Practice Camping Before You Go For Real

Before you commit your family to a week in the wild, you may want to see how you and the family get along without the modern conveniences in a safe location close to home -- like in your backyard. Try pitching a tent in the backyard and doing all of the things you would be doing at the campsite. For example, if city ordinances allow, you could cook your food on a small campfire and you could have the family sleep in the tent.

Some of the things you may want to look for include:

How long does it take to set up the tent and sleeping arrangements?
How quickly can you set up the tent in the evening as it is becoming dark?
Can you set up the tent by yourself or is it a two- or more-person job?
Are your children afraid of being outside in the dark even when you are near them?
Are older children bored with no electrical gadgets and television to entertain themselves?
Do you or your children find it difficult to sleep on the ground in sleeping bags or are your cots uncomfortable?
Do you have the right equipment in place to make things convenient at the campsite?

Unless each family member is prepared for this to be an adventure, it can turn into a disaster.