By Luna Anderson

A camping trip with your family would be a lot of fun as long as it’s held with a little preparation. To create a safe and fascinating experience with the greatest Mother Nature, you must learn all dos and don’ts of camping to fully savor the outdoors! Follow our guide today to become a successful weekend explorer, especially when camping with your family and kids.

Stop overlooking some essential aspects that can transform your original trip into a not so fun experience. And keeping the whole family safe is the most necessary thing you need to focus to guard yourself and the others against any unwanted mishap occurring.

1. Start a campfire safely

Campfire is the essential element for your outdoors enjoyment, not only does it help you cook your meals outside, but it’s also a great way to keep you warm inside you tent. But if you don’t make the campfire correctly, the fire can become a danger and cause a risk to the whole family. Thus, before lighting the fire, make sure to do it in a spacious area or the place where is away from trees, especially bushes.

Be careful when you see some branches overhanging there, which appear to result in larges forest fires. This also means that you should avoid starting a fire nearby greenery; instead, find somewhere else that has a windbreak since it will help the fires to go smaller and under tight control.

Always prepare for camping is the most common mantra of several outdoorsmen, so starting a campfire safely is also considered as the art of camping. Please let yourself be fully equipped with an extinguisher, a fire blanket, a bucket to carry water, well just in case. Packing them will naturally safeguard your campgrounds for sure.

2. Bees or wasps, something you should be aware of

As you know, once a bee stings, it’s an uncomfortable experience, and even worsening your allergic reaction. You can find these bees or wasps making their nests from trees, so when camping, you’re recommended not just to keep both eyes on the ground but also the trees.

Once their nests are disturbed, what to do at that time is to move slowly away and note that never crush any of them if you’ve got a chance. The chemical produced from that crushed insect will be able to call its other bee fellows to attack you and your family. Once finding that the wasps or bees begin to swarm, you must look for a safe area, such as an indoor place and then move in fast.

But if you’ve got a good family tent like a 10-person tent, then you’re lucky enough to have a good shelter and keep those insects away.

Never risk yourself by staying still or jumping into a lake with the hope that the bees will be unable to touch you. That does not work! Make sure to protect both face and eyes in this case as much as you can.

Most people tend to dread them since they sting painfully, and worse than that, a bit different from bees, some female wasps can sting you several times in a row. If you’re unluckily stung, the most common reactions would be the redness, bump, and itching at the same time. These symptoms could take longer to show up and even last for a long time.

3. Well-prepared to avoid getting lost

Getting lost in a new place is not a strange thing for the campers, but if it occurs to you, the priority thing to do is to stay as calm as possible. To avoid yourself from falling into this situation, bring a mirror together with a map and a compass as well as something you find it shiny enough to reflect around.

How come? Such items allow a camper or a hiker to make a glare so that the others could find you easily once you’re suddenly cut out of your group. If not, it’s still possible to find the right direction by doing a bit of your research on the river direction in the place you’re camping.

For instance, if seeing more moss on the trees nearby, you might stay on the North side. But in case that you only travel alone, tell your family beforehand about your route and where you intend to reach on a certain number of days. Doing so can help them to be often on the lookout for you.

4. Keep yourself hydrated when camping

Your thirst means the sign of dehydration, so make sure to get water as much as how your body needs. Please make a checklist so that you could take all of the essentials that are needed the most for your camping. You should also take time and learn more about the place you’re going to camp at.  For example, how far is possibly the closest source of water?

Doing so will let you plan on the amount of water you might need the most before you have to refill your bottle of liquid. During your camping trip, once noticing any of these symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, aches in eyes, dark urine…which are the common signs of your dehydration. Here are the top 3 things to do for your safety:

1. Drink about 20 ounces of water about two hours by the time you begin to do any strenuous activity

2. Drink 10 ounces of water only 15 minutes by the time you start exercising

3. Drink 8 ounces of water every 15 minutes while you’re hiking

“Happy camping” occurs only when you come with proper planning and right gears. If going with your family, you need to guarantee everyone to be safe, especially when they have to stay in the wilderness. After sharing some great tips on how to stay safe when camping in wood, we’re sure that you can go on the unbeaten path and freely sleep under the stars with ease of mind.

Luna Anderson

Autho Bio: Luna Anderson is avid camper from Phoenix, Arizona. She loves outdoors and she wants to show people the endless possibilities of this world and open your mind to experience over possession. You can find practical tips about hiking, camping and survival skills in her blog hikertrack.com.

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Maralyn
Author: Maralyn

Maralyn Dennis Hill, The Epicurean Explorer, is president emeritus of International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association, member of Society of American Travel Writers, and Society of Professional Journalists. She is Executive Editor of Luxe Beat Magazine and contributes to other publications. She also speaks and is a guest on many shows. The majority of Maralyn’s articles are now geared to the luxury market, spas, corporate retreats, business events, and culinary tourism, from simple to gourmet. Maralyn’s description of herself: I was born to travel and tell the tale. I’m energized by different cultures in every aspect of their lives, from food, wine, and destination, to how they conduct business. Travel represents a continual geography lesson.