom.

Numb a foot with ice before attempting to get a thorn or wood splinter out.

Camping ideas for toiletries you may need, see the camping checklist page.

Personal

When using a tarp with no eye in the corner for rope to go through, fold a round stone in the corner of the tarp then fasten the rope to form a knob in the corner, do all four. Extend the tarp and tie the ropes onto branches to form a canopy.

Cable ties handy to fasten almost anything down.

Duct tape is handy to mend almost anything even a tear in a tent.

Mark tent poles with different color insulation tapes or paint, making it convenient to know which poles belong where and easy to pitch a tent. Pitch your tent at home before the trip to make sure all the poles and pegs are there and to get to know the tent especially if it's a new tent.

Paint the tent pegs a bright colour, as they sometimes get lost when in the sand when packing up.

Keep tent pegs in separate bag from poles with a smaller one with guidelines. Roll up each guideline individually and tie, this will prevent a tangled mess when pitching the tent and tempers from flaring.

Old sheets and curtains and even worn out tents make good drawstring bags from different sizes to store tent pegs, poles, cooker tops and anything you would like to keep together or protect.

Ideas for Camping with Toddlers

Toddlers and small children may find the strange setting and routine stressful. If possible pitch your tent at home a couple of days before the trip, this will give kiddie a chance to get familiar with the new surrounding, new place to sleep and play.

Encourage them to take an afternoon nap there with the mattress or cot they'll be sleeping on during the trip.

Camping ideas for small kids helps you prepare them for the big adventure ahead.

Old shower curtain makes a good waterproof ground cover, place a rug or blanket on top for kids to play on or do their favorite activity.

Pack enough finger foods, snacks and drinks to keep them satisfied. More on camping food ideas for the family.

Make sure to have enough sun protection in the form of lotion and hats.

Take lots of extra clothing as they will get dirty and wet playing outside all day.

Wet wipes are handy to wipe dirty fingers and faces.

Take favorite stuffed toys, pillow and blanket to make bedtime familiar.

Pack sufficient outdoor toys and activities to keep them busy.

Coloring-in books and crayons as well as homemade play dough will keep them busy for hours especially when the weather turns bad. Make more than one batch of play dough and chuck away if it gets too grubby.

Sometimes toddlers and small kids take getting used to the idea of camping especially if they are used to being home most of the time. Think of fun things to do with them before the trip with camping in mind to get them to look forward to the adventure. More camping ideas will be added as we go along.