Hi all.... my hubby and I bought a tent late last summer and we're dying to use it this year, but neither of us have been camping since we were kids. So I'm wondering if you all could give us some tips about what we need.... can you prepare meals in a tent? Do we need lanterns? Coolers? And does anyone know a fun place to camp with kids in Indiana? We're in NW Indiana but willing to drive some distance if it's worth it :p
Thanks in advance for your pearls of wisdom
__________________ Laura
Keep your words soft and tender as you may have to eat them tomorrow!
My Husband and I have been camping for several years and this is what we have learned:
Get 2 large Tubs of any sort, (we use large ones w/folding lids sort of like the ones that groceries are delivered to small grocery stores) 2 different colors.
As an example :
We use a blue one for the kitchen type stuff. We have foil, plastic plates, plastic silverware, a large tub and drainer to wash dishes, 2 or 3 pots for cooking, a skillet, dish soap, 2-3 scrubbies for washing dishes, paper towels, pam, several spatulas, cooking forks and serving spoons, a large platter, hot chocolate mix, plastic coffee cups, dry soup mix, canned goods (veggies, fruit, etc), 1 or 2 of those dinner in a box things, plastic wrap, ziplocks of both sizes and strengths, dish drying towels, tuna fish, spices we like, potatoes, the bar-b-que utensils for working over the fire, hot pad holders, various bowls (some w/covers - some without). Part 2 next! Linda
We have developed check lists for camping. One for the kitchen box, one for the general box, one for our bedding and clothing, one for food, and one for our dogs and games we take.
In the general box we have: first aid kit w/snake bite info, extra bandaids, sunburn stuff, hydrogen peroxide, matches (waterproof & regular), games (these stay in the box), batteries, 2-3 flash lights, camera & film, battery run radio, extension cords, candles or a holder for citronella oil, bug spray, scissors, duct tape, tent seam repair kit, air mattress inflator, small heater/fan, folding shovel, large knife, folding saw, fire starter cubes, one of those candle lighters, emergency ponchos and blanket. Egg holders, canteen. (most of this can be bought at Wal-Mart's camping area.)
At home we decide what we will eat while gone. I pack all the non-perishables and we set money for perishables like meat, salad goods, snacks, etc.
We pack an queen size air bed, plenty of sheets, pillows and blankets and 1 bed roll for each of us . Reading material, Bibles, cross-word puzzles, cassettes and cds w/player, a fan, tarps galore (to put over tent and over tent opening in case of rain), extra tent stakes and rope, a broom/scooper combo, radio, fishing supplies, bikes, w/extra tubes and tools to repair it. My husband takes his tool kit and adds a hammer, a rubber mallet, and a couple of extra screw drivers, 2 colman laterns at least, and a colman cook stove. We also have a cooler that runs by electricity & keeps our food plenty cold/hot as needed.
We take the fan, heater and the air bed because we always get sites w/electricity and running water as I am disabled. I can no longer sleep on the ground. I also cannot tolerate alot of heat or cold. I love camping - so we adjust!
Go and try your state or national parks out. They are generally very nice & resonably priced! Enjoy yourself & relax!
Hope I have not bored you! It took as alot of trial and error to get everything together. The lists (although I hate to admit it!) are key!
You don't have to have everything at once! The things that we put in the kitchen box like sugar, salt, pepper, foil,paper towels, plastic wrap, ziplocks, spices, etc. we remove from the box and put them back in when we are ready to leave!
When we get home I wash every utensil and plate and bag them up in big ziplocks so they stay clean! Oh I forgot we have a tablecloth and holders too! I put the lists in one of the boxes when I repack them.
We also take our shampoo, soap and LOTS of towels! Any medications, aspirin, antacid etc with us. Take plenty of clothes ok and take garbage bags for the dirty ones!
We leave our site just as clean or cleaner than we found it! We bring wood for the fire and coleman fuel for the cook stove.
Camping is very relaxing and a great way to enjoy nature! I hope to hear from you!
Just wanted to jot down a few quick ideas. My husband and I always make sure to save newspapers, enough to put under the base of the tent. This will help keep out moisture and give you a padding to sleep on if you do not use air mattresses. Also, do not forget to avoid touching the inside walls of the tent, as this too will help to keep out the moisture in the event of rain. Third, make sure to bring your own laundry products if you are planning a long trip. I always bring them because it keeps everbody happy if they can wear their favorite pair of jeans or shorts. Lastly, if you plan to have a campfire, bring your own wood if possible. Some folks who sell firewood tend to charge a bit much if you buy it near the campground. That's all for now. If I think of more when I have more time, I will include those.
That was a great list! I don't think that you left a lot for the rest of us to list! I have one thing that I can't live without when I go camping. It is my folding chair for sitting next to the campfire. I love the campfire and spend most of my time taking care of it. There are also some great cooking utensils that make cooking over an open fire so easy. They are called Pie Irons. You can cook just about anything in them! Don't forget the S'mores essentials ..
My husband and I have tent camped for years, with and without kids, and Linda gave you a lot of good advise so I just want to mention a couple things.
Be prepared for hot and cold weather. Be sure you have good warm sleeping bags and extra blankets just in case, and be sure you take warm clothes. We once camped just outside Death Valley near Scotty's Castle and were snowed on during the night. It pays to be prepared. Even a thunder storm can cool things down a lot.
We also use 12 inch spikes in place of the stakes that come with the tents. They look like big nails. The ones that come with tents are usually plastic and may be good in sand but are all but useless in rocky areas.
We have regular Coleman lanterns but I really like the florescent rechargeable lantern because it is safer to use in a tent, especially with children.
As for cooking in the tent, we have done that many times. We have used the Coleman stove and also a single burner stove, but you have to really be careful that it doesn't tip over. If your tent is small I don't think I would cook inside with children. It could be unsafe and also messy. I would plan some one pot meals that could be cooked inside if necessary or at least brought inside to eat if the weather is too bad. We usually carry extra cans of stew and chili.
When we camped with the kids and had four sleeping bags I stacked two together to have open floor space in the middle of the tent. I think we had individual air mattresses at the time. This gave us some room for changing clothes or playing games during the day.
Good luck. Camping really is fun, but does take quite a lot of equipment to be comfortable.
__________________
JD
"Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands." ~Anne Frank
I love those folding chairs that fold up into a bag! We have several! As for S'mores - My husband would kill me if I forgot them!
We have been camping together for 5+ years and Randy is quite a list maker. At first - not being that organized I drove Randy crazy! Now I use the lists!
I forgot we take the dog's beds, tie-outs, food and treats too! You have not been camping till your dog sees and armadillo and wants to tell it off! We finally had to take him to the tent to shut him up! It was kind of funny! Here in Texas the deer, 'dillos and porcupines wander about in the campgrounds freely!
The best part about camping is Randy does all the cooking! Don't forget the baking potatoes and butter and Heavy duty Foil! We make boats of foil to put our 'taters in. Poke them w/fork, put butter on them, put them in foil w/more butter and put them in the embers of the fire! YUMMY!
Camping Essentials? 
Laura 
Wow Linda!
I would plan some one pot meals that could be cooked inside if necessary or at least brought inside to eat if the weather is too bad. We usually carry extra cans of stew and chili.
