Question:  What is the best age to start taking kids camping?
Answer:  What age are they now?

Every parent has concerns about their children’s safety, and rightly so.  But with proper precautions, a campground doesn’t have to be any more dangerous than your back yard.  Keeping things simple will help keep the involved and make happy memories for the entire family. 

Here are a few ideas to consider when camping with kids:

1. 1- Allow them to bring their pillow from home. It increases their comfort zone.
   
   2- Get them each their own flashlight. It gives them more nighttime confidence, and is a good first piece of gear for them to learn responsibility for.
   
   3- Bring simple games such as checkers for when they get tired of exploring.
   
   4- Buy high-quality outdoor clothing that is specially designed for youngsters.
   
   5- Allow them to help where they can: cooking, gathering wood for fires, etc.
   
   6- Keep day hikes relatively short, especially for young children.
   
   7- Choose hikes that lead to something special such as a pond or lake.
   
   8- Include them in trip pre-planning. It will make them more involved and further the family bonding process.
   
   9- Make sure you have plenty of trail snacks for them when you go hiking.
   
   10-Familiarize everyone with the campground right away. It will help keep little ones from becoming lost ones!

( courtesy of Camping Life magazine)