Camping out with great books

Planning a camping trip this summer? Or just wanting to know more about what to expect when camping? These selections will give you a taste of camping without even leaving your home. Monster & Mouse Go Camping by Deborah Underwood Join Monster and Mouse on a camping trip! When Monster is a little hesitant to accompany Mouse on a camping trip, Mouse has some convincing to do! Despite the promises of hiking, sleeping in a tent and telling campfire stories, Monster is not convinced he wants to go until he hears about the food involved. While their packing list will likely be much lighter than yours (the two only pack two sleeping bags, a tent and a lamp), you can discuss with your little ones about what your family needs to take on a camping trip, which likely will vary greatly depending on the ages of your little ones. When Monster gets hungry along the way to the campsite, the supplies begin to disappear! Find out what happens to them and how they survive the camping trip by checking out this book! When We Go Camping by Margriet Ruurs When We Go Camping takes readers young and old on a journey to experience a day in the life of camping. Follow two children as they experience a day of camping from sunrise to sunset through beautiful painted illustrations. These paintings take up most of each page of the book, creating stunning visuals while still teaching camping tips like putting food up high to keep it from animals. Explore with the family as they catch and cook food, hike in nature and enjoy the natural resources camping has to offer. End your journey by seeing a campfire and the sunset with the characters. After the story, there is also a legend at the back of the book that teaches more about the animals featured in the paintings. Along with the information on the animals is a seek-and-find for each painting, asking readers to look for other objects or notice shapes in the paintings. Cool Maps & Geocaching: Great Things to Do in the Great Outdoors by Katherin Hengel If you're heading on a camping trip with older kids, this book gives some great ideas that will keep them busy while enjoying the great outdoors! After giving explanations of geocaching and a safety guide, there are plenty of activities you can plan to do on your next camping trip! The book provides a list of materials needed, so preparation is key as you may not be able to buy some items like tape and glue once you're at your site. Create geocache bottle caps, adventure journals, plastic bag compasses, cube walkers and much more. Make your camping trip memorable and unique by creating some of these projects. Follow the Trail: A Young Person's Guide to the Great Outdoors by Jessica Loy Be prepared for your camping trip by checking out Follow the Trail. Here, you will get tips from young explorers, identification pages on types of trees, wildflowers, animals, sounds, animals tracks and more. The book also includes a safety section with materials listed to make your own first-aid kit. This would be a great activity to do before a camping trip so you're able to bring the kit to the woods with you in case of any injury. For those new to camping, there is also a section in the book that teaches you how to set up camp. Reading this before heading to the campground will help ease any anxieties young campers may have and give them an idea of what they can expect on their adventures! Hike it Baby has a Goodreads Group! Join today and add books to our bookshelf! Looking for more member reviews? Search our blog for other Book Review posts!  Submit your review here for a chance to be included in an upcoming blog post!   

Summer is here, which means travel and vacation season is upon us! While beaches and resorts may scream summer vacation, there are plenty of ways to get in a good adventure that will bring your family memories for years to come! Let the following books inspire you for an adventure-filled summer. Backpacker ABCs by Heather Legler Backpacker ABCs is a great way to introduce your young ones to adventures in backpacking, and it encourages them to, "Hike your own hike." Whether or not you want to backpack with young children, this book is a great way to introduce this adventure to your child. From packing up the car to a quote from John Muir, this book will show your young hikers all the beauty that a backpacking trip can offer. Filled with beautiful illustrations and rhyme, Backpacker ABCs makes an excellent read aloud for children from birth through preschool and beyond. For free printables, coloring book, read-along video, and parent and teacher resources, visit backpackerABCs.com. Author Heather Legler is also the host of The First 40 Miles, a podcast especially for those new to backpacking. National Parks Guide U.S.A. by National Geographic Kids Is your summer traveling taking your to a national park this year? If so, grab a copy of National Parks Guide U.S.A., the kids' companion to National Geographic Guide to National Parks of the U.S. In this guide, you'll be able to read about the different regions of the country and the national parks that find their homes in each region. Within each region, there is a guide for the specific national parks where readers will find pictures, history, and websites. The individual sections also provide ranger tips, where to find the best views, checklists for what to do, and maps showing some of the sites you don't want to miss! Readers will also be able to discover what plant and animal life to expect in each of the parks. This guidebook would be especially helpful in getting older children excited for a trip to a national park, and it will have them planning trips for the future too! Kids' Guide to Camping by Cherie Winner If you're taking a camping trip this summer, this book will be great for your older kids. Focusing on answering questions including Where Can I Go?, What Will I Eat?, and How Do I Make Camp? allows readers to be prepared for their wilderness adventure. Pictures and lists accompany each section of the book as well as tips (including not offering food to raccoons and what gear to include in your first aid kit). Recipes are also provided so you can bring the comforts of home to your campsite. The book also includes a real working compass to help guide you on the trails! Oregon and Washington 50 Hikes with Kids by Wendy Gorton If you're a Pacific Northwest family, or traveling out West this summer, this helpful and beautifully designed trail guide will inspire you to explore all that Oregon and Washington has to offer. This colorful and engaging trail book covers 50 hikes in Washington and Oregon for families with kids. All hikes are easy to moderate hikes under 4 miles, and it includes fun scavenger ideas for each hike! The author provides an estimated time to hike and explore, an elevation gain map, fee and bathroom information, and fun things to look for on each hike. However, the times to complete the hike seem to be more geared toward older kids, so be sure to add more time on to the hike if hiking with young walkers. Hike It Baby: 100 Awesome Outdoor Adventures with Babies and Toddlers by Shanti Hodges No matter where your travels take you this summer, or any time of year, keep this resource handy to help you find toddler-friendly trails anywhere in the U.S., including Hawaii and Alaska. With vivid photos and recommendations provided by locals from each state's Hike it Baby community, you're sure to add these trails to your family's bucket list. In addition to trail reviews, 100 Awesome Outdoor Adventures also provides tips for families, such as how to use the restroom on trail, nursing during a hike, making homemade granola bars and more, and inspirational stories from families who also share the love of the outdoors. "Oregon and Washington 50 Hikes with Kids" review by Christina Merhar, and "Hike it Baby: 100 Awesome Outdoor Adventures" review by Vong Hamilton. Hike it Baby now has a Goodreads Group! Join today and add books to our bookshelf! Looking for more member reviews? Search our blog for other Book Review posts!  Submit your review here for a chance to be included in an upcoming blog post!