Having been in the vacation industry for years I frequently heard comments like we would like to camp but our children are too young, teenagers, or whatever the excuse for not taking children camping.
Normally what they were really saying was they didn't know how they were going to keep their children happy while camping.
This article gives ideas about what you can do to make your family camping trip enjoyable.
Not everything will apply to everyone but there are some ideas that anyone who goes camping with children will benefit from.
Camping tent A cabin style tent that has room dividers is great for privacy.
The room divider may not be necessary when the children are real young but both the adults and children will appreciate it as they get older.
The other option is having two tents.
The drawback to two tents is not every campground will allow you to pitch two tents at one site.
A screen tent A screen tent will make you more comfortable in a couple of ways.
It will keep the insects away from your toddlers and of course the rest of you as well.
It will also keep small animals out of the food and dishes so they can be left on the table between meals.
Never leave anything out overnight, though.
A bear in your campsite is a scary experience.
Those brief rain drops that tend to fall at meal time won't be a problem when you are in a screen tent.
Fun things to do

• Bicycles - Children and adults enjoy biking around a campsite and on roads/bike trails that lead to and from the campsite.
  Biking is great for exercise and doing things as a family.
  Another benefit is you will appreciate the local area better when viewed from a bike.
  Camping with children turns into biking with children when bikes come along.
  
• Hiking - A great way to learn about nature and wildlife around the camp ground is hiking, especially if you take advantage of the information the campground owners or hosts provide.
  Teach your children how to keep from getting lost by paying attention to their surroundings, knowing where they are going and where they came from and using a compass.
  
• Smores - Toast marshmallows, add chocolate and put inside graham crackers, a favorite for everyone.
  
• Glow lights - Young kids love to play with them after dark.
  They are available in most discount stores.
  
• Fire - Keep a fire going at night or even during the day.
  
• Location - Pick a camping site where there are local points of interest.
  Make camping with children a history or nature lesson as well.
  Keep in mind the stage your children are going through.
  When my boys were young a place to play ball was a requirement.
  
• Sports - Encourage children to bring their sports equipment along.
  Family camping is more enjoyable for all when activities are done together, especially ones the kids already know and enjoy.
  Remember you don't have to be good to benefit from sports.
  
• Other games - One reason people like camping is it gives them a chance to play outdoors all day.
  Discourage electronic games that are played indoors at home.
  This is not always possible, but outdoor active games are better so make the effort to encourage them.
  
• Water sports - A campsite on a lake or river means people want to be in the water.
  Don't forget life jackets if using water craft.
  An inflatable boat can be easy to take along as it takes up less space.
  It will add hours of fun to the trip.
  
• Food - Camp food like hot dogs can be fun but don't allow camping to upset good nutrition.
  Many foods with a small variation make great camp food.
  Keep food available for small lunches and don't plan on cooking at every meal.
  Don't allow soft drinks to destroy good nutrition.
  
• Clothes - It is hot in the city and the forecast is hot where you go camping.
  However, don't forget cool weather clothes as the weather gets cool at night.
  In addition longer clothes give some protection from insects.
  
• Sun and insect protection - A must in most areas.
  

Camping as a driving vacation - You can save money staying at campgrounds instead of motels while on a touring vacation.
Consider staying two nights at one location and then making the driving day longer.
This reduces the amount of time making and breaking camp while still allowing you to travel a significant distance.
Family camping works better when people have a chance to have fun while seeing the country.