I would encourage them to buy a cheap tent from Walmart if they can afford it. That way even if they don't like the whole camping experience, the kids can use it in their back yard and have sleep overs. If they do like it and camp more, they can always buy a better quality one in the future. I wouldn't hold their hand too much, thats how we all learned. You get to see what you forgot, what you either need or not. Having fun as a family is the most important thing. The rest you learn as time goes by.
Lynda

Walmart....
OHHHH I hate that word.. I would not step foot into a Walmart if they had a two for $1.00 sale on $100.00 bills.
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In the year 2003, there were 246 million child laborers in the world and this number is continuing to grow. Child slave labor is evident in many different countries from all across the world. Many different industries participate in using cheap child slave labor in third world countries to make larger profits. A few examples of the jobs children are forced into working are on farms, in homes, in mines, as prostitutes, as street vendors, and in factories. Some of these factories or sweatshops they are forced to work in produce shoes, clothing, and toys. Wal-Mart and Nike are some of the most notorious companies that exploit poor people third world countries. Child slave labor is becoming a more significant problem in the modern world. Approximately 22 thousand children die every year caused by labor related disasters. Child slave labor is found in many countries, for example China, Nepal, and India.

Wal-Mart is blamed for taking advantage of countless poverty stricken people in 48 countries all over the world. Wal-Mart is known for forcing overtime, locking bathrooms, providing insufficient wages, requiring pregnancy tests, denying access to health care, and firing and blacklisting workers for trying to defend their right. In order for Wal-Mart to maintain such low product prices, they must find extremely cheap resources and use incredibly cheap slave labor. Although Wal-Mart has established many sweatshops in various countries, China is where the largest amount of these sweatshops is located. Wal-Mart continuously states that it doesnÂt support child labor; however Wal-Mart will not disclose its Chinese contractors and will not allows inspections of these contractorÂs sweatshops. The Chinese government doesnÂt permit human rights, religious groups, women groups, or independent unions, which allows Wal-Mart to take excessive advantage of the situation.

http://www.veganpeace.com/sweatshops/sweatshops_and_child_labor.htm

http://www.nlcnet.org

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html
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"They're looking at buying a large tent from Walmart, very inexpensive....."

If they buy a tent from Walmart. I hope that they can sleep well knowing that a child slave labour help make them comfortable.

Rude post? Maybe
But when people learn just what Walmart is really all about, they would avoid the place like a plague.

Here is a link that might be useful: Best of All

Hi, I wouldn't hold their hand too much. Sometimes, I try way too hard to make everyone have a great time. There are some things you can do, though. Make the trip fun on the way out by using walkie talkies between the cars. HIde and seek with walkie talkies when one person hides and the others have the other walkie and the person hiding tells you hot or cold... til you find them hiding....

Actually, tell ya whut... check out the campground activities post on an earlier page and you can get some activity ideas for when things kinda dullify a bit?

hmmm.... is dullify a word? Also, there is a car games post somewhere in this forum, too. have fun, I hope everything goes well.

first, make them read the "rules" we came up with in the "peeves" thread, LOL just kidding.

Seriously, I wouldn't worry too much about having them prepare or read much beforehand, it's not as if you are going to be out in the wilderness and they need survival training or anything. All they need is to be prepared to live outside for a few days, which means weather and anything else Mother Nature decides to throw your way (bugs, critters, etc.) It's a very simple concept.

Maybe having them start a checklist of what they want to bring ahead of time would be a good idea, that way hopefully they won't forget anything.

As far as borrowing a tent, I'd never lend one out unless I didn't care if it got trashed.

My advice is:

Avoid rainy or real hot days, at least for their first trip.
Consider bringing a decent rain fly or screen tent to provide some communal shelter from rain & insects.
Make sure the campground has decent (clean!) bathrooms and showers.
Plan some great food.
Enjoy great drinks and conversation around a campfire (that's what hooks 'em!!).

I'd also suggest they stay away from "cheap" tents. Stick to the brand names: Eureka, REI, LL Bean, maybe even Coleman :^) . There is nothing like trying to setup a cruddy tent that doesn't quite go together right, nor waking up in a tent that is leaking water.

One of the most proven dependable and durable tents in the world is the Eureka Timberline 4-person --- and it only costs $140!!! Not as sexy as some of the dome tents, but a GREAT design.

OK, how about they buy a cheap tent from some other store in case they don't care for camping at all.
For the record, I have never liked Walmart either, not for those reasons, just never cared for it. I shop elsewhere, but I'm not saying where. LOL

It think the most important part of enjoying tent camping is a good sleeping bad. Nothing worse than waking up all bruised and sore from rocks jabbing into you all night. Since you said they are great people, I am sure you will have a great time with them and they will have fun! Bring s'mores and camping favs. Help when they need it or ask.

I'd second Lynda's recomendation: Buy that cheap tent from Wal-Mart to begin with (or K-Mart if that pleases). You'll see after one season what really is important and what you really want for the next tent. The good thing about Wal-Mart is they will refund your money on the spot if that tent is not right.

Most all these nylon tents today are made in the far east, in who know's whose sweat shop. To blame Wal-Mart for cashing in on a golden opportunity is not quite putting the blame where it should be directed ... on the U.S. Congress, who set this whole thing in motion to begin with, and had/has the power to alter it at any time.

Dale

Like was posted already teach them to be self reliant.Nothing worse then camping with folks that cant think for them selfs.If they like they will figuer it out quickley.Get a big dining fly and lots of fire wood.If they done want to spen xtra money on sleeping pads just yet they can take blankets from home and sleep on them for the 1st few times.The best thing you can do is teach them not do it for them.Good luck.

Try craigslist.com for good used tents or e-bay. Better quality than the new cheap stuff from W-Mart. If they don't like camping then sell the thing on a site like these and you may get all your money back. Cooking meals? If they are on their own for their meals I think some discussion on this topic could help a lot. Prepair what you can a day or two before the trip. IE: Making your hamburgers ahead of time and use aluminum foil between the patties and store in a gal. zip lock bag. Better than pounding them out at the camp site and no where to wash your greasy hands like at home. I like my eggs scrambled and love the smell of bacon on the stove however breakfast bars and plenty of fresh fruit can save time as can cereal. Don't forget the OJ! Have mom and the kids mix up a large bag of trail mix before the trip. Doing things to get ready for the trip will pump them up for the trip. Then there is always peanut butter & crackers or with jelly & bread. If you have a camp fire a good baking potato wraped in foil can bake in the coals while cooking other things on the stove. Depending on the heat of the coals and the size of the potato it will take between 30-60 min. Just don't burn it up with a real hot fire. Stick a sharp knife in it right through the foil and check it a time or two & turn it once. Almost all state parks in Tennessee have a fire pit but the grill tops are the size of prison bars. Take the grill top of a charcoal grill at home along for a better cooking surface. Just drop it in a plastic garbage bag for travel so it doesn't get other things dirity. Don't forget the hotdogs for the grill or you can always boil them on the stove. Just try to keep things simple till they get the hang of what camping is and isn't. If its just like home then why go. If its better then you'll go more often. Enjoy, John

Just go out and do it, on the rough side first and learn as you go

I know that this is an old post, but it's just as relevant this year as it will be next. I thought about this quite some time ago when I was asked for advice about newbies going camping. It got me thinking and I wrote (and had published)an article about new campers. If you'd like to read it click the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Camping for Newbies

So--what happened on the first camping trip?? Please tell us! Or, did those folks strangle ya, for taking them camping, when they think it should be pure torture!?

Well, this is a bit off the subject, but, when i was a kid of ten or so, my Dad and Grand-father would take me and my brother on a camping trip, up to Pymatuning Reservoir, in North-western Pennsylvania, for a week of fishing and row-boating, and seeing the sights. (This was around 1933 to 1940.)
We had two old WW I Army tents, and cots, blankets, a gasoline stove, cooking utensils, plates, etc.
We didn't have an ice chest. My Dad would dig a hole in the creek bank, and we'd keep the perishables there, in the cool water, in a bucket, with a lid.
We'd rent a row-boat, and Daddy and me and my younger Brother would go out on the lake and fish.
We'd spend a week there, and had lots of fun. We'd turn in at dusk, since we didn't have a big lantern.
One night, there was a great commotion outside our tent, and the head-lights of our car were shining into our tent and the horn was blowing loudly! (Around 3 a.m!) I awoke, and asked what was happening. Daddy shouted:"There are skunks in your tent"! Uh-Oh!? "Be very still"!
I didn't move, and could hear rustling under my brother's cot, so i managed a peek. And there were two skunks worrying an old half empty can of fish-bait! WOO-HOO!
Well, they finally "licked the platter clean", so to say, and ran off. Daddy finally quit blowing the horn, and it all cooled down then.
Also, when my wife and i went up to Hammonasset State park, in connecticut, we set up the camper, then went in to town to buy some groceries. As we drove back into the park, we saw 3 skunks walking into a tent that was set up nearby. We watched to see if anybody came running out, but no one did. Then, a car pulled in and four girls got out and started for the tent!! I hollered and told them about the skunks---woo-hoo, they hollered, ran out, got into their car and drove madly away! Don't know if they ever came back!
Hammonasset was a nice park to visit. We went there several times. It was close to where our son lived. We went there one 4th. of July when the holiday fell on a Saturday. This was on Wednesday. the park management said we could camp there, if we left on Thursday, as the weekenders would need the space. We agreed, and we left.

I'm excited for this family, hopefully that have an really enjoyable time! I think if I were you Mozy1 I would probably create a list of things that they should bring. Tell them if they don't have those things (such as a tent) and can't find one, that you will try to help get one for them. That way they don't feel like a burden and you limit the amount of work that you will have to do.