GetHiking! Intro to Family Camping

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Did family camping skip your generation? Now, do you find yourself with kids, wishing you could take them camping but haven't the foggiest idea where to start? We can tailor your unique and interactive outdoor experiences according to your group’s educational needs, ages and goals. This is a hands-on program where your family will benefit from family time without the modern-day distractions of electronics and the other things that compete for our attention.

Our Intro to Family Camping program takes the mystery out of what’s really a straightforward — not to mention fun and economical — way for families to spend time together in the great outdoors.

Our program consists of two parts: Orientation/Intro to Family Camping and an overnight camp out at a nearby NC State Park. Our program is led and designed by Joe Miller, founder of the regional GetHiking! program and outdoor adventure author. Running the program and responsible for its curriculum are:

• Anne Triebert, NC Certified Environmental Educator, Leave No Trace trainer, former instructor of camp and nature programs for both Raleigh Parks & Rec. and the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. Currently, Anne is a Wake County teaching assistant.
• Rose Wignall, Middle School science teacher in Chatham County (and one of the few teachers nationwide certified by NASA to handle Moon rocks).

Richard Louv’s book, “Last Child in the Woods, brings to the forefront the latest studies of how our direct exposure to nature is essential to the emotional and healthy development of our children. And we may add to their parents, too. More studies are finding that time spend in nature improves such skills as focusing, problem solving, curiosity and the list goes on.

Orientation session (Sept. 11)
We’ll start by getting to know one another with the help of a few get-acquainted activities. Then, we’ll answer some key questions:

Why camp?

What equipment do I need to get? (Short answer: You’ve probably already got most of what you need, and what you don’t have, we can probably provide.)

How can I do this without breaking the budget?

Where can we camp in the region, what are the campsites like?

What about eating? Are we resigned to cold baked beans and hot dogs cooked on a stick over a fire we’re responsible for making? (Spoiler alert: No.)

We'll also do some nature activities for the kids (big and small), and take a short hike.

Overnight camping trip

We will do a weekend camping trip to Medoc Mountain State Park, where we will help you transform into a competent, confident camping family. Your overnight stay includes:

• Camping arrangements and reservation fees

• Dinner, campfire treat, breakfast (pot luck)

• Loaner tents and sleeping pad

• All program material such as packing guides, activity sheets

• Journals for recording nature experiences

• $50 credit toward the purchase of any tent at Great Outdoor Provision Co.

• Instruction and staff for all activities

What you provide

• Your family

• Sleeping bag or something similar (a handout available at the information session goes over options you may have around the house for this and other camping needs)

• Appropriate clothing and shoes

• Any special diet needs

• The desire to have a blast, laugh a lot, maybe get a little dirty

Cost: $85 per family