I mentioned in Tuesday’s post that we went camping this past weekend. Here is our recap of our Newport News Park family camping trip!

This was my first time in a tent since my pre-teenage Girl Scout days and it was the first time for the kids in a tent ever! We planned a quick 2-night trip and wanted to keep it close to home just in case. We are so thankful to have such a beautiful space at Newport News Park within a half hour from home.

Saithe informed us halfway through that she wanted to come back again next week and stay for 10 days!! 😂 Ten days may be a bit much for Mom, but I think overall the trip was a rousing success! We’re already planning a trip for the spring and where we’d want to go. Leave me a comment and tell me your favorite destinations! We learned a lot about what we would do next time, mostly having to do with organization solutions.

My favorite part of the whole weekend was watching the kids just be Wild Kids together. We brought minimal “entertainment” items – two chapter books in a series we’re reading, walkie talkies, Saithe’s camera, and glow sticks. The kids had almost no issue entertaining themselves. They made up games, explored the woods, swung in the hammocks, and played on the playground. The time passed slower than normal days seem to. We played cards over breakfast and snacks, took naps, the kids went fishing with Dad, we went on a walk and played on the playground, we roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over the campfire and finished the day reading our current chapter book by flashlight sitting around the fire.

After two nights and a day I would definitely do it again, and I think everyone in the family agrees with me! Some things I learned: organization is KEY, everything needs to have a place; never underestimate the power of a hammock and a set of walkie talkies; and when in doubt, pack more ice!

One thing I absolutely want to cultivate for my kids is this idea of an unplugged childhood. I was talking with someone recently, reminiscing about our own childhoods. We talked about how we’d stay outside all day, running through the backyards of our neighbors, playing nonstop. That kind of a childhood is exactly what I want for my kids, and I think camping brought that vision just a little more into focus for all of us. Since we’ve been home they haven’t been asking for the TV as much, they still wrestle and bicker but there’s less whining about it, and I think we’re all a little more thankful for our modern cooking devices!

Have you been tent camping? What are your favorite tips and tricks?