No one wants to think their camping trip might be spoiled by bad weather, but it is quite likely that you will run into some eventually. The trick is to be prepared for it, so you can reduce unpleasant results as much as possible. When you go hiking or on a long walk away from the shelter of the camping site, take an extra jacket in case the weather turns cold. Tie it around your waist if it won't fit into a backpack.

If a storm comes up while you are out in the open, don't shelter under a tree. Trees are often struck by lightning and strong winds can tear a limb off. If you are in the car, don't park under a tree. Better for the car to get hail damage than you. Shelter from wind in the lee of a large rock, a hill or low bushy growth. Turning your back to wind will reduce its affect on you. Half close your eyes so that dust and debris won't blow into them.

If there is thunder and lightning and you are out in flat, open ground, crouch down to lessen the chance of lightning seeking you out. If there is a shallow depression in the ground, crouch in that, but never climb down into a gully. If there is a cloudburst upstream, you could find yourself in swirling floodwaters before you know it.

The wind-chill factor is what makes cold wether unbearable, so stay out of freezing winds wherever possible. If winds are searing hot and dusty, dampen a kerchief and tie it around your mouth and nose, gangster style. This can help when it's cold too, but in the case of cold wind, don't dampen the cloth.

Much of the body heat is lost from the head and neck; if possible, keep these two body parts covered when in extremely cold conditions. If the worst comes to the worst and you have to stay out overnight, huddling together will help preserve everyone's body warmth.

It's wise to take extra provisions with you even if you'll only be away from the campsite for one day. Children get extra hungry when they are out in the fresh air, and if the weather suddenly turns nasty, extra food - even chocolate bars - can help the body survive its onslaught. In fact, a small tent doesn't weigh much, so it would be an idea to take one along with you. Then if you get hit with a storm you can at least stay dry.

Campfire safety tips are really just common sense, but if you've never been camping before there will be a lot on your mind and you are likely to be distracted by all the other things you must do, so here are a few tips to remind you of safety and care.

Never start a fire under an overhanging branch, or anything else that may be up there. Sparks fly upwards and may ignite it. Dig a small hollow for your fire, or see if there is one provided. Surround your fire with stones. This will create a safe area that children will keep out of and it will help to restrict small fingers of fire from exploring. Some camping sites provide a metal ring.

Clear a space of all flammable undergrowth like grass and twigs to at least a meter right around the fire. Keep that shovel close by and also a bucket of water, just in case sparks catch onto something. Keep your fuel supply upwind of the fire so that sparks don't ignite it. Never throw the match away after lighting the fire. Throw it into the fire instead. Keep rugs and cushions out of spark reach. Never light a fire near to your vehicle, or throw fuel like gas onto it to get it going faster.

Once the fire is alight, never go off and leave it, nor leave food cooking on it unattended. Pans can tip over, spilling fat or oil into the fire and making it spark up more. Always use as small a fire as possible. You don't need a bonfire to cook food. If you want toast, red embers are the best for browning your bread.

When you've finished with the fire, extinguish it properly. Use water and earth to do this. Stir the fire several times and douse with water to make sure it's all out. Don't just pull a charred log out of the fire pit and leave it smoking. A breeze can fan the embers into a dangerous fire.

Watch toddlers around a campfire. They will be fascinated, but can easily trip and fall headlong into it. Confine the toddler to a portable playpen, or else place it around the fire when you've finished cooking. A small piece of crumpled paper or even a tissue can help start a fire more quickly. If you have none, a handful of dry grass compressed lightly into a ball will help. Once it is going, don't fuel it with a long branch that protrudes beyond the stones. Use shorter pieces to keep the fire in one spot.

Once you have children you might think that your hiking days are over, but this is not necessarily so. Children love to get out into the freedom of the country and are often able to walk an amazingly long way. While they are little, they will not be able to keep up with adults, but if you adjust your goals to suit them, you will still be able to enjoy some hiking and teach them to enjoy it, too.

Hiking to suit the children means that the degree of difficulty will be much less than something you would attempt for yourself. Choose terrain that is less rough and not as steep for little legs to cope with. Allow plenty of time for rest and walk more slowly so that they can keep up. You may have to make camp a bit sooner than if you were alone, and allow more days to reach the same destination. You may need to carry more, because a child cannot carry the same load that an adult can manage, even though he will need the same things.

You may decide to go hiking with a small baby. Adults have been carrying their babies out in the wilds for centuries, so why not you? Just remember that you'll have that extra weight. One of you will have the baby and a few supplies, while the other will have everything else. Diapers must be carried out as well as in; otherwise you will be spoiling the environment. Extra care must be taken to look after a baby, since they cannot tell you if they are getting chafed by the wind or sunburned.

If your children are very young, give them a backpack that is very light. You might need to carry them and their backpack when they become tired. Remember not to let the older ones get too far ahead or the youngest will feel pressured to keep up. Be prepared to change your plans at a moment's notice. It's not the end of the world if you must camp after only a half-day's walk.

Ideally, start training the children for your hike well beforehand. Take them on walks that become progressively longer to see how they stand up to it. Keeping the snacks up to them will help their energy levels to last the day. Always make sure they have plenty to drink.

Don't expect your small child to sleep alone in a tent. Tent sharing is a necessary part of hiking and will ensure the child feels safe at all times. As they grow older, they will progress to using their own tent.

Meals cooked over a campfire are an integral part of the camping experience, so you want them to taste great and not have any unpleasant after-effects. Food will spoil quickly if not kept at the right temperature, so a good Esky or cooler bag is important. Many meals can be prepared ahead of time, then frozen and if packed into an Esky. If it's not constantly opened, it will stay cold for several days.

Store your drinks in a separate container, because that will be opened much more frequently and so will lose its cold air. You may be able to buy ice at the campground to replenish your supply. If so, buy it daily and keep your food in plastic containers so it's not sitting in water when the ice melts. If not, eat those foods first that are likely to spoil the most quickly. Steaks can be frozen before packing into ice, so they should last for several days. Chicken is usually eaten first.

Many small animals often raid a camping ground to get at food or food scraps that are left around. If you leave food on the table, you are extending a meal invitation to all small critters, so don't be surprised to see your campsite ruined when you return from your activities. Instead, pack all food away in sealed plastic containers. Store them in an Esky and keep it in the shade, rather than your tent. Tents can become very hot during the day and are no real deterrent to critters with sharp claws.

It may be necessary to place all your food in a bag and suspend it from a tree branch. If this seems like a nuisance, so is losing all your food. Don't forget that birds as well as small animals, can steal food. Make sure all your food scraps are placed in the trashcans provided. If there are none, then seal it into your own garbage bags. Many campsites provide bear-proof canisters to store food, and also provide the wherewithal to hang it - away from trees that a bear can climb.

You may think that food will be safe if stored in your vehicle overnight, but bears have become used to the idea that food is stored there and they recognize the shape of an Esky or cooler bag. Many
vehicles have had their windows and doors smashed by foraging bears, so if you are camping in bear country, use the steel bins that are provided for food storage.

Never encourage animals to eat your food. A bear that constantly tries to get human food will have to be shot to keep humans safe from its rampaging, so you are actually helping to cause its death by offering food.

Children love to play in water so one of the best camping sites should contain a safe play area with water. This can be a fenced in swimming pool, beach, lake or stream. Even though this area may be deemed safe, there are still things you and your child should know and do to make sure no harm comes to them in the water.

Firstly, they should be taught not to run around a swimming pool. The wet edges can be quite slippery and if they fall in they could easily bang their head, or cause injury to someone else already in the water. Little ones should never be allowed near water without parental supervision and even then they should wear a floatation device of some kind. Even older children who can swim should be under supervision whilst in the water. Never allow them to swim alone.

Teach your children to swim as early as possible and train them in basic water rescue. Even knowing to throw a blow- up ring or a ball to someone in difficulties could save their life. Show them how to throw out a towel and use it to tow someone in to the edge. Get them to practice it a few times. Never let your child dive into a river or lake at the edge where it might be shallow or rocky.

Children seem to like to play with balls in the pool, but this is not safe if there are other people trying to have fun. They are likely to be so busy watching the ball that they cannon into others, and if a tennis ball is used, it can cause a painful injury. Those light balls that can be blown up are best, but these tend to blow away if played with on the open beach or river.

Teach your children to respect wild water. That is, water in the lake, sea or river. Lakes and oceans can have strong currents running under water that looks still and inviting. Show your children how to swim diagonally to get out of the river if they feel they are being washed downstream. Children will quickly become exhausted if they try to swim back upstream.

Fun activities with water need not always include swimming. There are boating and surfing, not to mention simple play such as paddling and water fights. If you take children out in a boat, be sure they always wear a lifejacket. Once your children know a few safety rules, you can enjoy a greater peace of mind when camping near water.

Since your kids have no access to their usual entertainment of TV and computers during a camping trip, they will need some extra fun games to play. Of course, there is the usual telling of scary stories and toasting marshmallows, but you may like a change from that. Since a flashlight fascinates children, why not incorporate some flashlight games into your evenings?

If you have a large flat area for play near your camping site, team the children into pairs and let them decide on a flashlight code such as one long and two short flashes. The pair then splits up to opposite ends of the designated area. See how long it takes them to find each other using only their code flashes for location.

A variation is for one child to go some distance away and flash a message using Morse code. Those at the other end have to work out what it is. The one who gets it first should get a treat.

Shadow play is another fun activity. They need to be in or near the tent so they can cast shadows on the wall with their flashlight. They can experiment with making weird and wacky shapes.

Catching fireflies is another fun activity. It is possible to attract a firefly close by holding the flashlight close to the ground and flashing it for one second. This imitates the firefly's flash and one will soon draw close enough to be caught. Have a glass jar ready to pop it into. To keep it safely in the jar, cover with a circle of paper and rubber band. Push small holes in the paper so the fireflies can breath. The children will be fascinated to see how much light a jar of fireflies gives, but be sure to release them after a little while.

Stargazing is another fun and educational activity. Everyone should lie down on a rug and gaze at the stars. You can identify different shapes and make up new ones. It's exciting for the children to see a shooting star, too.

Day camping activities can include a paper chase using a compass. You can set out the course by using small treats at the stopping points, so the one who gets there first gets the treat. Two heads are better (and safer) than one; so going in pairs is a good idea.

Another fun game is for each child to make a small forest garden, using only found items. These can be about one square meter and incorporate flowers, seeds, sticks, stones, bottle caps or any amount of other things. You'll be surprised at how inventive your children can be when given free rein.

Camping for the first time is an exciting experience and sometimes it's the sheer excitement that makes your child unsettled. But if your child is very young, he may actually become homesick for his familiar home and toys while on a camping trip. How can you help him settle in?

One way is to bring several of his favorite toys along to keep him company. Reassure him that you will all be returning home at the end of the trip and that all his other toys will still be there. Make sure that he is comfortable; not too hot or too cold, and that he has plenty of his favorite food and drinks. Eating familiar food will help make the camping experience less alien to him.

It's a good idea to practice sleeping out in the backyard in that tent before you set off on the camping trip. This will make him feel familiar with it all. But once you are actually camping, make sure he realizes that he can't just get up and go into the house if he's unhappy.

Once you are settled in, the idea is to make sure your child is absorbed by what is happening around him. It's a wise idea to try a short camping holiday fairly close to home for the first time and then if it is a disaster, you can get home quickly and try again in a year or two.

If he is old enough, he may be able to take part in all the activities that are planned. If he seems unsure, you will want to stay with him until he gains more confidence. Never push him away and leave him with strangers if he is unhappy.

Children who are old enough to do some jobs should be given that responsibility and encouraged to do what is set for them to do. This will help to make them feel important and part of the scene. They also need rules about what they can do and where they can go. Rules and boundaries will help them to feel safe. 

Be sure to tell your child clearly what will be happening on the camping trip. Go over the list of activities planned for each day and remind them what is about to happen. If other family members are engaged in different activities, let your little ones know ahead of time when the family is to meet up for meals and things like that. Small children live in the present and if they see some of their family disappearing into the unknown (to them) territory, it can be devastating because they think they will never see them again. So keep in mind these few ways in which to settle your youngster into camping life and you will both have a happier camp.

When camping with toddlers there are many accidents waiting to happen because little ones seem able to get into trouble without even trying. Here are a few tips to save your sanity and help keep your toddler safe.

Well before you leave, get your toddler used to sleeping in a different place. Buy a portable cot, or try a mattress on the floor - anything to get them used to bedding down in a strange area. Pitch a tent in the back yard and try sleeping out there with them for one night, just to see if they will settle.

Choose a safe spot with lots of level ground and not too close to lakes, rivers or steep gullies. Toddlers love water and can overbalance very quickly. Use a portable pay-pen for times when your attention will be distracted from him, like when you are cooking.  Take extra family members to help with watching your toddler. Each person should take it in turns to be with him, so that all can have some time free.

Make sure you pack his favorite toy so he has something familiar to cuddle up to at night. Settle him away from bugs and light, unless he is used to having a nightlight. If this is the case, take a battery-powered light to use, rather than a kerosene lantern that could get knocked over.

Make sure your toddler has plenty of fluids, warm and cool clothing, insect repellent and sunscreen. Take along mild medication like Panadol for emergencies and soothing cream for insect bites. In fact, a special bag for first-aid should be a priority on every camping trip. A sunhat and a warm cap for the evenings will be beneficial. Choose the brightest colored clothing you can find for your toddler to wear. Then if the unthinkable happens and he wanders away, it will be easier to find him.

Don't worry about keeping your toddler in clean clothes. He will be crawling around on Mother Earth all day; keeping him clean will be impossible. Check the ground at your campsite as soon as you get there for broken glass, sharp rocks and cigarette butts. Make sure there are no ant or wasp nests, stinging nettles or poison ivy close by.

Never move your vehicle unless you can see where your toddler is. Don't trust that he will stay away from the wheels long enough for you to move the vehicle. 

The main trouble with a long-distance camping trip with kids is that they get bored in the car. So the best thing to do is gather an assortment of easy and interesting games for them to play along the way. These can be board games, card games or guessing games such as that old favorite, I Spy.

For kids who can't yet spell, spy by color instead of the beginning letter. To keep older children's interest, make it harder by using two or three words and thus letters. E.g. instead of simply S for sky, have CS for cloudy sky or PBS for pale blue sky.

If you run out of things to spy, think of something instead and then give clues as to what it might be. Clues can include color, size and where it can be found as well as the letter it starts with.

If you also pack pens and notebooks, there will be other games that they can play. These include keeping a record of how many different colored cars they see. Each child can watch out for a different colored car. At the end, compare notes to see how popular the different colored cars are. For ease of recording and counting, they can draw a 1 for each of four cars and at the fifth draw a line across the four 1's. Then they need only count by fives to total it all up.

A variation of count the cars is to play matching pairs using cars instead of cards. Every time kids find two cars that are the same color and make, they get a small treat.

Other things they can do to pass the time are, write down all the stream and river names. Write down the names of bridges and find them on the map. They could make up a sentence where each word must start with the letters from the number plate of the car in front. E.g. if the letters are ULA the sentence could be Umbrellas Love Apples.  They could tell a short story using as many of these sentences as they can.

They could add up the numbers from the number plates, or add two of them and subtract the third. This can be more fun if they do it with oncoming cars. One could call out the numbers and the adding or subtracting instruction and the others could have a race to see who is finished first. The first to get ten right could have a small treat.

Making up poetry or drawing pictures about where they are going or have been is also fun. A big folder can be kept especially for these records and when you get home, you or they could scan them into the computer or take a digital snapshot of them. They can be used for slideshows or scrapbooks.

There are a few tips you should know to get the most joy and convenience from your campsite. It's all very well to get close to nature, but if you are kept awake all night by some discomfort, then you won't enjoy the experience. Giving up many necessities of life like electricity can make life harder than usual, so here are some pointers to make camping life a bit more enjoyable.

Find a flat campsite. Even a gentle slope will have you rolling out of your tent through the night. If you simply cannot find a flat spot, then make sure the head of your sleeping bag is to the top of the slope. Clear away all pebbles and sticks from under the tent, even the little ones. Sticks have a habit of poking holes in things, and you don't want that to be you - or your new airbed.

Don't choose a campsite down in a hollow either, or you may find yourself awash if it rains during the night. Finding a spot close to a tap and the amenities block is a good idea, especially if you have children. They always seem to need the toilet at odd hours.

While you would like to be close to shade, don't set up your tent right underneath that big, old tree. Some trees drop branches for no apparent reason and lightning will often strike a tree. Storms or high wind can make branches come crashing down, too. Try to avoid pitching your tent underneath overhead power lines for the obvious reason.

If your children will be spending lots of time in the pool, see if you can get a site nearby. It will be easier to keep an eye on them while attending to camp duties. Close to a playground is another good option. If the children are older, this may not be so important.

When deciding on a good spot for the campfire, remember that wind often blows sparks around so keep it away from the tents. You don't want to discover there's a hole in the tent during the next shower. See if there is a prevailing wind and set your tent and campfire so that the smoke will blow away from the tent. If you have two or three tents, they could be pitched in a semi-circle, with the fire in the center. You can still work it that the smoke will be blowing away from the tents.

If you are depending on using the common cooking facilities at the campgrounds, then a site close to them will be very convenient, especially if you have toddlers. Imagine carting them and the Esky halfway across the campground two or three times a day? Then you get all settled for the meal and realize you forgot that ketch-up.