Uncle Roger
Observer
Before we were married, my wife and I traveled all over the western US & Canada in my '59 Land Rover 109, camping in the back and all. We did some off-highway driving, but not a lot, but we also didn't do a lot of staying-in-hotels kind of traveling either. Then family-stuff-happened and we didn't do much, but then when my oldest son was born, we bought a Land Rover disco and an RTT. Still not a lot of camping for a couple of years, but by the time he was 4 or 5 we had a group I call "the usual suspects" -- other families with kids the same age as ours that we got along with. We all started camping together. Now that my son is 8yo, we're getting into more off-highway stuff along with the car camping. The last two years we've done an annual LR trip in the Mendocino Nat'l Forest in No. California (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm1U8PG5sCQ), but it's just been my oldest and I -- my daughter has had other conflicts. Were it not for that, she, my wife, and my 2yo would have come along.
So, to actually answer your question.... Here's what I recommend.
Start off with car camping close to home. State or county parks are great. Remember, this is for the kids, not you, so don't expect any challenging driving or anything. Let the kids run around, crawl under bushes, dig holes, etc. Leave the electronics at home; there's plenty to do. Look for frogs, slugs, cool sticks.
If at all possible, go with your kids' friends' families. It's amazing to watch a gang of 12 5yo's running around in sync like a school of fish. Also, it's much less work. You watch all the kids when they're near you and other parents watch them when the kids are near them.
This gets the kids used to the outdoors with minimal complaints -- no long drives, no sitting in the car for hours, etc. Do this as much as possible, as often as possible.
After a season or two, depending on how often you go, start heading further afield. Stick to the same type of car camping, but do it further from home so they get used to the drive to get there. Figure out games they can play in the car together on the ride. Again, if you can rope in a few other families (we usually go with about 6 families), even better -- the kids will entertain each other so you can stand around drinking beer and enjoying the scene.
Depending on where you are and who you're going with, you might be able to fit in a few challenges along the way or perhaps as an outing one afternoon for an hour or so. If your wife is really awesome, she may volunteer to stay in camp with younger kids who don't want to go. This year, I let my son ride up front -- a big dieal for him. (http://www.sinasohn.net/notebooks/201004132100.html) I also brought some cheap FRS radios for him and the other kids to use on the trail and in camp. That made a big difference because the kids were chatting away on their radios just like everyone else on their CB's. In fact, at one point, I heard about oncoming motorcyclists from the kids' radio network before I heard about them on the CB!
The important thing is to get started early, but don't just jump in the deep end. Work it out, if you can, to get your four-wheeling in on your own, if you have to, but ease the kids -- and your wife, if necessary -- into it.
So, to actually answer your question.... Here's what I recommend.
Start off with car camping close to home. State or county parks are great. Remember, this is for the kids, not you, so don't expect any challenging driving or anything. Let the kids run around, crawl under bushes, dig holes, etc. Leave the electronics at home; there's plenty to do. Look for frogs, slugs, cool sticks.
If at all possible, go with your kids' friends' families. It's amazing to watch a gang of 12 5yo's running around in sync like a school of fish. Also, it's much less work. You watch all the kids when they're near you and other parents watch them when the kids are near them.
This gets the kids used to the outdoors with minimal complaints -- no long drives, no sitting in the car for hours, etc. Do this as much as possible, as often as possible.
After a season or two, depending on how often you go, start heading further afield. Stick to the same type of car camping, but do it further from home so they get used to the drive to get there. Figure out games they can play in the car together on the ride. Again, if you can rope in a few other families (we usually go with about 6 families), even better -- the kids will entertain each other so you can stand around drinking beer and enjoying the scene.
Depending on where you are and who you're going with, you might be able to fit in a few challenges along the way or perhaps as an outing one afternoon for an hour or so. If your wife is really awesome, she may volunteer to stay in camp with younger kids who don't want to go. This year, I let my son ride up front -- a big dieal for him. (http://www.sinasohn.net/notebooks/201004132100.html) I also brought some cheap FRS radios for him and the other kids to use on the trail and in camp. That made a big difference because the kids were chatting away on their radios just like everyone else on their CB's. In fact, at one point, I heard about oncoming motorcyclists from the kids' radio network before I heard about them on the CB!
The important thing is to get started early, but don't just jump in the deep end. Work it out, if you can, to get your four-wheeling in on your own, if you have to, but ease the kids -- and your wife, if necessary -- into it.
I'm really not too worried about it anymore. We've got a nice new canoe waiting for us to pick it up, I'll feel it out. And certainly, we're not the only ones considering this.
