You don’t have to go far to see that folks are feeling the pinch in the pocketbook right now. From groceries to gas, it feels like prices are going up every day. This doesn’t even take into account getting some leisure time away from work with the family. It can be hundreds of dollars to take everyone out for dinner and a movie. One thing that doesn’t seem to be going up too drastically is campground fees. For around $10 per night, the whole family can get away for the weekend, get removed from the hustle of this city, and reconnect with the wilderness. With existing gear in your arsenal, or with a small investment up front, you can depend on that gear for years to come. This short guide will help you organize a few budget-friendly activities, organized by theme. Take them to the water or the woods. Follow this guide, and you can’t go wrong.
Get Wet Without Going Broke
At any age, nearly every person can enjoy a little water. If you don’t want to be fully submerged, then just dip a toe or soak your feet. It’s cooler by the water, so it makes the hot summer days more tolerable, and water just generally improves people’s mood. It’s the source of life! Nothing on planet Earth can live without it. It makes sense that we are drawn to it as a source of relief and enjoyment. Just getting to the water is really the trick. Once you’ve done that, the rest will fall into place.
1. Skipping Stones:
Some of the most honest and relaxing conversations come from a mind participating in an idle task. While the brain is occupied with the rhythm of movement, a sense of comfort can wash over us. It’s meditative and feels good. This is exactly what skipping stones does. It’s a camping activity that everyone enjoys, and everyone can do. Kids don’t have to even skip the stones if they can’t yet. They can just plunk them into the pond. Searching for the stones in the dirt gets kids and adults connected with the soil, and there’s nothing like finding that perfect skipping stone.
2. Pond Swimming:
Pond swimming is unlike any other type of swimming. It doesn’t have a tide that can pull someone out, and they are not so big that they feel intimidating. Ponds are welcoming and refreshing. Oftentimes, in higher elevations, swimmers can see all the way to the bottom, even in the deeps, in the crystal-clear glacial ponds. They can be immensely cold and shocking to the system. Cold water is incredibly refreshing and, according to studies, is extremely good for nerve health and cell regeneration. It’s a natural form of cold plunging! A good idea is to get the younger kids a life jacket so everyone can play without worry.
3. Stream Wading:
For those who prefer the forest over the beach (not that they need to be compared), a stream next to the camp is the equivalent of sleeping next to the lapping waves of the ocean. The sound is soothing, and the constant rush of the river calms the soul. One of the best activities is to get some good water shoes (highly recommended) and get right into the middle and walk up or down stream. Your legs will adjust to the cold water, and dipping your hands into the stream to explore what’s under the rocks is satisfying and educational. Grab makeshift walking sticks from fallen branches and use them to help balance. Similar to pond swimming, make sure young ones have life vests and never get into water that is too deep or moving too fast.
The Fire Within
It must have been passed down from our ancestors. Thousands of years after that initial burst of flame, where the ancients found warmth and created curiosity and then fascination, we are still mesmerized by the flicker of the campfire. It comes with simple components: Heat and wood. For kids, sticks are already inherently fun to play with, and cutting them, shaping them, and breaking them is also fun for older children. At some point, this becomes a chore, building the fire. But if you teach the children how fun it can be, there will be a line to tend the fire for generations to come.
4. Wood Gathering:
This may not sound like a budget-friendly activity, but think of wood gathering as a stroll through the forest with a chore attached (although maybe don’t tell the kids that). Setting out for an afternoon walk is a part of the camping experience. Since you’re going to need firewood anyway, combine the two activities. White Duck Outdoors makes an excellent canvas wood carrier that helps shorten trips into the woods and makes each hike back to camp more productive. These carriers accommodate various sizes and shapes of firewood, and with a sturdy handle, anyone will be happy to lend a hand.
5. Stick Whittling:
A camping activity as old as time: whittling on a stick. Some people can whittle for hours, leaving a thick mat of stick shavings all around their legs. Oftentimes, the only thing they have to show for it is a shorter, pointier stick! And that’s okay. Consider the meditative act we talked about above in rock skipping. Whittling on a stick has the same effect. It’s calming, and it lets the brain stay busy without performing an actual focused chore. This inspires good conversation that is oftentimes more honest and revelatory. It would seem that some of the best ideas would come from an idle mind. This also encourages knife safety and is a great way to teach the younger generation how to handle a blade.
6. Stories of Legend:
One of the best camping activities of legend is the classic round campfire storytelling. These don’t necessarily have to be scary stories, though that never hurts. This is a great way for the younger generations to get to know the older folks, and for the older folks to connect with their grandkids. The stories also don’t have to be real. Encourage the kids to explore their creative side and get some really wild stories going. The outdoors, with all the crazy surroundings and constantly changing scenery, really inspires creativity. An active imagination encourages memories, and with a good storytelling session around the campfire, the kids will remember it for years to come.
Connecting With the Land
A lot of people are mesmerized by water. Trees are truly easy to love. But oftentimes, the very land we tread over gets overlooked. It is the source from which life grows, where the nutrients are drawn to support the careful balance of life. Taking some time to go out and wander through the trees and just look around can be rewarding enough. While you’re out there with the kids and the family, here are a couple of activities to keep everyone on alert.
7. Leaf Gathering:
In the fall season, gathering leaves can be one of the most fun activities to do when walking through the forest. But the truth is, you don’t even need to wait for fall to come. The forest floor is always littered with gorgeous leaves. Pinecones, branches, leaves, flowers, and other flora make for awesome homemade wreaths. Encourage everyone to bring what they can back to camp and put it all together with a little glue or twine. Hang them over your tent or camper, or use them to decorate a centerpiece for the table. If you’ve set up a tent, this is a great way to decorate the eaves or above the front zipper door, or drape over an open window. It’s a beautiful way to celebrate nature while you’re enjoying time at a family camp.
8. A Bird in the Hand
An amazing camping activity for anyone of any age to participate in is a little bird watching. You can invest in some binoculars, but enough birds will come around camp that you can just point them out as they fly through. Taking the time to go on a hike and get to know your local forest is even better. Getting deep into the forest and sitting still for a while is a great way to let the birds acclimate to your presence. They’ll settle in around you and get almost close enough to touch. Depending on where you’re camping, the Audubon Society has a bird-watching guide that will help you point out what you’re seeing.
Games and More Games
You don’t always have to get out of the camp to have fun. For most of the time camping, people are going to be around the campsite; anyway, you might as well have some fun there. Clearing out a space near the camp as a site for activities is a good idea, and a little healthy competition is good for kids and adults alike.
9. Camp Olympics
From simple foot races to three-legged races, sack races, archery competitions, rock throwing, boulder carrying, tree climbing, or anything other activity you can think of can make up an awesome Camp Olympic lineup. This is a great way to get everyone involved and keep their attention all day. Make a few different sessions, morning, afternoon, and evening, and take breaks throughout the day. Make an arbitrary set of rules and point scoring, and at the end of the day, make some home-made (in camp the day before) awards and have a fun ceremony around the fire. Everyone will be game.
10. Scavenger Hunts
Take some time while everyone is out on a hike, away from camp, and set up a good scavenger hunt. While the rest of the camp is gone, it will be easier to draw up a map for others to follow. They can all work together to find what is on the list, or make a few different maps or lists for everyone to follow. A lot of these activities can overlap as well. The scavenger hunt can be some birds to find or local plants to collect. It’s another great way to keep everyone engaged and learning.
Getting Out is Worth the Trip
11. Just Be:
If the crowd is right, the timing is good, and everyone is sufficiently entertained, encourage the masses to just relax. Sitting quietly in the wild is a great way to take in the pastoral. If you have a family tent set up where folks can relax, just being indoors at night is nice. If you are out during a nice day in any season, sit beneath the sun and feel it warm your skin. Encourage your kids to enjoy that time; just being in the wild is worth the trip. Underneath it all, that joy that we feel getting into nature is the real reason to be out there. Taking a little time just for that helps encourage that feeling.
These are just a few ideas that will cost you next to nothing. All you have to do is get the family out there. If you don’t have a family camping tent, it is highly recommended to invest in a sturdy canvas tent that everyone can enjoy in the dark and colder hours. The good times are inherently connected to the outdoors. With a few of these activities planned, you’ll make memories that your family will never forget.
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