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Great American Campout & REI’s Family Adventure Program
This summer, the National Wildlife Federation’s Great American Backyard Campout encourages you to open up the musty tent and fluff the sleeping bags. A backyard campout can help get kids ready for a real overnighter (if they haven’t gone yet), and the Great American Campout raises money for a great cause. We’ve taken the kids camping since babyhood, so they’ve always been used to a pitch-black tent and strange noises around the campsite (Don’t worry, that’s not a bear, it’s just a grown-up snoring. Probably). I’m a big fan of being comfortable, so our packing list always includes an air mattress, a fluffy duvet and…brie cheese. Families can also take…
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Sun Peaks with Kids: Five Reasons to Love BC’s Sun Peaks Resort
For Presidents’ Day Weekend, Joanna Veldhuisen’s family of four (plus two teen friends) headed north to Sun Peaks Resort in Interior BC for several days of snow play and skiing. The entire family agreed this ski resort makes for a fantastic weekend. I asked Joanna what she loved so much about the destination. She sent me some great photos, and this is what she said: Size. Sun Peaks is the second biggest resort in BC, but it’s a fraction of the size of Whistler and as a result it’s very family-friendly. Many parents of older kids (12+) feel comfortable turning the kids loose to ski or at least lunch on…
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No-Cry Tips for Camping with Babies and Toddlers
OK, I’m sure half of you are laughing at the very title of this article – camping?! With an infant, crawler or toddler? The little humans that are nothing if not predictably unpredictable? Noooothankyou. Wait, wait…come back. We’ll break this down and I’ll see if I can convince you. Because maybe there’s some little part of your pre-baby self that does want to sleep beneath the towering evergreens, the scent of fir and campfire enveloping your soul. (I know, I said the word “campfire†and now all you can think about is your toddler playing with the embers.) We took both kids camping at an early age – my daughter…
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Families Travel! Okanagan with Kids
Amy and Mike Sztupovsky live in semi-arid Oliver, British Columbia (about halfway between Pentiction, BC and the US-Canadian border). This couple are real travel aficionados – something made easier by the fact that they unschool their two kids, Lan (5) and Kayden (3). “When our oldest was coming closer to school age we started to research homeschooling options,†Amy says. “I had never heard of unschooling before but when I started to learn about it, the method really spoke to my heart.†So this family doesn’t need to worry about pulling the kids out of preschool or school to travel, and travel becomes part of the kids’ schooling. Naturally, Amy’s own website is called Worldschool Adventures. Let’s…
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Book Giveaway: Camping British Columbia
This week, I’m pleased to give away a free copy of Camping British Columbia by Jayne Seagrave to one lucky, random reader. It’s never too early to start planning next year’s summer camping vacation (although I don’t suggest buying the hot dogs quite yet). If you remember, several weeks ago we spoke with Seagrave to discover the best BC camping spots for families. This book expands on the theme, although “Camping British Columbia” is not family-specific. Seagrave’s book offers photos (black and white and full-color) of every BC region’s provincial and national park campgrounds and includes the facilities, rec activities and any additional info that may sway you one way or…
