How to Make Car Camping Fun for Teens

Car camping with teens can be a great way to reconnect with nature, discover new places, and have family fun. For parents, finding ways to keep their teens entertained and engaged in the outdoors can be difficult. Fortunately, there are several activities that you can do to make car camping with teenagers a pleasant experience. Here are five great ways to keep your teens entertained and connected with nature when car camping.

Set Up Together

Working as a team to set up the campsite allows teens to feel like they are taking ownership of the adventure and helps them develop important skills. Involve your teens in deciding where to place the tent, where to park your cars, setting up the iKamper roof tent and how to store food and supplies.

Let each teen share what they think would make this car camping trip successful. Including them in the decision making process, you will discover unique ways to make it special. Plus, when it comes time to break down camp afterward, teens will readily jump in and help since they had a hand setting everything up.

Geocaching

Geocaching combines adventure, nature, and technology making it the perfect activity for teens looking for a fun way to spend an afternoon or evening car camping. Combining the thrill of an interactive treasure hunt, the great outdoors, and their smartphone, teens can easily find and explore geocaches wherever they are.

Geocaching is free to join and allows teens to explore new places while engaging in exciting activities. With hundreds of geocaches near campsites worldwide, teens will have a blast searching for caches, learning about the area, and tracking their progress online.

Hiking

Hiking is always a fun activity that creates lasting memories, especially due to its challenges. It can also act as an incentive during other activities, such as rock climbing or orienteering through trails they navigate as they get closer to the top of their chosen hike. With this in mind, pack plenty of snacks and ensure everyone has enough supplies and proper shoes before beginning the excursion. Offering up teen-friendly rewards at the end of the hike can be an extra motivator too.

Learning Survival Skills

Learning survival skills with teens can make car camping even more enjoyable by teaching them the secrets of nature and how they can use nature as a resource if necessary. It’s essential to teach them how to read the weather, build a fire, find clean water, and practice basic outdoor safety protocols like being aware of surrounding wildlife and securing their food to protect it. Doing this together gives everyone a chance to gain knowledge and skills that help camping and could be useful in any walk of life.

Fishing

Fishing is a great car camping activity, as it can be done anywhere and requires minimal setup. Plenty of easy to use rods and reels are available, making the process accessible to anyone regardless of their fishing experience. It’s also an excellent way for teens to learn more about conservation, ecology, and the environment and better understand their local waterways and marine life.

Car camping with teens can be a great way to reconnect and have family fun. With the right activities, you can keep your teens engaged and entertained in the outdoors while teaching them important skills.