Why Is Camping Fun? All The Reasons To Love The Outdoors
You might think that camping sounds like a horrible way to spend the weekend. But you would be surprised to find out that there is something to love for everyone while being outdoors. This list will show you why camping is fun for everyone!
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Why Is Camping Fun?
Just a few of the reasons that make camping fun are that you learn new skills, unplug from day-to-day stresses, explore nature, & find new hobbies.
We usually don’t give ourselves the chance to do any of these things because we are so caught up in our modern lives. When you’re out camping, you are forced to slow down and really enjoy the little things.
More reasons why camping is fun:
- Learn New Skills
- Problem Solving
- Set Up A Cozy Campsite
- Enjoy Campfire Activities
- Cooking Is More Fun
- Stargazing Is Better
- New Games & Hobbies
- Hiking & Exploring New Places
- Learn About Yourself
- Unplug From Stresses
- Enjoy Nature’s Medicine
- Animal Sightings
- Quality Time With Family & Friends
- Make Memories
- Healthy Movement & Fresh Air
- Inexpensive Entertainment
We find that camping can be fun for all of these reasons. They might not all seem interesting to you. You can at least pick & choose a few reasons to enjoy camping to make sure you are making the most out of your camping trip.
Learn New Skills
While you’re camping, you are bound to learn a few new skills. The most common skill you’ll learn is how to make a fire.
You’ll be surprised at how many other skills you’ll pick up along the way.
While you’re out camping, it is the perfect opportunity to learn survival skills. Some examples would be to learn how to fish, forage, and administer first aid.
If there are skills you’ve been wanting to learn, then use your camping trip as a time to slow down and hone in on those skills.
Problem Solving
If you want to strengthen your problem solving skills, then camping is a great way to do it! While you’re camping, there are going to be a lot of challenges that arise.
Don’t let these scare you away from camping. Instead, look at them like they are puzzles that need to be solved.
Our first time camping, it rained and we didn’t have any shelter besides our tent. We were able to use what we had on hand to hang a tarp from our truck to the tree line so we weren’t stuck in our tent all day.
It can feel a little upsetting if you don’t have the right mindset. Start your camping trip with the goal of problem solving for any situation that arises.
It feels so good to problem solve and come up with a solution!
Set Up A Cozy Campsite
One of my favorite parts about camping is getting the campsite set up. If you love decorating, then this might be your time to shine.
For example, you can make your tent feel cozy by adding a fuzzy blanket along with your sleeping bag. You also might want to string lights across your whole campsite.
Don’t look at the setting up process as a chore. Instead, use it to make your campsite a more enjoyable space to be in during your trip.
Enjoy Campfire Activities
Building a campfire is an activity that the whole family can enjoy. There are so many fun camping activities to do while you’re hanging out by the campfire.
You might play word games, tell ghost stories, or roast marshmallows. No matter what, getting cozy by the campfire on cold nights can be enjoyable all by itself.
There’s nothing like watching a campfire for hours on end. You’ll be surprised at how relaxing it is for your brain to just soak in the sight of your campfire.
Cooking Is More Fun
There are countless ways to cook while you’re camping. You might choose to roast hot dogs on the fire, cook a dutch oven cake, or fire up a grill.
There is something so enjoyable about cooking food with different methods while you’re out in nature. Plus, for some reason food tastes 100x better when you cook it outside.
It is a good idea to plan out fun recipes to cook on your camping trip so you can make sure to enjoy each meal you eat. It can be the best part of your whole trip!
Stargazing Is Better
Nothing beats looking at the stars while you’re out camping. Usually, your campsite will be further away from light pollution than you’re used to. The stars will look way brighter while you’re out camping.
Make a game out of it and bring a telescope. Learn a new skill as a family while you search for different constellations.
New Games & Hobbies
Being out in nature for long periods of time gives you the perfect opportunity to learn new games & hobbies. Or maybe you just don’t have the chance while you’re at home to enjoy hobbies that you’ve wanted to pick back up.
While you’re camping, you can play games together like going on a scavenger hunt. You might even want to play a simple game, like some card games, while you’re at your campsite.
You also have more time to learn new hobbies while you’re camping. If you’ve wanted to pick up bird watching as a hobby or maybe you love kayaking, then camping can be a great time to enjoy those outdoor activities.
Hiking & Exploring New Places
What better time to hike & explore than when you’re camping in nature? You can simply walk around your campsite to take in the nature around you. Or you could plan a longer hike outside of your campsite.
Hiking is a great activity to keep you active while you’re camping and to see new areas that you’ve never seen before. Usually hikes will take you to new places that you can’t reach by a car.
Hiking & exploring is one of the many reasons that make camping so much fun.
Learn About Yourself
Camping can definitely take you out of your comfort zone. That is the perfect place to learn more about yourself.
You’ll learn how you react in certain survival situations & also how you connect with nature.
You can also use your time camping to journal & meditate since you’ll be in a quiet place to think & ponder.
Unplug From Stresses
There are countless stresses we encounter everyday in city life. Camping gives you an excellent opportunity to totally unplug from those stresses.
While you’re away in nature, you might not have cell service. If nobody can reach you on your cell phone, then you’ll have a total break from any tasks that need to be done back home.
You’ll also be able to detox from social media & connect with the people around you. It is just a great way to forget about your day-to-day life and allow yourself to fully relax.
Enjoy Nature’s Medicine
Spending time camping is the perfect way to allow your body to heal. Did you know that studies have been done to show that physical activities done outside vs. inside actually benefit us more.
This study shows that people that walked in nature compared to people that walked on a treadmill actually had lower levels of stress hormones in their body.
Being in nature is so good for us. Even just getting doses of vitamin D can work wonders on your mood, immune system, & overall health.
While you’re camping with the sounds of nature, enjoy the fact that you are giving your body extra healing power!
Animal Sightings
While you’re camping in nature, you’ll have higher chances of seeing wildlife. There is something so exciting about seeing an animal in its natural habitat.
You can even bring binoculars with you to try to find the animals that are local to the area that you’re in.
Animal watching is a fun way to bond as a family & also to slow down and enjoy the nature around you.
Quality Time With Family & Friends
Being unplugged from electronics makes for the best opportunity to bond with the family & friends around you.
You’ll also be more likely to do wholesome activities together. Whether that be cooking meals at camp, playing board games, or just sitting around the fire.
This is a great time to bond with your family members & friends (and even your pets!) in new ways since you’ll be away from modern conveniences.
Make Memories
Whether you are a solo camper or camping with a large group, you are bound to make memories while camping.
The chances of having fun are always higher while you’re camping. You’ll experience new things & be motivated to entertain yourself outside.
All of this makes for the perfect recipe to make memories!
Healthy Movement & Fresh Air
If you’re looking for enjoyable ways to move your body more, then camping is the perfect physical activity for you. Just setting up a campsite alone is a workout!
Everything you do while camping (besides sitting at your campfire) is going to involve physical activity. It is the perfect way to start moving more and enjoying the fresh air to better your health.
Inexpensive Entertainment
Once you have all of your camping gear, then camping is basically free. You really just need to purchase gas to get to a campsite (and possibly pay a small campsite fee).
The great thing about camping is that you can enjoy beautiful scenery without breaking the bank. You could camp on a beach for free instead of paying to go to an expensive beach resort.
The options are endless! Plus, camping will keep you from spending money on other entertainment like restaurants & movie theaters.
You can save so much money and have so much fun while camping on the weekends.
How To Make Camping More Enjoyable
If you’ve had a bad camping experience, then you might be hesitant to try camping again. The last time you camped might have been the last straw for you. Don’t give up just yet!
There are ways to make camping more enjoyable if you plan ahead. Here are some tips to help you enjoy all the camping fun:
- Have a good sleep system (mattress, warm sleeping bag, & comfy pillow)
- Dress accordingly (make sure you’re comfy based on the temp)
- Have the right gear (bring the right cooking gear, campsite gear, etc.)
- Plan fun ideas to occupy your time
- Make a meal plan to enjoy delicious food
- Bring enough water
- Have a backup plan for bad weather (gazebo shelter, rain jacket, board games, etc.)
- Change your mindset to expect problem solving
- Have a comfy chair to sit in (or hammock!)
- Plan to slow down and enjoy the quiet
- Learn a new skill (whittle wood, forage, animal watching)
This isn’t a comprehensive list, but a basic list to give you a better idea of how to have more fun on your next family camping trip. Don’t let your past experience scare you away!
Conclusion
Camping is fun! Whether you’re totally new to camping or you’re a seasoned camper, there is always something new to try while you’re out camping. You just have to have the right mindset going into your camping trip, and you’re bound to have a good time.
Our Favorite Must-Have Camping Gear
Gazelle T4
Hub Tent
Jackery Solar
Generator
Qomotop Self-Inflating Mattress
THERMACELL MOSQUITO REPELLER
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Basic Camping Packing List
If this is your first time camping, or you need a refresh, then here is a free download for our Basic Camping Packing List. It is a full list of the basic items you need to bring for a successful camping trip.
