Why camping, plus what to do camping, where to camp.
Why Camping:
According to the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), camping is more than just good for the soul. The NWF reports that it increases imagination and cognitive focus, and leads to longer, healthier lives.
If your kids aren’t part of the 6 percent of children who actually play outside, then it’s even more important to reserve a campsite and plan a family camping trip. Here are four reasons why it just might be exactly what your family needs.
I. Physical Benefits
- Boost the level of Vitamin D in the body
- Going outdoors also means getting to enjoy the sunshine. By exposing a little bit to the sun’s rays during the time of the day where in the sun’s rays is not yet at its hottest state (sun is at its hottest from 9am to 3pm), it allows the vitamin D precursors found in our skin thus increasing the absorption of Vitamin D in our body. Because of this, it helps to maintain the normal levels of phosphate and calcium in the blood keeping your bones strong and decrease the chance of developing osteoporosis
II. Mental Benefits
- Reduce mental stress
- Piles of work to do and demands from our jobs increase not just physical stress but mental stress as well. Most people have experience physical and mental burn out at one point in their lives. Getting away from the usual daily routine and high demands of work such as using the computer for more than 12 hours, answering phone calls, operating machines, setting up appointments, meetings and conferences gives your mind the rest that it deserves.
- The serenity of the wilderness can allow one to have quiet meditation and peace of mind.
III. Emotional Benefits
The feeling of being calm, appreciating the simple things in life and knowing that things do not have to be complex all the time allows one to have a more positive and clearer outlook or perspective in life. Camping also gives one an emotional rest from all the emotional expense from the usual day to day life.
IV. Social Benefits
Having a busy life with so much work can affect quality time that should be spent for the family, particularly the children. Also, children of today’s generation barely spend time playing outside and enjoy the outdoors. Most of them are playing computer games and watching TV inside the house. Camping is a great way to break away from work and technology and focus more on spending quality time with family and enjoy various camping activities that everyone will surely enjoy.
Source: TravelGuides
What to do Camping:
Check out campingactivitiesforkids for 15 Camping Ideas with printable forms from eye spy nature scavenger hunts to an explore kit.
Check out campfiregames for 10 Campfire games for the family
Check out ThingstoMakeCampingWithKidsEasier for 31 camping with kids suggestions
Check out FamilyAdventure for 26 recipes for happy campers
Where to Camp:
Check out SunsetBestCampSites for California and Hawaii camping grounds.
Check out MidwestLiving for 24 of the best Midwest campgrounds
Check out Greatist for 26 places to pitch a tent in the US
Extra Camping Help:
Check out the following printable checklists:
