Camping with Kids: Imagining the Adventure

As we get ready for our camping trip with the kids, I can’t help but picture the scene—setting up camp in the hills, ignoring sudden flashes of things we forgot, with the sea just within earshot and a salty breeze in the air. It feels like the beginning of something big, the start of an adventure where, hopefully, mostly fun things will happen.

I imagine the kids running wild, weaving through the paths that wind through the hills, eyes sparkling with excitement, and feet probably complaining about the sudden increase in activity. I think they’ll reach for their superhero capes to use as sun shields (because, of course, capes are essential when camping by the sea), ready to save the little snails and lizards around. Maybe they’ll become brave explorers or pirates searching for hidden treasure—it always seems to end up with piracy—with sticks as swords and squiggles in the dirt as their map.

I can’t wait to see our tent transform into a cozy base camp on a hill with a view of the water. Setting it up might take some teamwork, possibly a few tears—but hopefully lots of giggles too. Once it’s up, it’ll be our home for the weekend. It could become a pirate ship or a fortress where we gather each night to share the day’s stories.

During the day, I expect we’ll spend a lot of time exploring. The kids will likely hunt for seashells and “ancient” stones, or even fossils—which, surprisingly, we often find. They might even try to spot creatures in the rock pools. They’ll probably run around the campsite, with the sound of waves below adding to the sense of adventure.

As evening sets in, I picture us gathering around a campfire (if the wind allows), watching the sky fade into colors that match the sea. The kids will probably start whining with hunger, but I’ll try to distract them with stories about the sea until I manage to get our little camping gas stove going. The night will bring its own kind of magic, with the stars reflecting on the water. I can already imagine them staying up late, eyes wide, trying to take it all in, tossing and turning in their sleeping bags.

So here we are, about to camp in the hills by the sea, where the landscape is long awaited. What will happen out there? Will it be awesome, or will it be one of those “we should try this again when the kids are older” trips? I’m not sure, but I know it’ll be an adventure.