V is for Vacation

This past weekend hubby and I took Bear and Bee on their first camping trip.  We only went for one night and the camp ground was only 20 minutes away but it was still a lot of fun.  It turns out that Bear is the camper of the two girls. She thought the whole thing was a great adventure from the moment we started unpacking the car. Bee on the other hand didn't really warm to the idea until we were setup and the snacks (crackers, cheese and nuts) were laid out.

While it can be difficult to involve children in the cooking process when camping because of limited resources and lack of space there are still some ways they can be involved.

Start with planning the menus for the trip - what recipes can you use that will make the trip extra special and most importantly easier for you. Bear and Bee love pancakes for breakfast but I didn't want to pack all the necessary ingredients.  I found this recipe for bulk pancake mix which meant that I only had to take some of the premix dry ingredients plus an egg, some oil and water.  As for the taste? Bee declared that they were her favourite and devoured four of them.

Involve the kids in activities they may not normally do at home.  Having a dishwasher means we rarely wash up and when we do it is usually after the girls have gone to bed.  Bee thought it was fun to be able to help dry the dishes after dinner and breakfast!

Try new foods.  We discovered a fantastic wood fired bakery just down the road from the camp site.  After a wonderful morning spent on the beach, we stopped in for a treat on the way back.  For a change I let the girls choose what they wanted to eat without much input from me.  Bear chose a Texas cup sized berry and chocolate muffin which she devoured with gusto.  Bee's attention was captured by the gorgeous looking blueberry and custard tarts that were piled high with plump fruit.  While she wasn't too keen on the custard part she couldn't get enough of the blueberries.  I was lucky to be able to finish the tart for her and I agreed - it was delicious.

Now that we are back and unpacked, I am going to set up a pretend play campsite for the girls and keep the fun going.

What is your favourite camping recipe?