8 Ways Camping Can Help Solidify Family Bonds and Improve Wellbeing
Spring is one of the absolute best seasons, not just because of the beautiful blooming flowers and the natural world bursting into life around you; there is also the promise of summer on the horizon.
Clear skies, warm weather and the great outdoors are the ultimate cocktail for family fun, adventure and outdoor activity. Camping with the family may not have been top of your list of holidays, but it truly is one of the very best ways to connect with nature, avoid digital distractions, escape the pressures of everyday life and enjoy quality time with your loved ones.
Understanding exactly how camping can benefit you and the overall health of your family is a crucial step in ensuring you’re living your best life and maximising the time you have with your family.
So, with that in mind, let’s take an in-depth look at 8 ways in which can aid mental health, build core memories, teach important lessons about sustainability, inspire your kids, solidify your family bonds and should be your next family holiday.
1) Nature’s Therapy: Eco-Healing for the Mind and Family
Ecotherapy is a way of healing your mind through simply being in nature. Sitting in a park is all well and good, but truly immersing yourself and being present in the natural world is a superb way to reduce stress, decrease anxiety and battle all sorts of other issues.
Health and wellbeing centres around the world employ ‘Ecotherapy’ as a method of treatment for many mental ailments and the results speak for themselves; so imagine the benefits your entire family would receive as they spend time under the stars, amongst lush vegetation, exploring woodlands and enjoying the sights, smells and sounds of the natural world.
Heal your mind, de-stress your body, and forge those family bonds with the gentle helping hand of mother nature.
2) Family-Focused Fun Without the Digital Distractions
As you may well have guessed, camping can be the perfect place to ditch the digital distractions of our modern world and reconnect with life’s simple pleasures.
Wake up to the sound of running water instead of an alarm, eat dinner alfresco when you’re hungry and spend time playing games and enjoying family time rather than watching TV or scrolling through the internet.
These moments that you create in nature will be the ones that stick with you, and you’ll probably find lots of relief as you ditch your phone and go for a hike with the kids, or watch a sunset with your partner.
By leaving gadgets behind we can re-learn the simple pleasures and extract the most from a camping trip with loved ones.
3) Team Spirit: Collaboration through Camp Setup
From pitching tents to gathering firewood, setting up the perfect campsite should be a team effort; one that will help you to improve communication and cooperation as a family unit.
Create a sense of accomplishment with your kids as they pack their own bags, collect water for the camp, cook their food and learn new outdoor skills.
Teaching your family to erect a tent correctly so no one gets wet will not only be a lifelong skill, but also make your trip more enjoyable; we all know that wet kids are unhappy kids.
4) Fresh Air, Fresh Connections
Getting a good dose of fresh air is one of those old wives’ tales that we’ve all been told at some point in our lives, but now we know there is actually a lot of truth to the old adage.
Fresh air has been proven to increase your mood, clarify your thoughts and even improve your cognition; so getting yourself and your kids up and out of the house is the ultimate health booster, and one of the key benefits of camping.
Walking, cycling, swimming, climbing, or simply sitting around a campfire, can have a hugely beneficial impact and you’ll feel your connections deepening beyond previous levels as you enjoy time with each other.
5) Sunrise Adventures: Early Mornings, Stronger Bonds
Enjoying the magic of a sunrise is something every single one of us should do more often, so taking advantage of being in the great outdoors and witnessing a sunrise with your kids is an unmissable moment on any camping trip.
Be sure to wrap everyone up nice and warm with thermals, hats, gloves and scarves as the temperature can be surprisingly low before the sun has risen, and head out to the perfect viewpoint with a nice mug of hot chocolate.
This is the kind of moment that will become a core memory for everyone, and the magic of a sunrise will bring you closer than ever.
6) Cooking Together in the Great Outdoors
Cooking is one of the best activities to bond with your child, and doing so outdoors simply increases the fun and allows for mess. Teaching your kids to cook a sausage on an open fire will not only give them food preparation skills, but teach them collaborative skills and let them enjoy the process of creating something themselves.
If you’ve never tried foraging with your kids before, you absolutely should; it can be a superb family activity where everyone involved can learn something new and have fun in the process. If you’re not in a location where foraging is feasible then setting up a scavenger hunt for dinner’s ingredients can lead to an awesome adventure for the little ones!
Nothing brings a family together like preparing and sharing meals, and this goes double for campfire cooking!
7) Stargazing Stories: Strengthening Family Ties with Campfire Tales
The night can be a scary time for many children, not to mention more than a few adults, but there is no need to fear it; in fact, some of the best moments when camping happen once the sun has set.
Toasting marshmallows over the embers, telling stories and gazing up at the universe above us is one of the most awe-inspiring things to do when camping; you’re already outside, all you have to do is look up.
Wandering out after dark to find a great star gazing spot will boost the confidence of those who are unsure of the dark, and the beauty of our night sky will be sure to brush away any remaining worries.
Marvel in the beauty of our universe with your family and share tales of the galaxy and beyond.
8) Embrace the Peace of Minimalism
Peace. It’s a key word that many of us with families are missing, and it’s not some unattainable thing forever out of reach; all we have to do is search for it.
Camping is all about minimalism, we’ve already spoken about ditching the technology and stresses of everyday life, now we’re talking about embracing the simplicity of camping and truly enjoying time in the great outdoors.
Bring the essentials; food, tents, sleeping bags, warm lightweight clothing, and the necessary equipment. And then stop packing! Don’t bring any distractions with you, enjoy the company of your family, focus on nature and leave the ‘real world’ behind.
The power of nature is the simplicity of the natural world around you, so pay attention to it and reap the rewards.
Solidify Bonds, Enjoy Nature & Experience Family
If you've ever found yourself wondering “What are the benefits of camping?”, now you know for sure.
This list contains just a few of many ways that being in nature, spending time with your family and enjoying the natural world can bring you together, strengthen bonds and heal the mind, body and soul.
Take a breath of fresh air this summer and get outdoors, reconnect with nature, spend time with your loved ones and feel your wellbeing improve and your family unit get tighter as you enjoy the many health benefits of camping.
