Camper_Mama_Bea
Explorer
Joined 13 years ago
User Profile
User Widgets
All Activity
Re: List of camping gear?
We have a 6 year old boy, will be 7 by the time camping season starts, and a 2.5 year old girl. 6 yr old has been camping since 2 months old, the 2/5 year old since 3 weeks old. I keep the 5er stocked with a second set of all basics. our son loves building, digging, and anything with wheels so the toys are reflective. Last year our daughter did whatever her brother did. We always have a bin of books in that gets loaded at the beginning of the season and stays in the trailer. If your kids are more into sports then you will want to bring some basic sports gear for them. Our son's best buddy always bring his baseball bag, he loves baseball and can always find someone to play with him. bikes always come, for the little one whatever wheeled toy she would use at home. a few trips we took the cozy-coop. if we have hook-ups then the DVDs, but unless it is inclement weather the TV doesn't get turned on, they get up, get dressed, and go outside to play. we have traveled with the Thomas take-along trains and had tracks all over the camper. we now travel with some legos. one of our outside storage bins is just for toys, it is doesn't fit in there is doesn't come. it is full of buckets, small shovels, small trucks, bats, balls. the beginning of the season it gets emptied what they kids haven't played with or don't want to play with anymore comes out, then they get to add something new, if there is space. bikes are great. our little one was in a kiddy bike seat at 10 months old. I found the smallest kid bike helmet that fit her head, and off we went. when our son turned 5 we got him a trail-a-bike. it is great, then we can go for longer rides and don't have to worry about him tiring out. the one this we as parents did, we started wearing helmets. decided if we were going to win the argument with the kids we would do it best by example. we also have a canoe, when our son turned 6 he got a kiddy kayak. so now on smaller lakes he paddles on his own. as for the inside of the trailer. I prefer to use sheets and blankets on their bunks. easier to wash when beds need to be changed. they have both been on bunks since the beginning. we have corner bunks with a small opening so we put safety gates across the openings. a baby monitor was a must for several years. then we could join friends at a campfire and keep an ear on the kids in the trailer. also walkie-talkies are now always with us. our son can take one and go off on his bike. if there is an issue he can call us, or if it is time to eat we can call him.639Views0likes0CommentsRe: Different route to Otter Lake in Marshall's Creek?
yes, they put in a by-pass and roundabout. but the final, long road that the campground is on, is still the same. we go in every year with a group of about 15 families. 3 of the rigs are 35-40 ft fifth wheels, they make it in ok, as much as they can they use the center of the road.198Views0likes0CommentsRe: Decisions....Decisions....
a two week wonder of the east coast sounds perfect for you! come up spend 3 nights at Timberlane Campground, it is the closest campground the Philly. I say 3 nights because you pull in in the afternoon, the next day you go to Philly, back to cg, second day in philly, back to cg, then the next day you leave. or you stay another day and explore the Camden waterfront including the Camden Aquarium and the USS New Jersey. Now you are off Liberty Harbor RV Park or the Newburgh, NY KOA. There are other threads on the pros/cons of these campgrounds. 3 nights again to spend 2 days in NYC. Now you are off across northern NJ into PA. You can either go right to Hershey (stay at the Hershey campground, it is worth it...shuttle to the park, discount tickets for the park), or stop at one of the many NJ and PA state parks for a relaxing night, depending what your preferences are. Hershey park/zoo/factory/town/outlets will be at least 3 days. From Hershey you are less then an hour from the Lancaster County, another great PA tourist area. Easily 3 more days can be spent in this area. From hear you can drop down to Gettysburg, PA for a couple days. How much more time do you have, and what else are you interested in. So much more to see between here and home. :) We tend to plan trips that we spend 3-4 nights in a spot and move on. Occasionally we will spend 5 nights if the location has enough to keep us busy for 6 days. We leave in a week for 11 nights, and will be in WV, VA, and MD before we head back home. For us it is all about what we want to see, and what else we can see between the points.464Views0likes0CommentsRe: Cheap Microwave
when our RV microwave died the other year, we went to walmart bought one that was the closest size, and put it in. it works great when we are plugged in to power. it does not like running off the generator. i have never worried about the turn-table plate inside bouncing around. but then overall with our ride I don't worry about too much bouncing around that is in the front or center of the rig, only the tail end gets some good bounces. We ride with a Pampered Chef pizza stone in the over and it is fine also.494Views0likes0CommentsRe: Educational kids trips
any National Park site. they all have Junior Ranger programs which are great tools for the kids to learn about the site, at the end they get a junior ranger badge. you can also get them the National Park Passport so each site they visit they can get the passport stamped. We started both our kids (6yr & 2yr) with passports last year and the 6 yr does the ranger programs, he got 2 badges last year, and will be getting at least one this year. we plan out trips to include as many national park sites as we can. any location can be educational, depending on how you approach it. an amusement park can be lessons in engineering on how the rides are built. a park can be lessons in nature...types of trees, types of rocks, types of animals, protecting nature. if they are into nature look into the toy line "Backyard Safari" they are toys but also gear for exploring the outdoors. the stuff is inexpensive, basic pieces can be found at Walmart, Target, Toys R Us. More unique pieces can be found online. This could be something you get them as a gift then have the bring it on a trip so that you can use it to explore.350Views0likes0CommentsRe: How did you get into Rving or camping?
I'm starting to think it was in my blood but I didn't realize it. camped once as a baby, my parents spent a week at the jersey shore in my grandparents trailer. mom hated it, every vacation from then on was a hotel. did the brownie/girl scout thing with weekend camping trips. stayed in the backyard of my grandmother's place a couple times in my uncle's trailer. then met hubby, after a year of dating we planned our first vacation, 2 weeks in a pop-up (no bathroom in it) to Maine and Vermont. I servived. Then at some point we spent a weekend in a hotel, he was miserable. I realized the only way he would be happy traveling, we would get to see everything I wanted to, was camping. 17 years, two upgrades, and 2 kids later. we are now camping in a fifth wheel with a 6 year old and a 2 year old. Our kids have never slept in a hotel, or flew in an airplane. Oh, and we also don't travel with a DVD player in the truck for the kids, when we are on the road they have crayons and paper, the older one has a leapad, they younger one has a learning computer sometimes, otherwise they watch the country passing or catch up on their sleep. If we are home for more then 3 weeks the kids start asking when the next camping trip is, winters are looong when we aren't camping for about three months straight. Hubby and I plan to camp "forever" time will tell what the kids decide to do, once they are old enough to decide.275Views0likes0CommentsRe: Parents of teens.
when they are trusted to stay home by themselves AND they know the systems of the trailer so if there is a problem they can understand what is happening. such as the heat or a/c stop working. would also leave them with a cell phone and the number of the campground office and local 911 with their location to tell dispatch.300Views0likes0CommentsRe: Northern PA campgrounds
Promised Land State Park. we love it, lots to do in the park, we could easily spend a week there. they have great ranger programs, hiking, swimming, fishing, boating, multi-use trails. Hickory Run State Park is also nice, though personally we prefer Promised Land, it is definitely worth checking out if you like exploring different places. Otter Lake Camping Resort. private campground, lots to do in the campground.277Views0likes0Comments
Groups
Bucket List Trips
Bucketlist destinations you just can't miss. Which spots stick with you?Jan 18, 202513,487 Posts Fifth Wheel Group
Interested in fifth wheels? You've come to the right spot.Mar 07, 202519,008 Posts Full Time RVers
Thinking about becoming a full-time RVer? Ask the experts.Dec 28, 20241,587 Posts Motorhome Group
Join in here to discuss all things motorhomes.Mar 09, 202538,709 Posts RV Families
Activities, advice, and destinations for those traveling with kids!Oct 09, 2024501 Posts
