A camping expedition is an excellent opportunity for family bonding - specially around the camp fire and some outdoor cooking. Personal relationships are a highly influencing aspect of our development and perhaps the most important is family bonding. The special relationships between fathers and sons and mothers and daughter is based on the level and quality of the bonding between them. This is a basic structure that makes for healthy, or in unfortunate cases, unhealthy development. Much of what we become is influenced, positively or negatively, by our family relations.
Mothers are the natural role models for their daughters and in the same way fathers for their sons.

One of the best and natural scenarios that promote bonding is camping trips. The hands on experiences make it the ideal occasion for sharing, interacting, teaching and just plain goofing off. 1

Camping is for everybody, no matter age or gender. Young kids - even toddlers, teens, adults, grand parents, in fact just about everybody can enjoy camping out and with this all the opportunities of sharing, working together, cooking and even spinning a yarn while sitting round the fire. We sometimes forget that grand parents and older adults also contribute enormously to children having a good time and when this happens the family bonding goes beyond parents and child -the whole family can be involved.

The following are five ideas on the type of camping trips for you - the next step is up to you.

1. Hiking seems to be very popular and with good reason. You can have short half day hiking trips, even shorter if you are out of practice or the members of your team fin it difficult. The good news here is that apart from the experience of nature, there are a large number of places you can go to and most have a difficulty grading system. These are safe and equally important, enjoyable days out. You will be surprised on your children's stamina.
2. Fishing Expedition - Many fishing trips are one day affairs, but you can also go out for a two or three day camping trip with a lot of fishing added to it. These types of trips are also many times life lasting.
3. RV Expeditions. All in all a great alternative for your camping trips. You can spend longer away, you can travel further and enjoy any of the numerous camping sites that cater for RV's. Also, and people sometimes forget this, is that you can include other camping activities such as fishing and hiking as part of your overall trip. In short, together with many home comforts you have a lot of flexibility as to choices and activities.
4. Backpacking Expeditions. In the family bonding type of trip, it is better when the children are no longer toddlers, maybe 8 upwards (depending on your child). This simply because there will be times you may have to help them along and there is the risk that the long looked forward to trip turns into a nightmare. Having said that, there is something about this type of trips that builds up confidence, create great and long lasting memories and are always an educational experience. Apart from all that they are fun.
5. Camping in a Tent. In the realm of camping trips this one is definitely the king. You have many options in camping sites, but the important part is the sleeping out. For children, of all ages, there is something about sleeping out, with the dark night above overhanging the tent and knowing there are no walls around. There is a delicious feeling of danger in the night, but knowing that the parents are around provides just the right note - security in protection but the image of the wild.