Did you know that being reconnected with nature can significantly improve your mood, health, and relationships? More often than not, a nature trip is what it takes to reboot and recharge, away from the hustle and bustle of the city and your daily grind. Additionally, studies have shown that connecting with nature can help lower the risk of chronic heart and inflammatory diseases, as well as improving your immunity and strength against illnesses. Thankfully, having positive emotions can greatly influence your relationships. It can also boost your creativity, concentration, and mindfulness. That is why going on a nature trip is a great way to bond with your family. Heading to the great outdoors with your family soon? We’ve got you covered. We’ve curated some tips to help you prepare for your next family vacation.
Prepare Your Camping Gear
Your camping gear should cover two necessities: shelter and sleeping. Before leaving for your trip, make sure you have all the parts of your tent. You can even set up your tent in your backyard to see if anything is broken, missing, or torn. Be sure to pack ground tarps, ropes, and bungee cords. Sleeping pads, sleeping bags, blankets, camping mats, pillows, and mattresses are your options for sleeping situations. You can get a pair of multipurpose knives as you can use these knives for chopping branches for a fire or to use them to cut your favorite fruit.
TIP: It’s so important to have an emergency preparedness plan in place. Do not forget this!
Clothing for All Types of Weather
To ensure comfort, make sure to pack clothing for all types of weather. It may be very warm during the day but the temperature can significantly drop when night falls. Because of this, you and your family should pack clothes for both cool and warm weather. It is recommended to pack clothing that can be layered. Packing extra clothing is also encouraged, especially if your kids will be joining along. Depending on the weather, you can also pack accessories that can help you feel comfortable. This can range from hats, bandanas, and gloves. Do not forget to bring along a wet bag to keep wet and dirty clothes contained.
Pack the Essentials
When going on a nature trip, make sure to keep first aid kits all the time. Bug bites and scrapes are inevitable when you spend time outdoors. Hence, your first aid kit should have bandages, safety pins, scissors, bee sting kit, blister adhesive, hydrogen peroxide and tweezers. You also need to keep a survival kit, which should include a compass, a pocket knife, a flashlight,waterproof matches and sunscreen. Scott of BestSurvival.org suggests storing all your essentials in a bug-out bag to ensure safety. Simply put, a bug-out bag is a kit that contains all the necessary items you need in order to survive on your own for at least 72 hours. Make sure to check for water resistance and durability when looking for a bug-out bag. Also, you might find yourself being pestered by ticks or mosquitoes during your trip, so you must keep an insect repellant handy at all times. You can also dilute tea tree oil with water as a homemade bug spray. If you are going to build a campfire, add a bit of sage to the fire to keep mosquitoes away.
Meal Planning
When planning a nature trip, you should also consider what you and your family will be eating during the entire duration. Aside from the duration of your trip, consider how you will eat or drink, what food and beverages you will be able to carry, what food-related tools you will need, and if you will be able to bring a cooler. If you are going on a multi-day trip, bring easy-to-carry food products, bottled water, and ready-to-eat products. For day trips, pack some energy bars, trail mix, ready-made food pouches, and dried jerky. If you intend to cook during the trip, the recipe should be simple and uncomplicated. Bring reusable plates, forks, knives, and spoons. For you and your family’s safety, keep raw meat and ready-to-eat food separate. Having portable water filters or water purification tablets, can openers, and trash bags is also encouraged.
Backyard Campout
If your family is reluctant and new to camping or staying outdoors, it is best to conduct a test run first to help get a feel of what it is like. Consider camping in your backyard with your family. Set up a tent with their help so they will see how it would be like in the great outdoors without leaving the comfort of your home. This will help them ease into the experience and let them have fun, so they will look forward to camping somewhere else.
There is a multitude of benefits that can come along with going on a nature trip with your family. To make the most out of your nature trip with the family, a great deal of preparation is required for a seamless outdoor experience.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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