What do you do in the winter-time when you are ready to be outdoors, in a tent or around a campfire? Well, what I do is get my kids excited about camping by showing them potential destinations for summer camping trips. One thing I like to do is go to the Minnesota State Parks website and check out the panoramic virtual tours. Very cool. The kids get really excited when they start seeing pictures of the lake, a beach, a campground, etc. But I'm careful to not start doing this too early in the winter, otherwise it's pure torture for those poor kiddos.
The other night, I was online with ALL the kids - one on each knee, one on my shoulder and one on my head. We were dreaming about where we will go camping once it gets warmer outside. I started by asking them how many times we should go camping this year. Well, that turned into a bidding frenzy, not unlike an auction. The higher number of camping trips, the better. My son got up to about six. My daughter thought we should just go camping every single weekend. The final decision ended up being at least five trips.
So, that's our goal. Five camping trips. Next thing you know, we were picking dates and I was mentally committing myself to those dates to make this all happen. Not every camping trip will need to be six hours away or a 3 night camping bonanza. Doing an over-nighter at a local state or county park is just as exciting as a long trip far from home. Making the effort and getting out there and being together.....with the tent, campfire and s'mores is good enough for the kids! Heck, even Grandma's backyard will work fine.
With all that said, I've made commitments to my kids, I know where we are going to go and when we are going to go. This keeps them excited and gives them something to look forward to. It also assures that camping trips won't get swept aside during the busyness of the summer season.
