Your teen may seem less than enthusiastic about going camping with you, which is fine; they should explore their interests on their own time, including camping if that is one.
Making camping more enjoyable for teenagers may involve inviting along a friend, giving them someone they can share activities with and possibly encouraging them to stay for several days.
Plan the Trip
Camping provides teens with an invaluable opportunity to practice self-reliance. In addition, camping teaches them to adapt and change plans as needs and priorities dictate – skills most adults utilize daily!
While it can be challenging to get your teen excited about leaving behind their TikTok-soaked life, try giving them input into some aspects of trip planning so they feel empowered by it and not simply being forced along for the ride. By giving your teens ownership in their travel experience they may become more enthusiastic and understand they have some say over it being planned out as opposed to simply being forced along.
If your children enjoy taking photos, consider giving them their own camera for this trip. They’ll love using it to explore nature while sharing photos with their friends. In addition, setting up their own tent gives them independence while providing space from other family members; plus they could even take responsibility for helping set up camp and organizing personal belongings!
Find a Good Campsite
Location can make or break the camping experience. Find a campground with plenty of natural features like waterfalls, hikes, lake beaches, and tall mountain peaks to discover. Give your teen input in choosing their site and gear – this way they feel ownership over their experience!
Teenagers thrive when presented with challenges; take a scavenger hunt, map reading or star gazing challenge and equip your teen with everything needed for success!
Consider that teenagers may not wish to spend the entire trip outdoors – that’s okay! Some kids might prefer lounging by the pool or playing volleyball at a campground. If this is true for your teen, consider setting up an extra tent and hammock nearby so they have space to recharge their own batteries without feeling isolated from family activities.
Make It Fun
Engaging teens can help transform their fear of camping trips into smiles, laughter and high fives. Instead of forcing them into activities that don’t appeal to them, focus on ways that you can make the experience fun and adventurous for everyone involved.
Bean bag toss games are an engaging and competitive way for children to get active while making new friends. Other possibilities include spike ball games, conversation cards and camping selfie challenges.
Choose campsites near water so your teens can go swimming, kayaking, fishing and/or stargazing. Hiking trails provide them with opportunities to discover rock “tunnels”, natural bridges and waterfalls; wildlife apps allow them to connect with nature by helping identify plants and animals; stargazing provides them with the chance to learn constellation navigation while appreciating a night sky typically hidden by light pollution from city living.
Give Them Space
Camping with teens requires giving them some space. Consider setting up a hammock away from camp so they can unwind and recharge their batteries.
Encourage them to explore the campsite and surrounding area through an exciting scavenger hunt! You could even create one that requires them to locate specific items.
Make meals simpler by packing pre-cooked food or using the campfire to cook meals. After an exhausting day of hiking, teens may not relish spending hours over an open fire to prepare a dish of burnt snag smothered in sauce.
If this is your teen’s first camping experience, start small. Instead of embarking on an epic 10-day wilderness expedition on their maiden voyage, a 3-day weekend at a local park would provide an ideal way for them to learn camping and gain confidence at a more manageable rate while simultaneously practicing new skills without feeling overwhelmed.https://www.youtube.com/embed/ERxuPF5rtrQ