Camping Lovers Guide

Camping is a very popular activity among the under Forties. People like to go hunting, fishing, hiking, walking or simply camping with their friends, family or lover. The outdoors is delightful and can be romantic. Lots of people want to get a little closer to nature and the easiest way of doing this is sleeping under canvas, or nylon or something man-made like that. Another benefit for the young is that it is inexpensive.

However, it is not only inexpensive, it is healthy and instructive. All children should go camping either with their parents or the scouts in order to learn something of nature before they get locked into a career to pay the mortgage and forget that there is life outside the city. You know, there are inner city children that do not know that milk comes from cows? How ridiculous is that?

So, if you are going to take an education in nature by the horns, you will have to have some camping equipment. Inexpensive though camping equipment is relative to the equipment required for other activities, most people still have to be a bit careful how much they spend.

If you fall into that bracket, then this article is for you. Before we get into the nitty-gritty, it is worth pointing out that if you have the money, you can do worse than just going down to the local sports shop or camping shop and buying all your equipment from them. Buy everything you need in one go and ask for a discount. if anything ever goes wrong they will remember you as a big spender and fix it for you straight away.

However, the rest of have to be a little more cautious with the cheque book. If you know a bit about camping gear from your parents or from the scouts and do not mind second-hand, then car boot sales and garage sales can be just the ticket.

Frequently people are selling things because their kids have left home and they are having a clear out or perhaps they have had more children and the pup tent is no longer any use to them.

I sold a lovely tent not so long ago for peanuts because I knew that I would never need it again. The beauty of these sales is that you can put the tent up or get the seller to put it up for a closer inspection. Look for rot, sniff for mildew, check the number of pegs and guide lines et cetera, but do not get carried away with perfection, you can buy extra pegs, lanyard and a mallet, but you do not want to have to sew up holes or replace zips or fly screen.

Classified ads are another decent source of equipment, but pick the item up yourself so that you know where to take it back if you do not have the opportunity to inspect it in the right manner before handing over the money.

EBay and Amazon are also pretty decent, but you have to do some research on the manufacturers' names and the standard retail prices otherwise you might end up buying a costly copy, a kiddies' toy tent or simply junk.

One of my favourite stores to browse is the Army and Navy Surplus store. Try going into an A&N and coming out empty-handed. If the equipment in there is good enough for our troops to risk their lives with, it's decent enough for a week in the Poconos.

Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on quite a few topics, but is at present involved with thinking about the Poconos International Raceway in Pennsylvania. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at Poconos Vacations.

categories: camping,hiking,walking,holidays,vacation,wildlife,nature,equipment,supplies,recreation,family,leisure,travel,other

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If, like many others, you have been camping with your parents but never on your own, there are a few points to remember when you first strike out on your first camping trip.

Although it may seem like it is frivolous, make sure to check all of your equipment and your tent first. Put the tent up in the yard a week or so before you are due to leave on the trip. This will help you ensure that all of the parts for the tent are there so you can properly assemble it. If it rains water will likely come in through the roof and the floor, so make sure to check for any holes.

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Most kids carry backpacks to school everyday, and pediatricians, physical therapists and parents are reporting increasing numbers of schoolchildren complaining of back, neck and shoulder pain, along with tingling or numbness in their arms and hands. This is being attributed to children carrying heavy loads of schoolbooks in backpacks and often not following backpack safety rules and using the bag improperly.

However don’t scrap your child’s backpack and run out to buy a sling bag, or briefcase type book bag. Evidence exists that says these are even more harmful than the backpack. So what is a parent to do? Backpacks if made correctly, worn properly not over packed and packed correctly, are fine. A back friendly bag will have wide padded shoulder straps, a padded back, and a waist belt.

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Not too long ago, kids seldom complained playing house with some old bed sheets or garments lying around the house which would provide them with endless hours of fun. Not the children of today. They are now more demanding and will give their parents a hard time if they don’t get them something more realistic, high-tech and colorful. Worried parents, who can’t figure out what to buy for their kids, can find a very helpful remedy in play tents.

There is a wide variety of play tents available on the market so selection should be based on size (number of children the tent can accommodate), outdoor or indoor purpose, material, design and features such as water-resistant floor, mosquito mesh etc.

Pacific Play Tents: Pacific Play Tents is one of the largest play tent manufacturers. Their most popular products include “Me too” and “Find me” play tents. The two models are made from flame retardant 70 Denier nylon and have shock-corded poles for easy assembly. The “Me too” play tent has polyethylene flooring, a “T style door with Nylon ties. The “Find me” play tent, on the other hand, has a Zipper and Velcro on the front door, and two windows that can be connected to Play Tunnels. Both the play tents cost around $25 to $30. Pacific Play Tents also have other popular products for kids such as teepee playhouses, castle playhouses, and bed tents etc.

Lucy and Michael Play Tents: Two moms decided to come up with intricately-designed, colorful play tents made from fun fabrics and sturdy pine supports, and became one of the biggest play tent manufacturers.

They call their products “heirloom-quality toys” which do not come very cheap. A single product may cost you $300 to $350, so Lucy and Michael’s play tents might not be the best option if you’re planning to buy one on a low budget.

Playhut Play Tents: SpongeBob SquarePants Bikini Bottom Hideaway is a lightweight, portable tent covered with cartoon character graphics from the hit TV show, SpongeBob. Features include a flapping door and tunnel port for expandable play, with twist 'n fold technology (patented by Playhut) for easy folding. Costs around $25 to $30.

Playhut also has a SpongeBob Squarepants Play 'N Fun tent, which is not exactly a play tent but a combination of a slumber hideaway, bean bag toss game, play tent, roll out play mat, cabana with roll-up flap door, and a crawl through tunnel port. Slightly costs higher, around $40.

Dora the Explorer Hideaway Tent: is an indoor/outdoor play tent designed for adventurous little girls built with EZ-Twist technology for ease of setting up. Made from non-woven nylon binding and steel which can be spot cleaned and air dried, it features a tunnel port for crawl-through action. Costs around $20.

Spinmaster’s Create-A-Room Adventure Zone: A Spiderman designed play tent, inflatable bed and foot pump, combined into one and specifically designed for the superhero’s fans. Poles are joined by one common elastic which allows for easy assembly and durability. Costs around $30.

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Do you know what to look for in a backpack? Now that your child has to carry a heavy load of books and other supplies back and forth from school, you need to think about buying her a back friendly pack. She of course wants a backpack in cool colors and you want her to have an ergonomically sound backpack that will last her for years.

This time you need to stand your ground. Let her choose a color from among the choices the company offers but she must have a back friendly pack. Pediatricians and parents are reporting an alarming increase in complaints of back, shoulder and neck pain, sometimes accompanied by reports of numbness and tingling in the hands and arms, which cannot be attributed to any injury or disease, other than too heavy or improperly worn backpacks.

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When it comes to enjoying a vacation on a limited budget, it is difficult to beat the appeal of the good old camping trip. After all, it costs next to nothing to pitch your tent in the back country wilderness of your favorite state or national park. A week long camping trip can often cost less than a day or two in a big city or tourist hot spot, while giving the entire family time to bond and enjoy being together.

As a matter of fact, camping is one of the most popular family activities, and many families enjoy camping together, sharing stories around a roaring fire, roasting marshmallows, swimming, fishing and all the other great things that come with a camping trip.

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For most children, summer camp is what you might call a more-and-less experience: They may have made a lot more friends while away, but they usually return home with a lot less of the clothes and other personal items than they originally packed. Blame it on the camp laundry or just childish carelessness, but that tends to be what sleepaway camp boils down to.

So, what's a parent to do? The obvious answer: Label everything.

Ah, but what parents have time to write their child's name on every piece of clothing, camping equipment, toiletries and sporting goods that kids tote off to camp each summer?

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So you want to take your kids camping just like you did as a child with your parents of grandma or grandpa. Opps the camp ground they took you to is now condos on the lake .

Let assume you are new to camping but you have some experience as a child. You will need to become familiar with camping gear. If you have a friend that camps a lot you can go with them to learn the basics.

Ah go with a friend and show him he is smarter then me not a chance. For I would never hear the end of it.

The first thing you will need is some type of shelter for you and the kids.

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Have you ever hear the saying that history repeats itself? I like to think it is true. I certainly have seen this happen within my family. My grandparents traveled to the United States from Germany as young children. Their families had never met in Germany, but on the long voyage to the United States in the late eighteen hundreds they became friends. Once they registered both families traveled to the state of Minnesota. My grandfather’s family settled in the southern part of the state and my grandmother’s family settled in the central part.

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Camping outdoors is a great way for families to spend quality time together, but it can sometimes get stressful for parents, especially those with small children. Planning and preparation are the keys to success in any event, so take a little time before your outing to plan some fun camping activities for the kids as well as the whole family.

To make things easier on you and your children, pack each day’s clothing in a separate plastic bag. At night, your little ones can return their dirty clothes to the bag and keep their clean items separate from the dirty laundry. Allow each child to choose a toy or two to bring along, but encourage them to keep it simple. Books, stuffed animals, or puzzle magazines are good choices.

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