Family Overlanding Advice

[Rctonnie]

This was a great thread to catch up on. I've got a 4 year old, 6 month old, spouse and a puppy. We've done a lot of primitive camping overnights, and are gearing up for a longer road trip to visit friends and camp along the way.

Here are the gems I wrote down from the posts for things to do with the toddler:

• Books on tape (going to check out Neil Gaiman, never heard of it)
• Cookie sheet table for the car (have kiddo draw what he is hearing in the audiobook)
• Scavenger hunt with photos (I'm thinking of making a squared sheet of paper with images -- squirrel, types of leaves, etc.) We have a polaroid camera so my son could find these things, photo them, and tape it to the sheet.
• Geocaching (I've never done this and don't really understand it, but going to read more about it)
• Compass and a map for the toddler -- this is such a no-brainer that I never would've thought of
• Stargazing and a constellations map

Just a few activities I've done with my kiddo that have been good:

• Building a bug home before leaving (mason jar and some plastic wrap with holes) and finding some critters to house for a few hours at each site
• Bringing a shovel and digging to find different types of creatures and different types of soil
• Making an event out of trying to find the most climbable tree

We are a reasonably low-tech family. Wife and I have dumb phones, and we pretty much only give the kids digital visual media entertainment in community circumstances (i.e., extended family decides to watch TV or something). This makes road trip activity planning much more creative (and demanding lol).

If there are other ideas out there please throw them our way. Much appreciated!

 

[Anak]

• Making an event out of trying to find the most climbable tree

A potentially useful tip on tree climbing, particularly if your kids are anything like my Varmints: "Don't climb any trunk/limb/branch that is smaller in diameter than your own leg."

That is the rule I gave The Varmints. Easy enough to compare to one's own leg at the moment. Rational enough to not expect something to hold you up if it isn't at least as thick as that which you already know holds you up.

 

[Rctonnie]

A potentially useful tip on tree climbing, particularly if your kids are anything like my Varmints: "Don't climb any trunk/limb/branch that is smaller in diameter than your own leg."

That is the rule I gave The Varmints. Easy enough to compare to one's own leg at the moment. Rational enough to not expect something to hold you up if it isn't at least as thick as that which you already know holds you up.

Love it. My son tends to be the most cautious of the whole family. But my daughter who is now only 6 months seems to be boldly going where my son never would've imagined. These types of rules of thumb will be handy I am sure.