Bring On The Adventure

We have been camping with our kids in our rv since about 2005. Like the others have said, we take easy meals that have been mostly prepared ahead of time as well as hot dogs that the kids love to cook over the fire. S'mores is also a camping tradition. We also keep a bin right inside the front door for dirty shoes to help keep the dirt contained. Over the years, we have found that hanging a camp shower, soap, and a hand towel outside the rv allows for quick and easy hand washing and helps keep the mess inside down. We also always make sure to take some paracord, or anything similar, that can be strung between trees to act as a clothesline for any towels or clothes that may get soaked (especially useful when we are camping by a lake or at the beach). We do always plan an hourish of quiet time after lunch. Some read, others work on crosswords or word searches, and many times several end up taking a nap. When our kids were younger, we would use ribbons to set the boundaries they must stay in. We also have each kid wear a whistle whenever they are not inside the trailer. We tell them if they ever accidentally get separated from us to stay right where they are, blow their whistle, and we will find them. Not long after we started camping regularly we witnessed this happen to a family and saw how it had helped them find they lost 6 year and ever since we had our kids wear a whistle. As far as games, we take some family favorites like dominos, cards, scribblish, twister, clue, but we also occasionally bring along a new one. We also bring a few movie options for in the evening to help everyone wind down and get ready for bed. We love to go hiking or do scavengar hunts. It is just so peaceful and relaxing. I hope you all have a great time.

Also on the practical side, if you run into any issues with your rv, feel free to ask around the campground. When we were starting out sometimes an issue would arise and we found fellow rv-ers to be extremely helpful and now that we have been doing it as long as we have, we too have been able to help several others.

This may sound weird, but even if you don't have babies, bring BABY WIPES. They are SOOO handy. I always have a pack in the vehicle and in the trailer. Quick easy clean up, especially if there is no soap available. Other than that, I bet searching "camping" on Pinterest will give you a ton of ideas. Have a blast! Can't wait to read about it! (Hubby and I are thinking about taking an Oregon coast camping trip next summer.)

I don't even like to camp and you guys make it sound great!!!

Have fun, Ali!

Scavenger hunts! Geocaching!

I didn't read ALL the comments so these may be double or triple ideas/thoughts. My parents had us camping and doing MAJOR road trips since I can remember. We always had car bingo I think it's called in the car. Might want to have bags for each individual child for the road...their favorite things to do or eat. Pudgy pie makers are an awesome meal for the kids as a make your own meal. You need a fire to make them, but that's ok because then dessert can be Smores. Don't for get the smore stuff! PAPER TOWELS!!! LOTS OF THEM! Your scavenger hunt can be a list of things that you make before you leave home and think of things that you can find in the wilderness. Like a black stone, a pine cone, a stick, different kinds of leaves, etc. We always made these things with Pillsbury biscuts! You find a "green" stick and take off the bark off of the top part and then have the kids roll the biscut into a log. Then you take the rolled out biscut and wind it around the stick. Brown it over the fire and then when it is all browned you slide it off and dunk it in melted BUTTER, the roll it in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. YUM!!! So GOOD!!! Hope it all goes well for each and everyone of you!!!

Aspects I learned are critical to fun vacations start with "Consider the personalities". I learned a written full plan worked best because not everyone likes the same things. So, DH tolerates the water activity because he knows tomorrow we'll visit some relic; this goes for everyone. With ad hoc planning, we end up doing more of what Dad wants, leading to grumpiness. "On the fly" may not work for everyone; I've got two that can't do sudden changes so I figure out a way to provide transitions.

Consider how each one recharges. Introverts NEED time alone; extroverts NEED people from whom they suck energy. (Why yes, I am an introvert. "Murder, death, kill" crossed my mind on vacay with a very extroverted person. Until I realized the issue and spoke up.)

Stop every hour. It helps preserve adult legs and gives kids time to spill some energy.
Have kids put one complete outfit including undies and socks in a Ziploc bag. Grab and go to get dressed, place for dirty clothes to be stashed. Bring extra socks! We always identify a drop n go laundry. It's worth the money to let someone else do the job! And the space saved by bringing less clothes is great.
Bring extra hair thingies; the elves take them.
If cell service is iffy, use airplane mode or your batteries will drain super fast.
Consider treating RV as a place used only for getting from point A to point B, minimal cooking, and sleeping - especially if the campground has handy bathrooms and showers. Bring sheets for kids to sit on the ground, chairs for adults, screen unit if bugs are bad, pop up 'roof' thing for shade; whatever makes sense for the area.

All the food suggestions are good; I've eaten every one over the years. One of my favorites is baked apples. Shove whole apple on a sturdy green twig. Roast over coals ala marshmallows. Once done - a judgment call - peel the skin and roll the apple in cinnamon sugar. (I love the sound the steam makes as it hisses from tiny tears in the skin.)

Most importantly, remember that civilization is nearby, no matter how desolate it seems at the campground. If it's forgotten, or you run out, whatever - shrug and make do or go buy it. But triple verify you aren't forgetting the wine!

I am sure you will guys will have a blast! We got our kids a fun new game recently called Spot It. It was an instant hit and fun for all ages. Small, too, so not a lot to lug around. I even threw it in my purse when we went out to eat the other day and the kid played while waiting for our meal.

this sounds so fun and awesome and I hope you folks have the best time!!

Growing up, we'd go on 2-3 week long camping trips during the summer in our camper. Some of my favorite memories. During the day, dad would fish and sometimes my,mom, brother and I would go along. Others, we'd drop him off at his designated fishing spot for the day and then go exploring. Checking out hiking trails, local towns, panning for gold. And the others, we'd stay at or near the campsite - playing games, reading, exploring nearby, using our imaginations.

At night, once Dad was done fishing, we'd have dinner (either at the campsite or once during the week, we'd eat "out" in one of the nearby towns). Bedtime was pretty early but I definitely recommend flashlights for people who may want to stay up and read or play card games. S'mores fixins are a must.

I definitely recommend a couple decks of cards - regular and specialty (like UNO), maybe a board game, have the kids bring their favorite books, journals, etc. coloring books for the smaller ones (and even the bigger ones). We always like to bring baseballs and gloves. But, really, not too much....

As far as scheduled activities...honestly? The best part of camping for me was the fact that there was nothing set in stone. Mom and Dad had general ideas about possible activities but we just let the day progress. Some days the kids might just want to hang around the campsite and that's OK. Also, don't be afraid to let them explore on their own a bit. Not too far, of course, but the adventures my brothers and I would go on without our parents...tame as they may be....are some of my favorite memories.

Most of all, have fun!!!!

Scavenger hunts, geocaching!

My tips are more practical and safety related. A lot of great tips here about camping. It's my experience that camping, as in with a tent, is totally different that with a RV. An RV has so many technical difficulties that can happen where with a tent you just set it up and you're done.

Ali, you don't write what kind of RV you are renting? Is it a motorhome? Class B or C? It is a 5th Wheeler or a travel trailer? Each has it's own specifics.
Whatever it is, make sure you both know the in and outs of connecting the black, gray and water tank. Nothing spoils a vacation quicker that problems in that area. Have you made sure when you made reservations that you have hook-ups? I know most state parks have some but a lot have limited hook-up, especially full hook-ups, meaning water, electricity and sewer. Some only offer water and electricity and some only water which means you have to find a place to dump your black water tank.
If you do not have hookups make sure to teach the kids to be conservative with the water. Especially a black tank( your sewer) can fill up really quick with 5 kids and 2 adults. Make sure you know how to empty the black tank, watch some youtubes, you don't want accidents with the tube coming loose etc.
Also know if your fridge goes on gas and on electricity. Ours does and most if them now do. Again if you do not have hookups make sure you have a generator on board otherwise neither if the electrical gadgets will work. Plus it can get chilly at night It would be great if you could run the heater for a while in the evening and morning.
Another thing to be serious about is escape routes. If there should be a fire everyone should know what to do because you only have a couple of second to get out. An RV is not a house, they always advice you to practice at least one time how to open up the widows so the kids can get out, but especially at the higher area of the RV, getting through a window can be difficult. My tip is to use a blanket or a sleeping bag on the bottom of the window so you do not hurt tummies and legs on the sharp aluminum stuff.
Bathroom is really tiny and with 7 can become a mess pretty soon. To avoid fights it would be a great idea to give every child and adults a towel in a different color so when the green wet towel after a shower is again on the floor you know who the offender is.
Make back up plans for rainy days, I hope you have wonderful weather but we have been in the coast with storms and it can be rough. Some parts at the coast do not have celluar signal. Yachats comes to mind.
There is an app for iPhone in the store called Coverage it lets you exactly see where you will have basic coverage to LTE from the 4 networks. It's very handy if you need to make a call or look at Google maps and you see that you have to drive a few miles to have coverage again.
Speaking about Google maps, do not solely depend on them. If you have no power or no celluar your Google maps won't work. Always make sure you have an old fashioned paper map with you!
One last thing, ig you happen to have a walky talkie/two way radios, take it with you or lend one or buy one. It comes in handy when you have to park the RV, always have to back in and you are out in the back directing Aaron and yelling not to hit that tree but he can not hear you, one if those things come in handy. Lots of RVrs use them. Later when you are out in the forest and you don't see each other a walky talkie thingy comes in handy again plus kids certain age love to place with them! Make sure you have those with rechargeable batteries. We just got a pair and they are about 40 USD. We bought the Midland brand. If you have questions let me know!

I found a list with apps for camping and cooking http://appadvice.com/appguide_ipad_client_view/camping-cookbooks

Try "geocaching" all those kiddos are at a great age. If you google it you can read about it and get the goods. Like a super fun scavenger hunt that even the adults get to play along. Highly recommend! Oh and pocket tacos- just build a taco right in the little individual Fritos bags. Kids think it is fun.

I recommend little butterfly nets. They double as scoop nets for the water and bugs both. A few books to identify things they find would be good. Our DNR has little booklets for kids and adults for free or almost free. Definitely stop by any info centers along they way. They will be your best travel companion. Most importantly, have fun!

Hi Ali, I have so many fond memories of camping with my parents. Definitely memories that last forever. Here's some of my thoughts for you: enjoy !
1. Spider hot dogs!.. ok this may sound weird but, instead of roasting hot dogs on the fire the boring way, before poking it, slice each end of the hot dog in 4 about 1/3 of the way up (from each side). don't slice through, each end should be dangling. poke your stick in the middle of the hot dog (which should still be whole).. as they roast on the fire, the "dangly legs" actually curl up and when done, they look like spiders and taste great!.. my Dad started this while telling us a ghost story one night. We didn't realize what he had done to the hot dog at first but it ended with squeals of excitement at the end!
2. my mom was really conscious of waste, so we didn't throw out plastics (plates, cups, etc) we were 4 kids and we each got to go to the dollar store and bought (before hand) a plastic cup, plate and cutlery in the color of our choice. (every kid a different color). She bought the wash basin from there as well. Every kid was responsible to clean their own plates/cups and it was easy to know "who" didn't do their own dishes! teaches responsibility and clean up in a fun way!! - doing the dishes in the wash basin was done outside - rain or shine under the tarp or awning. keeps people out of the RV :)
3. now this is a must for us camping.. we didn't do smores - we did banana boats! you need foil, bananas, chocolate chips & mini marshmellows (or large ones cut). Basically, you peel only one "peel/side" of the banana but not all the way off as you will need it later. You then scoop out 1/2 to /3/4 of the banana out(don't discard). Place chocolate and marshmellows in the hollow of the banana. Place scooped banana back on top. Cover with the peel that was peeled back and wrap in foil. (every well).. place in hot coals of the fire for approx. 15-20 mins. (depending on how close you have it and how hot the coals). pull out of the coals when done and let cool a little. It may look a little weird (but it's dark) so nobody cares!.. then eat the banana gooey-ness right from the foil packet with a spoon.. kind of like a warm banana split!
4. all time favorite tradition.. to give my mom a little break in the morning, the tradition was "last one in the lake/ocean" BEFORE breakfast had to do all the dishes. This would get the kids out of mom's hair in the morning while she got things ready for breakfast & got us "wet"/cleaned before breakfast! win-win.. other than Dad had to go in the water!! sorry Aaron - but new traditions are worth it!! we are in Canada - so you can imagine sometimes it felt like a "polar" dip - but that just added to the excitement!
Enjoy your trip - can't wait to hear all about it!

So many great memories of camping when my kids were littler! One activity that we liked to do was leave something for the next campers to find. We brought google eyes, feathers (or found them) pieces of felt, little pompoms and glue. The kids looked for pinecones or rocks, then made little critters out of them. When we left that site, they hid it in a not-too-hard to find spot for the next group. I remember how excited they were the first time they ever found a treasure like this! Have a great time!

Recently drove cross-country camping with our 3 boys (including Sandy Beach State Park and Fort Stevens, both in Oregon).
From my experience….
Have reasonable expectations. Clothes will get wet & dirty, supper will get burned, the weather may turn bad, and what you do - will make or break the trip. Relax. Let the stories write themselves.
Give them jobs, so you aren't doing all the work and getting frustrated and remember their way can be just as good as your way.
Be proactive to hungry + tired = hangry.
Have an agenda, as in today we will see/do this and that's it. NO over scheduling and be prepared to change and be spontantous.
#1 - your undivided attention will be the thing they remember most!!!!!!!!!! sitting around playing games, around the fire, mad libs, abc games, and you don't have to go electronic free to have a great time. Movies outdoors are fun, too.

I have no experience - totally by choice!! - with camping, but I do have experience with National Parks. As said above, the Junior Ranger programs are generally good and fun for the kids. BUT each National Park has a stamp for their Park -- sometimes more than 1 style -- free for stamping. Their paper choices are sometimes very limited. They also sell a National Park STamp Passbook -- you can keep it and fill it with the various National Park stamps over time. The visitor center in National Parks is *usually* good. Of course, some are better than others, but always worth a look see and "potty break". In addition to the books, movies, DVDs, maps, etc., they are loaded with toys and other purchasing opportunities, so have some rules in place (about behavior and souvenirs) ahead of time! The National Park Rangers are generally pretty fun and interesting people and usually LOADED with information they are happy to share. Our National Parks are a great resource

Baby wipes and disposable gloves (for when you have to empty your tank) are a must. I have a hamper that I take with balls, gloves, frisbee, jump ropes, etc. When we get to the campsite, it goes out and everyone can easily put things back in it so they aren't left behind. Also makes it easy to store overnight (mine goes in the shower) if you need to because of bears and raccoons. Also, take extra toilet paper but talk about not using much b/c that fills your tank fast too. So much fun!

Have a wonderful trip! The thought of you loading up the RV and heading down the road brings me such a flood of memories. Our two children (both in college now) grew up spending most summers in our (small - class B which is van size) motorhome. We would usually be waiting outside their school -- fully loaded and ready to hit the open road -- on the last day of school! Then, we'd travel all summer -- sometimes not returning home until the day before school was starting again. By the time they were out of elementary school they had been to all 50 States and many of the National Parks. Honestly, we couldn't afford that motorhome. We took out a 15 year loan to pay for it (but paid it off in 9!) Here's the thing, though - we often look at each other (my husband and I) and say that was the best decision we ever made. Fast forward to spring break of this year and... guess what? Our daughter is coming home from Boise State and what does she want to do? Take the RV to nearby Utah and visit as many State and National Parks as we can in a week; hike, enjoy the great outdoors, etc. I can't wait to load up! We try keeping our "stuff" to a minimum -- but one thing we always have on board is microwave popcorn (oh, and bug spray! and a clothes line to hang between two trees for wet towels). Have a great time!!

So excited for you guys! We are headed out with our RV for a 4 day Spring Break trip this Saturday (then an 18 day trip, covering the entire state of Colorado, this summer). I echo what others have said - keep meals simple. We grill a lot, most dinners. Crockpot meals are also a great option (especially overnight oatmeal for breakfast!). Bring appliances from home, ones that can multitask like electric griddles. They take up counter space but you can cook everyone's meal at once for pancakes and eggs and you can store them when not in use. Bring more snacks than you think you need, especially fruit - my kids go through twice as much when we're camping, for some reason. You may also want to bring water flavoring - whatever your fav us, since camp water isn't always the best and your RV may not come with a filtration system. I second geocaching! Always a hit, but make sure to get a GPS unit instead of relying on your phone (we hardly get signals in state parks), Garmin makes a great one. I also like giving my kids disposable cameras on our hikes, I love seeing things from their perspectives. In the RV, we always stock travel games (chess is a hit) and puzzle books (mazes, dot to dot). Things that will keep them quiet in the mornings if they wake up too early. Also bring a few balls - tennis, football, soccer - there are always kids at the campsites who will want to play outside, or just your kids with each other. With the RV itself, definitely go over it thoroughly - know your height, weight and length limits (some overpasses and bridges are restricted; the Good Sam website has a free trip planner that you can plug in this info and your route and it will tell you if it is safe.) Make sure you know how to operate the basic functions, especially fuel and sewer. Get a set of walkie talkies for the campground so a partner can assist you getting into a tight campsite. Bring a level with you if your RV doesn't come with one, as well as boards for leveling. Also get a small thermometer for your oven, if you plan to use that - a lot of the gas ovens can be really off. And never travel late in the day - you always want to set up camp in early afternoon at the latest, before folks get tired and cranky and you still have plenty of daylight. I am a planner by nature, so if there is something in the area we want to drive to see, I will plan that (especially if there are only certain days/times it is open), but otherwise, I have a general list of things we can do and we just follow that based on weather and how we feel. Definitely check out the campsite web pages ahead of time, you can print out trail maps and the like. It will be a learning experience, but always fun!