What do you do in camp? Buying first AS. Kids. Games, activities, etc..

[Danattherock]

Glad you mentioned Alumalina. Another forum member had sent me a PM a few days ago about that. I informed him that we didn't have an Airstream yet. He had suggested we come for a day anyway. We looked online at campgound to see where it's at and such. Nice enough area near Saluda. We are quite familiar, having honeymooned and made near yearly trips to Bryson City,NC. We drove down to Jenny's Alpaca Farm once, not too far away from this area.

Guess the suggestion in the PM was that we could walk around and talk to Airstream owners. Not really sure. Assuming so, it would be great to talk to folks about their campers, tow vehicles, places they have been in them, etc. Would be great just to see a bunch of varying models set up.

Just not sure how welcome we would be walking around a campground asking questions. My folks bought a new 2000 or so (34' I think) Classic and kept it oceanfront at North Myrtle Beach for 5 years. They sold it and bought a home in Southport,NC. I loved the camper, but they never towed it anywhere or went anywhere, so I didn't learn much from their experience.

Thanks for the other ideas here. Especially loved the Monte Carlo in junkyard analogy.


Dan

[Danattherock]

Originally Posted by RangerJay

I think some of the secret here is not so much what you actually "plan" to do but what you go "prepared" for depending on circumstances - i.e. we always go prepared with outside gear (BBQ, chairs, lantern, stove, dishpan etc.), reading material, DVD collection, cards, board games, hiking boots, cold-weather gear, wet-weather gear, fishing gear, fire starter, campfire cooking tools, hobby material (carving material and tools for me, quilting for my wife).

We don't consciously "plan" on doing any of this stuff - every day brings it's own environment and its own circumstances - and the activities appropriate to the day and your frame of mind just kinda work themselves out .......

When our kids were young I recall lots of hikes, wood-splitting (kids loved it - lot of supervision needed), campfires, campfire cooking, board games, swimming, fishing and going to the parks interpretive events (movie night, nature hikes, hay rides etc.)

Nope ..... I do not ever recall actually planning a darn thing - just making choices at the time.


Jay

Great advice. Thanks Jay

[ericpeltier]

I can tell you what does NOT go on at our campsite: internet, TV, cable.

Eric

[cwf]

How many times have you been "close" to something you are enjoying and realize you have to leave, fight traffic, feed, water and bed the kids then reverse the procedure at next sunrise?

Ok, eliminate the "leave, fight traffic" part. There you are! When the sunrise occurs, you are near where your day begins.... The kids can romp, explore... And when they need a nap a safe secure place is within walking distance.

Same for the parental units.

If weather blows thru, you are close to shelter....

Yeah.... That about covers it....

Oh, and the kids can argue about who gets the Airstream when they leave home!!!!

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by Danattherock

Glad you mentioned Alumalina. Another forum member had sent me a PM a few days ago about that. I informed him that we didn't have an Airstream yet. He had suggested we come for a day anyway.

Guess the suggestion in the PM was that we could walk around and talk to Airstream owners. Not really sure. Assuming so, it would be great to talk to folks about their campers, tow vehicles, places they have been in them, etc. Would be great just to see a bunch of varying models set up.

Just not sure how welcome we would be walking around a campground asking questions.

Dan

You would be very welcome at Alumalina, and non owners are invited to rallies all the time, to do just what you want to do.

Saturday of the rally would be the day to go, open house is usually in the afternoon but anyone would be willing to talk with you once breakfast is over.

When you get there, ask for John Leake, he will make you welcome and give you any help you need.

Maggie

[karenjude]

Ditto what Maggie said. You'd be very welcome and people would be happy to talk to you and help you with whatever questions you had. You'd have a lot of fun too - guaranteed.

[RangerJay]

Couple last thoughts as I resurrect my memories of camping with the kids.

If your kids meet new neighbours at the park in their own age group then the entire character of your involvement completely changes - they will be looking after themselves and you may not be invited - your task becomes making sure they stay out of trouble ...... not always easy ....... having said that ...... the evening campfire and hot dogs/smores always remains in high demand.

Additionally, our kids were always interested in knowing what was going on outside the park - i.e. a waterslide park in the area, go karts, fall fair (rides) etc.

The last thing you may not want to learn is that your kids are likely to reach an age or time when they aren't too interested in camping - they don't want to leave their friends at home - absolutely gone way past swatting bugs and smelling like smoke. They will work very hard to make sure you know how miserable they are feeling every minute of the time they spend camping. But the good news is - once you become empty nester's they realize how great a time camping actually was - and they will want to head out camping "with the folks" once again. It's a great day when that happens.

And finally - more basic camping inventory not to forget: baseball gloves (obviously our kids were both boys - if you've got girls disregard everything I've suggested ......).


Jay

[Piggy Bank]

Jay had some good thoughts, except in our experience same goes for girls as well!
Bring the balls and gloves, soccer ball, tennis ball games, etc.

My fondest memories camping as a kit involve rocks and water.
Skipping rocks
Making pools for Barbie and GI Joe
Rock climbing
Actually had a slingshot for shooting rocks into the lake (probably couldn't do that today)
Playing Frogger (how many rocks you needed to step on to get across the running creek)

And making towns in the dirt with sticks and rocks and water for toy cars too.

And food was a very big deal. Always had hot chocolate. And pop to drink. Pringles.

[Fly at Night]

I don't have any kids, but I saw something at an RV park that I really liked. A group of kids from various families playing in the dirt. No X-boxes. No computers. No helicopter parents hovering around.

One kid had bought his toy cars/trucks over and I enjoyed their collective problem-solving. They were trying to build a bridge over a puddle with branches and wooden craft sticks.

When they had enough of that - they had an old-fashioned game of tag. No worries about childhood obesity there.

Kids, developing their social, emotional, mental, and physical skills the old-fashioned way.

If your kids are privy to same - you have absolutely no worries about "what to do."

[ericpeltier]

Originally Posted by RangerJay

And finally - more basic camping inventory not to forget: baseball gloves (obviously our kids were both boys - if you've got girls disregard everything I've suggested ......).

Wrong! My 3 girlz are right now giving you a puzzled stare.

Originally Posted by Fly at Night

I don't have any kids, but I saw something at an RV park that I really liked. A group of kids from various families playing in the dirt. No X-boxes. No computers. No helicopter parents hovering around. One kid had bought his toy cars/trucks over and I enjoyed their collective problem-solving. They were trying to build a bridge over a puddle with branches and wooden craft sticks. When they had enough of that - they had an old-fashioned game of tag. No worries about childhood obesity there.

Kids, developing their social, emotional, mental, and physical skills the old-fashioned way.

If your kids are privy to same - you have absolutely no worries about "what to do."

Humans spent millions of year doing just the above. Recent studies/rumours say we like campfires, because we are wired to like the flames, at some primeval level. And we like incandescent lightbulbs over LEDs for the same reason. We are drawn to the campfire, because we were for SO LONG.

Where am I going with this........I had to remind myself.......I think that kids are more wired than we give them credit to make up fun stuff with dirt, pine cones, sticks, and the effluvia found in camp. Because that's what we humans had. Until Gameboy.

[mandolindave]

I use my camper, when I go to music festivals, events, camping parties, exploring, visiting, and traveling.

What I do not use it for is campgrounds. I'd rather stay home.

[Danattherock]

Originally Posted by Fly at Night

I saw something at an RV park that I really liked.

A group of kids from various families playing in the dirt.

No X-boxes. No computers...

Kids, developing their social, emotional, mental, and physical skills the old-fashioned way.

Couldn't agree more.

Cancelled our cable TV and home phone last year


Dan