The Outdoor Scene

I’ve been hearing how camping is experiencing an upswing again, which got me wondering how it all started. Thanks to Google and a research paper on the American Camp Association’s web site, I learned organized camping got its start in the late 1800s because people were worried about the effect technology was having on their kids and the environment. When the 1920s roared in, people fretted over spectatoritis. That disease, maybe the pre-curser to nature deficit disorder, was thought to be the result of people so oriented towards being spectators; they ceased being active participants in their own lives. Camping was again a suggested cure as it was in the 1970s when anxiety about the environment and children’s sedentary lifestyles sparked a resurgence.

Here we are today, in the part of the cycle where we’re again worried about our nation’s children, the economy and the environment. As a result, we’re going camping in droves. While there’s nothing new about the need to camp, there are a lot more options now for when, how and where you’ll do it. Mary Burnham, co-author of “Car Camping for Everyone,” breaks it down so your future trips are exactly what you want them to be.

Mary, who has co-authored six books and hundreds of magazine articles on hiking, paddling and camping with her husband Bill, reminds us there are millions of camping options on public and private land. You just have to know what you want. Following is her check list to help you plan your first or next trip.

Where and when to go camping
- Think about what destination you’d like to camp at: lakes, beaches, forests or mountains.
- Consider how far you’re willing to travel. Do you want to treat your peepers to a completely new vista? Or are you searching for rest and relaxation within an hour’s drive of home?
- Who is going on the trip? What interests do they have? Some parks offer planned activities for families while at others you’re on your own to entertain yourself.
- Decide what amenities you need to have. Do you want a secluded site with a picnic table and fire ring? Or do you need a hot shower, cooking grill and water and electrical hookups?
- How much do you want to spend? While camping is a low cost vacation, fees vary depending on whether you’re at a public land campground with few amenities or a private campground with a marina, self-service laundry and recreation room.
-Factor in who you’re going with. Is this a family trip or a large group camp out? That will determine what site or sites you may need.
- Once you’ve selected what scenery you’d like to enjoy over your morning cup of coffee, you can narrow down your final destination to public parks, public lands or private campgrounds.
- National and state parks offer great campgrounds, often with many amenities.
- Public lands such as national forests, wildlife refuges and Bureau of Land Management property offer campgrounds that may have fewer amenities but may be cheaper and less crowded.
- Search for public land campgrounds at:
www.nps.gov
www.fs.fed.us
www.blm.gov
www.fws.gov/refuges
- Check out your state park agency Web site as well.
- Check out private campgrounds at www.gocampingAmerica.com or www.koa.com
- Read online reviews of prospective campgrounds to see what others thought of their experiences.
- If you want to avoid crowds, pay attention to dates and locations so you don’t end up camping near an event such Bike Week or a NASCAR race. Also, consider going mid-week, when everyone else is at work.
- Finally, wherever and whenever you decide to go, make sure you reserve your site and avoid the disappointment of pulling into a campground that has its no vacancy sign out.
*You can reserve national lands sites up to six months in advance at: <http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/reservations/nrrs.shtml>  
*You can reserve many state park campgrounds up to 11 months in advance at <http://www.reserveamerica.com> 

If you want more great camping advice, I recommend checking out Mary’s book. What I love about it is the layout makes it easy to find and absorb the information. It packs a lot of tips in lists and short bullet points under pertinent photos. The chapters are logically organized and specific so you don’t have to read the whole book. Just find the information you want and dig in.

The Burnhams specialize in hiking in Virginia. To find a great hike, go to http://www.burnhamvirginia.com/hike.html

You can follow my updates on Facebook at facebook.com/tammy.sapp2 and Twitter @TammyDianeSapp.

When I was a kid, the moment my mom fired up the fire-breathing dragon, or “vacuum cleaner” as she called it, that was my cue to head outside and play. Sometimes I explored bug life on my own in the backyard and other times I belonged to a tribe of little bicycle riding, tree climbing, crick piddling hooligans. Supervised play included time spent fishing with my dad, learning about plants from my mom and camping, hiking, canoeing and bird watching with both of them. And to this day, I still hate vacuum cleaners and still love to play outdoors.

Sometime between when I was a kid and now, outdoor play fell out of fashion. Due to a myriad of factors, kids began spending more time at organized sports and activities while unsupervised time became dedicated to TV, video games and social networking.

While those of us in the hunting and fishing industry have been painfully aware of these changes, I’m not sure the rest of the world was until Richard Louv’s “Last Child in the Woods” gave it a name, nature-deficit disorder.

That book became a turning point in our collective social consciousness. Today, there’s a profusion of organized activities and events offered by state and local parks and nature centers. You and your children can experience everything from touring a wetland to identifying owls on a night hike.

However, some parents, such as Connecticut mom Jodi Valenta, enjoy taking the “home school” approach to introducing their children to nature. Not only is Jodi taking nature education into her own hands, she’s also sharing advice, activities and experiences in her new blog, Kids Discover Nature.

Jodi, who has a five-year old daughter and two-year-old son, relies on more than her maternal instincts when it comes to connecting kids with nature. She received her master’s degree from the University of Florida in wildlife ecology. And during her tenure as a director at the National Shooting Sports Foundation, she encouraged people to get outdoors via their Step Outside Program and helped break down barriers for young hunters through Families Afield.

After Jodi left her professional career to start a consulting firm, she felt the tug of wanting to do something creative as well as give parents the tools and resources they needed to raise children who love the outdoors.

“It is well-documented that children do not spend nearly enough time enjoying free play in the outdoors and are missing out on a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow. They receive many benefits from exploring and playing in the natural world such as relaxation, creativity, imagination building, exercise and more,” Jodi said. “For 14 years, my professional career was devoted to fish and wildlife ecology and conservation. Now, as a blogger, entrepreneur and mom, my goal is to pass my knowledge and love of nature onto my children and others. Through my blog, I hope to inspire parents and caregivers to tell their kids to “go play outside” and provide useful tips and fun ideas to help them motivate their children to head outdoors and simply enjoy nature.”

I asked Jodi when she thought parents should begin introducing their kids to the outdoors.

“My children enjoyed being outdoors when they were newborns,” Jodi said. “We would take them for walks in their stroller so they could look at the trees and hear nature sounds. When they were fussy, we’d take walks because it would calm them down so they could fall asleep. It’s important to start getting outdoors early.”

Jodi stressed that it’s important to make outdoor play a regular part of your child’s life. By offering fun activities and giving yourself permission to play, your kids will look forward to it as a normal part of their day. You’ll have a good time, and so will your children.

The outdoor activities you plan for your kids don’t need to be complicated either.

“For toddlers, simple activities such as puddle jumping, cloud watching, exploring the backyard or identifying nature sounds are ideal,” Jodi said. “You don’t need special equipment, just your time.”

She also recommends projects such as pressing flowers, throwing and kicking a ball in the grass or creating a special place in the backyard such as a fort or fairy garden. With older kids, you can hike on local nature trails, picnic in the park or identify plants or birds.

“The important thing to remember is make a plan, but allow for deviations. It’s fun to have the freedom to explore.”

A few weeks ago through her blog, Jodi launched the 30-day outdoor challenge.

“Since summer officially has begun, I thought it would be fun to do an online, community-wide promotion to get kids outside every day for a month,” Jodi said.” “Over the next 30 days, I will be providing activity ideas. Some will be my own, but I also plan to include ideas from my favorite blogs, Web sites and books.”

Even if it rains, Jodi said that shouldn’t put a stop to the fun. Instead, put on rain boots and coats and join your children in discovering how the backyard looks different on a rainy day versus a sunny one. For example, you’re more likely to see earthworms when it’s rainy, which can lead to another activity - starting a worm farm. Or turn over rocks with your kids to examine the bugs underneath.

Because Jodi’s blog is a community environment, she hopes readers give her feedback, provide reports of their activities and share ideas.

I recommend learning how you can get involved in the 30-day outdoor challenge by visiting Jodi’s blog at www.kidsdiscovernature.com. You can also catch up with her on Twitter @KidsDscvrNature.