how to make teenager like camping?

[mustconv66]

Hi all, Dealing with 15yr old girl who is not liking our camping ideas. Hence the old saying "You can lead a horse to water........ Just looking for a little feedback.

[B_and_D]

We started our two kids out camping when they were a few months old. They still like to camp, even just tent camping with their friends. We always tried to camp somewhere where there was water to swim in or other attractions that would be interesting for them. California has so many beautiful and fascinating places to visit it wasn't hard to find places to go. We generally don't do RV parks except in the winter.

Where were you thinking about camping?

[Bill]

Bring along another 15-year-old girl. As B&D said, make sure there are activities they will both like, at least some of which they can do without any hovering parents. Swimming, boating, miniature golf, but also video games in the lodge. Let them go. Make sure they have a few bucks, and a set of easy but sensible rules (No hitchhiking into DC! Supper will be ready at 6PM, and will be eaten here in the camper! Maybe let them find and buy their own lunch, within limits.) Easy meals that they like - I recommend pizza. After supper, let them wander a bit, but try to get them back to the camper for some "family time" before bed. Then let them get on their wifi devices and entertain themselves. Independence is a big deal at that age, so make it possible to the extent you can you can.

Again, as B&D mentioned, could you give them the option to sleep in a tent, just outside the TM? Independence again.

If there is also an 11-year-old boy (a brother-type kid), keep them separate.

Bill

[Brittany Dogs]

I know our friends let their daughter bring two of her friends out camping. It caused problems solely because of the "two" friends. One would have been fine. Because when a decision needs to be made, such as do we want to go swimming or play at the rec house, and the two friends want to go to the rec house but the host daughter wants swimming and gets "overruled", things turn unhappy real quick.

[tentcamper]

We found when our kids became teens there were so many things they wanted to do and camping was on the bottom of the list. We changed the type of campgrounds that we camped at. Targeting family CG's that had many other teens, this was good for 3-4 years. Somewhere when they hit between 16 and 18 forget it. The last place they wanted to be was camping with mom and dad.

[CAG1976]

Let them bring one friend every now and then, smart tv/wifi so they can netflix at night, swimming, and other organized activities.

Wifi and netflix have saved us the most or dvds. And I am against all that when camping, but at night or on the days they are not into the outdoor stuff its nice to have the option. And homemade ice cream helps too. The have to go camping to get the good ice cream.

I have noticed with my 13 year old daughter that the bringing friends thing is a huge help. I just have to vet whomever they want to bring so we know they will be flexible enough to deal with camping.

[momto4girls]

We camp with a 16 year old and an 11 year old. My twins are nearly 20, in college, and have no interest in camping--which is great because they wouldn't fit in the TM anyway.

My best advice is 1) to camp where there is good access to wifi or at least have a mobile hotspot. 2) Keep the camping trips short. We camp Thursday through Monday. 3) like Bill said, use good food as an incentive. 4) This is key...Get camping paraphernalia with a "cool factor"--like kayaks, GoPro, Eno hammocks, etc. My girls LOVE their Enos. Heck--we ALL love the Enos. We have friends with teenagers who would rather sleep in their Enos than in the camper.

I'm pretty lucky. My teenager balks a little at the idea of camping, so we actually give her the option of staying home or with my parents. But she's always chosen to go with us and seems to genuinely enjoy it once we're there.

ETA: It helps us a lot that our friends and their kids (who are all good friends with my kids) are almost all outdoorsy types to some degree. I can see how if you are talking about a daughter especially--if her friends are really only into shopping, tunes, and boys (which is totally normal)--you are going to have a really hard time.

[Mr_funnypuns]

The best method to get a teenager to camp is to teach them to enjoy it before they become teenagers.

My son is 12 (going on 21!! LOL) and we began camping with him when he was 4. He grew up seeing me operate the Coleman stove, the Coleman lantern, setting up the rain fly, cooking outdoors, chasing bugs, hiking on trailed, wading in the lake, visiting nature centers, collecting leaves, sticks and bugs, playing in the dirt, playing board games, and the list goes on and on.

When he was in 1st grade, we enrolled him into cub scouts, then webelos, and now Boy Scouts. Now, he loves going camping, and willingly participates in family stuff, as long as we allow him to bring his laptop, tablet, phone, etc.

Last year we took a week long trip to mammoth cave national park, and spent hours hiking on cave tours. He was allowed to go to the nature, and to explore it at his leisure. This year we're going to see the total solar eclipse, and he's been READING about eclipses.

I dunno... maybe my son is unusual, but I think a family that grows up camping learns to live together better. We have to talk at the campsite, and work together, and play together.

All of that said, I think the original question was how to interest a teen in camping, with the assumption that they haven't grown up camping.

I like the suggestions made above:
* Allow tech along for the ride
* make sure you have cell service and/or wifi wherever you're going
* plan events rather than destinations when you go camping
* leave plenty of free time for whatever they want to do
* bring camping gear with a cool factor
* fire is a wonderful thing. Teens like to play with it. Plan for fire often
* if you're going someplace buggy, bring a screen house for comfort
* if the weather could be bad, plan indoor stuff. (Do teens still like malls?)
* if your teens are competitive plan a contest for the weekend, with a prize
* food, food, food, food, food, food
* if your teen is driving age, teach them to drive the rig (oooh! Scary!)
* check the ratings and amenities of private campground carefully - teens can be picky



Some events for this year:
The 2017 great American eclipse
The punkin chunkin festival in Delaware
Go someplace warm when its cold
Go someplace cool when its warm
Visit a national park.
Camp near a water park
Camp on a holiday (lots of private campground have great celebrations)

[mustconv66]

OK 3 teenage girls in camper NOT good idea!! !!! especially when ONE is hormonal!!!! I was ready to walk home on 2nd DAY!!!!! I'll probably need to buy a liquor store as a coping mechanism!!!! ugggggghhhhh. From now on........NO GIRLS ALLOWED!!!! lol

[HoMiPa]

Originally Posted by mustconv66

OK 3 teenage girls in camper NOT good idea!! !!! especially when ONE is hormonal!!!! I was ready to walk home on 2nd DAY!!!!! I'll probably need to buy a liquor store as a coping mechanism!!!! ugggggghhhhh. From now on........NO GIRLS ALLOWED!!!! lol

Three is never a good idea. Two will turn against one. Let her bring one friend, and you might keep your sanity. But pack several bottles of Grey Goose, just in case.