Last weekend, we went camping at Memorial Park with six kids! Age range: 18 months to 8 years. How fabulous that the parents are already introducing their tots to the joys of nature. Nestled amid tall coastal redwoods, our campsite made for a wonderful playground filled with wonders for the little ones. Of course they all wanted to "climb" the redwoods and find wood chips for the fire. And then they were busy toasting marshmallows for dinner. No one wanted to retire at the usual bedtime, so we all cuddled around the campfire with blankies. The morning was filled with stories around the breakfast table, followed by a swim in the watering hole, and a visit from mister banana slug. What fun!
A couple of years ago, we took our 10 year old nieces and nephew camping at Humboldt State Park in the sierras. We asked them to write a story or bring a favorite book they could share with us. That was such a great idea as were the stories. What didn't work quite so well was the long three hour ride to the camp grounds. Yeah, the "are we there yet" syndrome put in an unmistakable appearance.
Summer is too short, so pack in all the fun you can with the kids. Most National Parks offer superb Junior Ranger programs. If you can't squeeze in a whole weekend, indulge in some local hiking. For trail maps, goodies, and your own "family passport" sign up with the REI Passport to Adventure program. And you can also enroll the young ones in the WebRanger program, since we all know how much they love hangin' out on the internet.
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