Warm weather invites camping

Last weekend campgrounds around the area had campers for the warm weekend which brought out anxious campers and anglers.

If you really want to enjoy camping and fishing in Missouri try it out in early June. You don’t have to put up with too many bugs and fishing is usually some of the best of the year.

Camping around the area lakes is a real family adventure after the Memorial Day Weekend, the unofficial start of camping from tents to RVs.

Although camping has been available for the family while school was in session the family was limited to weekends If you want to know what’s inside your kids mind, take them camping. Whether you’re walking through the woods, observing wildlife, chasing lighting bugs or simply lying on your backs watching the stars, spending time with your kids can do as much for them, and you too, for that matter than almost any other family activity.

Unfortunately, long days and nights at the workplace can keep parents from spending the necessary time with their families, and weekends are spent attending to any number of other obligations. Camping with the family provides the opportunity to filter out the distractions of the rat race and participate in activities that promote enduring relationships between family member.

Ben Nelson, Springfield, said of camping in June with the family,” One of my favorite things is to watch the freedom that the kids experience when we go camping, hiking, fishing or spend time in the late spring woods. I love to watch their sense of wonder … of how big the trees are, of where the paths go and what kind of animal tracks they see, of all the things that we don’t notice on a daily basis.”

For the next couple of months, area campgrounds will be crowded, but the camping will be as good as it gets. There are new adventures in the campgrounds. I remember my children playing animal trackers. Camping trips are made more enjoyable when you can track and identify the wildlife inhabitants near your campsite. One of the best ways to find and identify resident animals is to become familiar with their footprints, food sources and habits, a lesson they never forget..

A fundamental rule when looking for wildlife, remember the adage, “follow the food.” Their primary activities involve looking for food, eating and sleeping.

The most common tracks to be found include deer, rabbit, skunk and raccoon. At this time of the year, you may hear the gobbling of wild turkeys, bobwhite quail calling or see deer near the campground.

There are many reasons that late spring camping is great, the fishing is usually good and unlike the hot summer nights, a campfire in the cooler nights makes, you are making memories the trip even more enjoyable. Kids and adults too gather around the campfire to hear campfire stories, popping corn or making smores. When you this, you are making memories that last a lifetime.

Be sure to take along a camera because photo opportunities are everywhere in late spring. Nelson has a collection of photos he took on several spring camping trips that include excellent shots of deer and other wildlife as well as some great shots of landscapes. There is a lot to be said for camping in June and early June in the lakes area.

Most state parks and Corps of Engineers camping area also have hiking trails on or nearby so take advantage and enjoy a hike in the woods while camping.

Camping with kids is as old as civilization in North America. Nomadic tribes seasonally traveled the plains with their children. Pioneer families headed into the wilderness, and everyday challenges were a part of their lives. They prevailed and thrived, and you and your kids will too.

Kids love storytelling around the campfire, just don’t make them too scary so they will sleep well. A good idea before taking a camping trip is to make a list of things to bring a week or so before the trip. Then check off your list as you load up the car. It is usually the small things that get left behind, like a flashlight.

Another tip that might pay off is to check for potential hazards around your campsite including poison ivy, bees, ants, sharp objects and other dangerous areas.

Camping trips to the lakes can be filled with family fun. Few memories stay with children longer than those of family vacations.