More American families than ever are realizing just how much fun can be had by going on a family camping excursion to any of the country’s multitudes of camp resorts and campgrounds. Studies show that about 43 million Americans took a camping trip in just the last year — and when the average camper will take five different trips to throughout the year, it’s clear that America’s camp sites are seeing more activity than ever.
So if your family has decided to go camping together for the first time, congratulations — you’ve picked one of the best ways to spend time with each other away from distractions like TV and the Internet, all while enjoying some much-needed fresh air and outdoor recreation time.
But before you and the kids leave on your family camping trip, it’s important to educate everyone on the importance of being respectful — not just to each other, but to your fellow campers and to the environment as well. Here are our best tips to help your family become respectful campers:
Respect your campsite
When you and your family arrive at your campsite, you’ll find a clean, tidy space. It’s important to leave it this way for the next campers who use the spot! Be sure to enforce a carry-in, carry-out policy with your family so no trash gets left behind at the campsite, and always put food waste and other litter in its proper place.
Respect other campers
When your family goes camping, you’ll likely have a few neighbors in close proximity — and to make sure everyone has the best experience possible, it’s important to make sure your kids are respectful of these other campers. Keep noise level at a moderate volume, and keep it a little quieter during the night — blasting loud music all night long will likely disrupt others’ sleep.
Respect nature
The biggest part of going camping is getting closer to nature and the natural world — so you want to be sure your family will respect the environment during your trip. To help your kids learn respect for nature, tell them to “leave only footprints; take only memories.” In addition, respect wildlife by not disrupting their natural behaviors — and never feed any wild animals.
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