20 Camping Safety Tips

It’s time for camping fever!  The weather is great and the kids are out of school. 

If camping is on the agenda, then camping safety is a priority.  Here are some camping safety tips that I have put together.

1. Plan to get to your campsite when it is light.
2. When picking a site, check around for broken glass and other dangerous objects before setting up camp.  Make sure there are not a lot of ant hills or bee hives near.  Look for recent tracks of dangerous animals.
3. If you are camping where there could potentially be bears, never have food in or near the tent or sleeping area.
4. Set your camp up away from game trails and grazing areas of wildlife.  
5. Know the danger zones for the area in which you are camping.  Do not pitch camp in a flooding or flash flood zone.  If it is hot where you are camping, be sure you have shade near.  If you are camping where it tends to be windy, look for a campsite with protection from the wind.
6. Set your tent up away from the fire and look for anything that could possibly fall such as rocks or tree branches.
7. Make sure your children know the buddy system and have your children wear whistles if they are exploring, even if they intend on staying near the camp.  It is easy to wander farther than expected. 
8. Teach your children to stay calm, use their whistle and stay in one place if your children feel like they are lost.  Explain that it will be easier to find them if they stay in one place.
9. Teach your children how to recognize landmarks near your camp and to turn around and look behind them every 100 feet to familiarize themselves with the surroundings.  Set the rules; do not allow them to go out of ear range or sight depending on the age. 
10. Prevent forest fires by being responsible.  If you are allowed to have a camp fire be sure to build your fire in the designated area.  If there is no designated area, then be sure it is in a safe location.  Know the proper techniques to start a fire and to put one out.  Make sure your fire is completely out before retiring each night or leaving the campsite.  Always have water available near the fire.   Having a fire when it is windy is very dangerous.  
11. Watch small children closely if they are near a fire.   Tip:  In addition to always keeping a close and constant watch on our children, we used to set up a perimeter with a rope and our children were not allowed to get any closer to the fire than the rope.   It was a good safety zone to keep them from tripping or falling into the fire.
12. Be prepared for the weather.  There can be sudden shifts in the temperature and the weather can be unpredictable.  Have proper clothing to avoid being too warm or too cold.  Never go to sleep with wet clothing when it is cool outside to avoid hypothermia.
13. Drink plenty of water.  If you don’t carry your own water in, don’t drink water from the stream or river unless you know it is purified.  You can use a purifier or boil water to make it safer to drink.
14. Take plenty of bug repellent.  Tip: A nice breeze can help lessen the number of flying insects.
15. Take sun block, wear hats and sunglasses.
16. Bring a first aid kit and know the plants in the area that may cause rashes, such as poison ivy.  Show your children what plants to avoid.
17. Never approach a wild animal.
18. Prepare for the worst
19. Take plenty of food.
20. Carry out what you bring in.

Enjoy your summer and have a blast on your camping trips!

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Tags: Camping with kids, kids, kids summer, Moms Blog, summer ideas