Camp etiquette

[Rickeoni]

We camped with 5 kids and now our grandkids are coming. We love to see the next generation camping, just not at 11 at night cutting through campsites with flashlights in our eyes, while their parents are slowly getting drunk. If you asking the questions your kids are probably well behaved due to having good parents.
Go out and have some fun, that's why you got the camper in the first place.

[tuffr2]

Your biggest problem will be how to carry all the bicycles. Parks are for kids. I was a snow bird. The park was full of old people most of the week. It was enjoyable on weekends when kids showed up with all their energy. Most parks are a great place to ride a bicycle or play games. Get them involved helping set-up and tear down camp.

[Nut4speed]

As others have said, keep projectiles (balls, frisbees, lawn darts ;-) ) away from vehicles of any kind. Don't run between campsites. If your kid has a meltdown (as all young kids are prone to do) take them inside to calm down. Otherwise gleeful noise is welcome in my opinion.
Follow these rules pretty much and you won't have to worry about what others think. Any problems they have are there own to work out. If they come to a campground and expect 24/7 peace and tranquility they need to head to a 55+ campground or go buy a 50 acre plot of land to park their camper in the middle of.

[affreeman]

Originally Posted by Mayberry32

My question revolves around etiquette with small kids. We bought the camper to take the kids places and have fun. We have 3: ages 6, 4 and 2. The more I browse these message boards, the more it seems the average age of people using RV's is 55+. We are 38 and have a very loud little family. It's impossible to keep 3 small kids quiet for long. Are there a lot of kids at the average state/national park campground, and is there anything in particular I should prepare for with small kids? I don't want to roll in and ruin other people's trips. I also don't want my kids to be restricted from playing and having fun. That's the entire point in us buying the travel trailer. Just looking for opinions/thoughts/expectations before we set out on our first trip. Thanks in advance for any opinions.

I grew up camping -- does anybody remember canvas tents? -- and the rules were simple:

- We had to be quiet until 7am. Sitting quietly and talking in a whisper quiet.
- Once it got dark at night we had to be on our campsite.

Evenings would be sitting around the campfire for a bit, then bedtime.

There are folks (my DW!) who prefer peace and quiet 24/7, but we share the world with others. Keep your kids reasonably contained and live your life. You can't make everybody happy, and kids deserve a chance to be kids.

[MisterT]

I would suggest asking the reservations office to find you a spot next to/near the campground play place - most of us oldies try to park as far from these areas as possible since we might be looking for a quiet spot.

You are asking the right questions, and we appreciate that. We have four boys, two with us, but they are well over the age of wanting to even go outside, and certainly aren't looking to run around and 'play', so our desires are very different. We appreciate parents that respect everyone else and make sure that their outside activities don't intrude on others, though we have seen many who don't act as though they have a clue how they and their children are impacting everyone else's enjoyment.

There are two 'camps' when it comes to 'camping' - those who are there for a few days to camp and have fun, and those who are there to have peace and relaxation. Both camps will argue which one is more important, and both have good arguments - it can still work together if everyone is respective of each other.

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by Jimbow

Not short cutting through other campsites is probably the #1 lesson. Not shining flashlights into people's eyes and tents, trailers, etc. should be the second.

I camped monthly with Boy Scouts for many years and learned that eventually we would bump into someone who didn't like something we were doing.

Years ago we camped with Girl Scouts many times and we would bump into someone who didn't like something we were doing. One comment that made me smile was "girls should be home and not out camping"! Ah, the "good old days".

But even being an old fart, I do enjoy children having fun and the noises they make. But being polite and respectful makes all the difference in the world. And that is a two way street.

Have fun, and go out there and build memories. My adult daughters still talk about all of our camping trips we made together as a family.

[Jimbow]

My daughter's Troop "camped" at a condo on South Padre Island. Sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags made it camping.

My Eagle Scout sons camped out under the stars and pooped in the woods.

They're haven't seen the inside of a tent in ten+ years. She has backpacked hundreds of miles from Canada to Texas, canoe camped through majestic areas.

It's fun how things turn out with kids.

[Cumminsfan]

I've very rarely ever had a bad camping trip when kids are around. I've had more issues with parents and their dogs, music or some guy that thinks the whole CG needs to hear about his day.
We do however avoid certain CG's that are kid heavy. We dry camp a lot too and you just don't see all that many families as you do in state parks.
Other than that enjoy your trip.

[Cooperhawk]

We have been RVing with our Grandkids for several years and it has been a blast. We have explained the rules of the CG to them and they are considerate of others, to my relief, however, we usually try to find CGs where there is something for them to do. Playgrounds, swimming pools, ect. Then they usually meet other kids and make friends quickly.

Sadly they are approaching the age where they will probably no longer want to travel with the Grandparents and I will miss their company immensely.

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by Cooperhawk

We have been RVing with our Grandkids for several years and it has been a blast. We have explained the rules of the CG to them and they are considerate of others, to my relief, however, we usually try to find CGs where there is something for them to do. Playgrounds, swimming pools, ect. Then they usually meet other kids and make friends quickly.

Sadly they are approaching the age where they will probably no longer want to travel with the Grandparents and I will miss their company immensely.

So true! Early this year we took my granddaughter camping with us into the coal mining region of Appalachia Kentucky and took a mine tour, and showed her some of the road, bridge and tunnel projects I worked on when her mommy was her age. She loved being with us and enjoyed herself. Then several months later we took her camping down in Fort Myers, Florida and all she wanted to do was lay out in her bathing suit and get some sun! Oh those few months took my baby away!

[RPreeb]

Originally Posted by Mayberry32

I'm not sure exactly where to post this, so thought I'd start here. We bought out first TT a few week ago: a new Winnebago Minnie Plus 27bhss. We are trying to take it out for the first time next weekend. We are thinking of taking it to the Great Smoky Mountains, camping in Townsend outside the Park, taking the kids to Dollywood and exploring the Park. With the recent wildfires, I think showing the kids the damage one can cause may be a good lesson, and the park could use some traffic and donations right now. We won't stay in the park the first time because it's cold and not the time to dry camp for the first time, and I think having hookups the first few outings is probably best.
My question revolves around etiquette with small kids. We bought the camper to take the kids places and have fun. We have 3: ages 6, 4 and 2. The more I browse these message boards, the more it seems the average age of people using RV's is 55+. We are 38 and have a very loud little family. It's impossible to keep 3 small kids quiet for long. Are there a lot of kids at the average state/national park campground, and is there anything in particular I should prepare for with small kids? I don't want to roll in and ruin other people's trips. I also don't want my kids to be restricted from playing and having fun. That's the entire point in us buying the travel trailer. Just looking for opinions/thoughts/expectations before we set out on our first trip. Thanks in advance for any opinions.

I think you are worried about nothing. We camp mostly in national forest CG's and we see folks of all ages. My parents bought their first camping trailer the spring when I graduated from high school. I'm 70 now and I don't really see any significant change in forest camping from then to now. Families and couples of all ages populate the campgrounds, and it's rare that children are the cause of any problems. I'm much more likely to be disappointed in the adult couple who feel that they have to run their $200 contractor generator all day and disturb half the campground. Might as well have a biker tuning his Harley next door.

Kids mostly make happy noise. My wife and I are childless, but definitely not anti-kid. A lot of times, watching the kids in the site next door is the best form of outdoor entertainment. As long as they aren't completely out of control, having kids around is a good thing. To be honest, I wouldn't even have an issue with kids cutting through my site, but I grew up in a different world, when we cut through yards just as part of the normal neighborhood route.

[BuzzWolfAR]

I see lots of kids at all the campgrounds we go to, and love seeing them. My wife and I are OLD, so is always nice to see kids having fun.

I can't imagine a situation when you would be uncomfortable with the little ones.

Enjoy yourselves, and give the kids a great education.

[Gordon Dewald]

Originally Posted by Mayberry32

I'm not sure exactly where to post this, so thought I'd start here. We bought out first TT a few week ago: a new Winnebago Minnie Plus 27bhss. We are trying to take it out for the first time next weekend. We are thinking of taking it to the Great Smoky Mountains, camping in Townsend outside the Park, taking the kids to Dollywood and exploring the Park. With the recent wildfires, I think showing the kids the damage one can cause may be a good lesson, and the park could use some traffic and donations right now. We won't stay in the park the first time because it's cold and not the time to dry camp for the first time, and I think having hookups the first few outings is probably best.
My question revolves around etiquette with small kids. We bought the camper to take the kids places and have fun. We have 3: ages 6, 4 and 2. The more I browse these message boards, the more it seems the average age of people using RV's is 55+. We are 38 and have a very loud little family. It's impossible to keep 3 small kids quiet for long. Are there a lot of kids at the average state/national park campground, and is there anything in particular I should prepare for with small kids? I don't want to roll in and ruin other people's trips. I also don't want my kids to be restricted from playing and having fun. That's the entire point in us buying the travel trailer. Just looking for opinions/thoughts/expectations before we set out on our first trip. Thanks in advance for any opinions.

IMO if you are not booked into a 55+ park you have as many rights to camp as the "old farts". As with any park there will be quiet hours that should be respected. Depending upon the weekend some parks seem to have partiers who do not respect anything. I expect they could be similar at their home.

We enjoy having children around who are respectful or supervised by their parents. We enjoy talking and interacting with our neighbor who is 8. Cat (her nickname) enjoys talking, really enjoys talking. I asked her why she talked so much. Her reply "girls are supposed to do that you know". Still chuckling about it.

Cat's mom checks every once in a while to see if she is bothering us. I tell Cat's mom that when we are tired we will send her home. Has not happened yet.

[schrederman]

I'm 65 and DW is 68. We have 6 grand kids and a bunk house trailer.... We love KIDS!!!