Safety Tips for Camping with Kids

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Camping is incredibly fun but it doesn’t come without its risks. When you take kids camping with you it doesn’t take long to realize that there are a lot of ways a kid can get hurt while camping with the family.

These camping safety tips will help you keep your kids safe so you can enjoy your camping trip stress free. 

Safety Tips for Camping with Kids.

Keep kids away from the fire.

Camp fires can be incredibly dangerous particularly if you have a young child that may run past it or an older child that could proper their feet up on the side of the fire without thinking.

If camping with babies or toddlers use a pack and play to keep really young children back from the fire.

For older children use a physical marker to remind kids of their boundaries. Place rocks or twigs marking how close they can get to the fire. Place your campfire seating farther away from the fire than you might on an adults only trip.

Take water safety devices with you if you will be camping near water. Accidents happen and you don’t wanna be caught unprepared.

When camping near a lake pond or stream take life jackets for your children so they can enjoy swimming or water sports safely. 

Stock the first aid kit.

Even with all of the best safety plans figured out you can still deal with accidents, cuts, scrapes, and other issues. When packing for your family camping trip plan ahead and restock your travel first aid kit with handy additions like Quick Clot and a quality pain relieving burn treatment. 

Keep kids hydrated. It is easy for kids to forget to slow down and drink water when they are having fun.

Be mindful of how much water your child is drinking on your camping trip. Dehydration can leave your child feeling sick or foggy, this can lead to trips, falls, and accidents. 

Dress children appropriately. While it can be tempting to wear shorts on a hike through the woods kids need to be reminded to wear pants and long sleeves where they may come in contact with biting insects or plants like poison ivy. Skip the sandals for boots or sneakers when walking through the woods to prevent foot injuries. 

Be mindful of wildlife. When camping you must remember that you are visiting the home of wild animals and should teach your children to be mindful of this as well.

Store food in containers that prevent the smell from attracting wildlife and be careful to make noise when moving around in the woods to alert animals of your presence.

Set age appropriate boundaries while camping and hiking. Once you arrive at the campsite, point out the boundaries of where your children may walk and play independently or with their siblings.

Younger kids may need to stay within eyesight of the tent, while older kids may have more freedom if they understand their boundaries.

Older children should be reminded to tell an adult where they plan to go anytime they plan leave sight of the tent. Supplying older children with watches is a great idea. Give them a specific time to check back in with an adult. You can even set a timer each time they want to explore to remind them to check back in at frequent intervals.

Teach children what to do if they do get lost. Many kids panic if they feel lost, but if you’ve gone over what they should do, it helps them stay calm. It is easy for kids to get confused and overwhelmed, often making their situation worse by wandering farther off in the wrong direction.

Tell children exactly what to do if they feel lost, and make them repeat the steps to you at least once a day while camping. These instructions may change as children get older. Many of the ideas in this travel safety post are good teaching children what to do when lost while camping as well.

Use a whistle and teach kids to blow it if they get lost in the woods or wilderness. Whistles are such an easy way to ensure kids can loudly call for help if they get lost. Plus, kids love to wear and use whistles! All of my kids wear a whistle when camping either around their neck (or hooked onto their hiking pack when out exploring).

Camping as a family is a great way to create awesome family memories- these safety tips will help ensure your trip is safe as well as fun!