9 Unknown Benefits Of Camping With Your Family

If you’re reading this article, chances are you have the same concerns that a lot of people have in this day and age. In a world where we substitute physical and emotional human interaction in exchange for synthetic relationships via our electronic devices as social media, it can leave a person feeling like they are losing touch with the people they care most about in the world. Camping can be a great way to reconnect with family members and regain those interactions that you feel like you are losing. In this article, we will discuss all the benefits of camping with the family.

Bonding –

The first benefit, and likely the most desirable benefit of camping with the family, is the amount of bonding that takes place. This isn’t just something that happens because you are outside together. The bonds come from a mutual effort for survival. This can be observed among ancient cultures that congregated into small groups or tribes. There was an overwhelming sense of community among these people as it took a group effort to make it through the hardships of the times. People had to work together to capture food and collect water and they had to share their resources among the group just so everyone could survive.

When you take your family camping, you are recreating this ancient scenario that requires group effort and cooperation to make it through the trip. Think of the teamwork that goes into constructing the tent, building the fire, catching fish to eat, and loading everything up when you’re done. It is a sample experience that mirrors the lives of our ancestors. When you work with a group to stay alive, you create intense bonds with those people that can last a lifetime.

Creating Memories –

When we think about what it means to be a family, we think about the memories that we’ve created together. It’s the memories that bind us and serve as the foundation for the feelings we have for one another. Family camping trips put us in situations where we are isolated from the outside world and where we are left with nothing more than each other to entertain ourselves. It is because of this rare environment that each moment spent together generates a new memory that can be recalled over the dinner table for years to come. Ultimately, any sort of fond memory can serve as this foundation for family togetherness but nothing provides conducive factors for these memories quite like a family camping trip.

The wonderful thing about these memories with the family is that sometimes even the most unpleasant ones can be the most unifying. This should come as no shock to you but camping trips can be difficult. There is always the possibility of unexpected challenges and less than optimal circumstances. Maybe someone forgot to pack a flashlight or perhaps you encounter an unexpected storm. However, overcoming these challenges as a family can oftentimes bring people together more so than the easy camping trips. We aren’t suggesting that you go and seek out these difficult trips. We’re merely stating that when you’re with family, there is never truly a “bad camping trip.”

Fresh Air –

You have probably heard the expression, “A little fresh air is just what the doctor ordered.” Perhaps a better way of putting it would be, “Less non-fresh would do you well.” If you live in or around a large city, odds are you have long been overexposed to the pollutants that hover in the air you breath. By taking your family far away from these toxins, you can all enjoy a noticeable change in your energy levels and overall mood. That’s because getting away from all the awful pollutants and smells of city life and be a refreshing change of pace for most people. And when you experience this change with your family, you can all take part in an overall improvement in your moods that will bring you all together.

Time Away From Technology –

Many forms of technology have become great sources of distraction in our day-to-day lives. Things like social media, video streaming platforms, and television are all pulling people away from one another and toward the glowing box that emits them. As a result, people are commenting more on videos than they are conversing about their days. Many people are more inclined to message a person online rather than meet up with them for a mutually enjoyable activity. Even something as simple as a phone call is going extinct in exchange for a quick text message.

When you are out in the woods with your family and your cell phone reception is compromised, there is no longer a substitute for human interaction. No longer can you share a meme online. You are forced to share a story by the fire. You cannot veg out in front of the television. Campers are forced to talk to one another. This can be a great way to reconnect with your family and become reacquainted with loved-ones whom you’ve lost touch with. Only be communicating with each other directly can we achieve this level of connection.

Connecting With Nature –

There is something unifying about being outdoors. Perhaps it is the same effect that a beautiful painting has on a group of people. If you’ve ever witnessed a crowd of strangers all congregating around a masterpiece and appreciating it in their own way, a beautiful landscape has the same effect on people who experience it together. When you experience the beauty of nature as a family, it has a way of bringing everyone together in a common appreciation. It’s that same appreciation that brings members of a family closer together.

No Stress –

Part of the reason so many families feed a void developing amongst them is the amount of stress that they endure from day to day. Whether it’s someone’s career or another person’s school schedule, everyone has their own stressful distraction that constantly chips away at the bond between family members.

When you go camping as a family, everyone in the group gets to experience a time away from whatever their source of stress may be. It can be people who we see at work or just the environment that we live in. Whatever it is that is causing your stress, it will be miles away from you after you set up camp. When you’re camping with the family, you are alone in nature with the people you love. Without stressful distractions, it allows family members to reconnect and grow closer together.

Tapping Into Your Primal Selves –

The world we live in today is filled with distractions. We live in an age of technology that makes life so convenient that we literally never have to leave the house. You can order virtually anything online and it will be delivered to your doorstep. The same thing can be said for your meals, which are a phone call or the click of a mouse away. While this may sound like a utopian paradise, it has actually made humans lazy and left us with a feeling of unfulfillment.

When you are camping with your family, everyone is stripped of these worldly distractions and suddenly each family member has a sense of purpose. Its this purpose of survival that so many people in this world have lost in the modern world. Each family member can be given a task, which results in an overall purpose that is essential to the survival of the group. Two people can assemble the tent while the other’s look for firewood to keep warm at night. When everyone contributes to the survival of the group, a unifying feeling envelops everyone.

Sunlight Improves Mood –

You have probably noticed that in the colder months of the year, you will often experience a drop in your overall mood. This can be, in part, an effect of decreased exposure to sunlight. Sunlight plays an important part in our overall wellness and when we are inside for long periods, we will eventually feel the effects.

By taking your family camping, you are exposing everyone to an increased amount of sunlight. This increase in exposure to the sun can result in better moods among the family members. With better moods comes more enjoyment for life and this enjoyment can translate to more enjoyment for one another. When a family enjoys one another, the bonds of family are strengthened.

Increased Communication –

The interesting thing about people is that when you remove them from technology, they have no other choice but to increase their levels of communication with one another. For many families, it’s the drop in communication that is pushing everyone apart.

When you are alone with each other on a campsite with nothing but yourselves to talk to and entertain one another, you begin to open up to one another mentally and emotionally. You can finally sit down with one another and learn about the people you share a living space with on a level that you never could while in the presence of cell phones and laptop computers.

Should You Take Your Family Camping?

The short answer to this question is, yes. As we mentioned earlier, even a bad family camping trip is better than no family time at all. Sometimes even a bad camping trip can offer a great story to bond over in the future. If you’re still on the fence about whether to set a date for your family camping trip, just remember that the trip is only as long as you make it. You can camp for a single night or as many days as you want. Just remember that no matter how long you chose to camp for, be sure to make it count.