The thought of roughing it in the wilderness — aka camping — can strike terror in the hearts of parents who have little or no experience.
There’s the gear, the food, finding a location, keeping the kids busy without Wi-Fi. The list goes on and on.
But, a few days in the wilderness might be just what the doctor ordered if you want to get away for a few days. And, it’s fairly inexpensive.
For families wanting to get their feet wet without investing the money in a bunch of gear only to find they hate camping, the Arizona Family Campout Program, might be the way to go.
The program, put on by Arizona State Parks, has campouts during the spring and fall months, and teaches families the basics of camping, from putting up a tent to cooking on a camp stove.
For $70, a family of four is provided with a tent, sleeping mats, cook stoves, camping chairs, first-aid kits, activity equipment, water, coffee, snacks, Dutch-oven dessert, campfire treats and guided activities.
SPRING FAMILY CAMPOUT
Six families — from Cave Creek, Peoria and Tucson — attended a recent family campout at Catalina State Park. Experience levels ranged from none to very.
“Two or three families hadn’t set up a tent before,” said Selina Littler, Family Campout program coordinator. But, with a little help, they were up in no time.
After camp was set up, Littler gathered everyone into a circle, for introductions. Each family shared where they were from and what they liked about the outdoors, starting with Littler.
“I like the sunshine and the mountains,” Littler said. “And the nature.”
Hiking, feeling free, fresh air and the views were among favorites of the other campers.
By mid-afternoon, it was as if everybody knew each other, with more experienced campers taking newbies under their wing and showing them equipment.
“This is my favorite tent,” Angela Larson, an experienced camper, and mother of two, said of the Coleman Instant Cabin she brought. “All of the poles are already attached. You just fold it out kind of like a chair.”
Larson was introduced to camping at two weeks old, said her father, Jerry Lofton.
“Anytime we could get away from the farm, we would go to the mountains,” Lofton said.
A camping veteran, Lofton has lots of advice for the less experienced.
“When my wife and I met, I was stationed in Albuquerque. I showed her how to wash dishes with sand instead of soap. You just take fine sand and scrub just like with soap.”
And, “there’s no reason to starve or go thirsty in the desert if you know what to look for,” Lofton said. He suggests getting water from the cacti and eating lizards, if necessary.
The camping bug remains with Larson, who said she camps regularly with her children.
“I like that you do the simple things in life, from playing Frisbee to football,” Larson said. “It’s all about simple. We never play those games at home.”
LEARNING ABOUT SURVIVAL
Families learned survival tips during a discussion led by Ranger Dodge DiVall. The children gathered in the front to listen.
“What should you bring if you’re going on a day hike?” DiVall asked. Hands shot up and kids chimed in with their ideas — firewood, knife, hat and food were among their suggestions. Adults in the group suggested water and a compass.“What about sun protection?” DiVall asked.
The kids responded with sunscreen and long-sleeve shirts.
Satisfied with the list of survival items, DiVall talked about what to do if you’re lost.
“If you’re lost and it’s dark, stay put,” DiVall said. “Hug a tree, which means to stay where you are.”
This is to avoid getting more lost and missing each other if a search party is looking for you, DiVall explained.
FIRST TIME CAMPERS
BREAK THE ICE
First-timers included the Lazarinis, a family of four from Queen Creek.
Jose and Maria Lazarini decided to try archery, while the two children worked on making paracord bracelets.
Jose was a natural. And, after trying a few times, and with help from her husband, Maria hit the target. “I love it,” Maria said. “I would like to camp again. It’s exciting.”
The campout isn’t just helpful for families with kids.
Adrienne Christian and her husband, Mark, attended to learn a few things for an upcoming cross-country road trip.
“We want to camp in spots, instead of paying for hotels the whole way,” Adrienne said.
It turned out Adrienne has a knack for archery, and, shot a bulls-eye on her first try.
CAMPING TIPS FROM PARENTS IN THE KNOW
Mike and Trisha Heldstab took their 6-month-old baby on his first camping trip up to Mount Lemmon last month.
“It was fabulous, other than a few hiccups with our camper,” Heldstab said. For camping with babies, Heldstab recommends bringing a jumper, Bumbo floor seat or floor mat so the little one can sit around the fire with the adults and “enjoy the outdoors” when the parents are cooking. Also, “plenty of warm clothes, blankets and long sleeves to keep him from getting sunburned, along with sunscreen.”
Another tip from Heldstab is to make sure you have extra fuses, tools and flashlights. Just in case.
Keeping the kids occupied is a matter of bringing bikes, board games and other activities, said Ginger Begishe, mother of three. And, because they usually camp with other family members, they split ingredients of meals to cut costs and take turns cooking.
Begishe’s must-have? Her camp shower, which consists of a five-gallon bladder bag you fill with water and leave in the sun to warm up. For privacy, attach an inexpensive shower curtain to a hula hoop, hang it up and step inside.
Be prepared and organized, suggests Natalie Shepp, mother of two. For example, make a kitchen box with all supplies in one place to simplify mealtime. “Everything is there and ready to go,” Shepp said.
Also, do as much prep-work as possible, Shepp said.
“If you’re planning a fruit salad, chop it all up ahead of time,” Shepp said. “The most cumbersome thing about camping is food and cleanup. You want to eat well when you’re outdoors and have good food, but, when you have to prepare it all and don’t have a kitchen environment, it’s pretty cumbersome.”
Speaking of food, Elizabeth Starks, mother of two, said to keep it simple.
“If you’re a camping newbie, don’t plan to make crazy meals,” Starks said. “You might bring takeout or sandwiches or something super-duper easy, so it’s not so challenging.”
Starks has a no-device-when-caming rule for the kids. She suggests bringing new card games or planning scavenger hunts to keep them busy and engaged.
“Have a bag of tricks of things you can do,” Starks said. “A good one would be to make a list of things the kids can go find and give them a camera or your phone so they can take pictures. Like a photo scavenger hunt.”
If you’re really nervous about it, stay close by.
Starks said she likes Mount Lemmon because you can get pizza and cookies in Summerhaven for a meal and Mount Lemmon is close enough that if you forget anything you can drive down the mountain to get it. And, if it’s just not working out, you can easily pack up and leave.
