Category: Entertaining Kids at Camp
THE LOST KEY (From the archives of the “Fiero Fiction Series”)
October 21, 2011 by Professor95 · 1 Comment
The Lost Key is one of twenty stories I wrote back in the late 90’s. Many of these stories were published as part of the Fiero Fiction Series. They appeared in both the Pontiac Fiero Connection magazine and the Fiero Owner, a magazine published quarterly by the Fiero Owner’s Association of America. My affection for the little 2-seat, mid engine, composite body car that was only built from 1984 to 1988 still continues – but I am now down to three cars (I once owned seven). I share this story to readers of my Woodall’s Family Camping blog simply because I consider it “Fun”. You see, camping and sitting around the campfire without stories is like forgetting the marshmallows. In this story, Jimmy Moore is typical of anyone opening the lost ark contained within the center console and floor hugging seats in any Fiero. What he finds, and what he does, could easily happen to any of us. Like other stories in the Fiero Fiction Series, this one is based on a true story –... [Read more...]
Why My RV of Choice is Not an RV
September 22, 2011 by Genevieve · 9 Comments
The Revelations & Denials of a Happy Tent Camper… With an entire week devoted to our bloggers’ “RVs of Choice” I felt the need to represent tent campers just like me across North America, who faithfully read the Woodall’s Camping Blog enjoying posts about camp-cooking, unique things to do, and tips for not killing your kids on road trips. See, there is a misnomer amongst RVers that tent campers are in a deeply jealous state of their luxurious RV accommodations, while in fact that often isn’t the case at all. (The truth is, is tent campers are only a little jealous, and slightly more so during winter months.) Our littlest camper in 2011 RVers and tent campers are cut out of the same cloth. In fact, how many of you RVers enjoyed tent camping for years before finally deciding that even the air mattress on the ground isn’t going to provide your grown-up bones with enough comfort to continue on in a tent? At Woodall’s we enjoy reading the annual reader survey... [Read more...]
Consider The Lodge Cast Iron Biscuit Pan!
August 27, 2011 by Melissa A. Trainer · 3 Comments
We have a vast collection of cast iron cookware. We find it priceless for campground cookery. We have multiple Dutch ovens, an array of skillets, basic griddles, and a biscuit pan. I have purchased many of these items at thrift stores and garage sales over the years. Last year, right before we left for our family camping trip to Yellowstone National Park, I found a Lodge cast iron biscuit pan at the thrift store. I think I paid about $3 for it. While we were camping at the Madison Campground in Yellowstone, I spontaneously decided to use the pan for some mini pizzas. I had some Pillsbury biscuit dough that I separated into layers and placed in the greased pan. I then added some tomato sauce and cheese and placed the pan on the grill rack over a moderate campfire. I don’t recall how long they cooked, but I do remember that they were fabulous–smokey with a nicely browned bottom. My children loved them and they were a wonderfully simple snack food to serve around the campfire... [Read more...]
MURBLES – Are you game?
July 4, 2011 by Canadianladybug · 1 Comment
MURBLES – Recreational Outdoor Game http://murblegame.com/ On Canada Day, we went out into a field near our RV and proceeded to learn and play a new game that I had received for a review. The game is named MURBLES, and can be learned in a matter of minutes and played almost anywhere you want. We found it was a great way to spend time with the kids while we were at our campsite. And the best part is that I can bring it home for them to play in our backyard… All you need to play this game is a willingness to have fun! No other skills are necessary. My first experience with MURBLES was when I had to pick the colors for our balls. I was able to pick the colors for the two sets, the point ball, as well as our bag. With twenty colors to pick from you can get overwhelmed easily. Our bag is green, with sets of red and yellow and our point ball is dark blue. If I had to redo the selection, I would avoid taking a darker color for the point ball as it can be tricky to... [Read more...]
Balancing Teens and Nature Thanks To KOA
June 26, 2011 by Melissa A. Trainer · 2 Comments
Last summer, we had the opportunity to rediscover the Kampgrounds of America, also known as KOAs. We were visiting Yellowstone National Park and during the first part of our stay, we camped at Madison Campground right in the park. Madison was lovely, but it lacked amenities such as water and electrical hookups. And, there weren’t even showers at the campground itself. This, of course, didn’t go over too well with our teenage daughter. After a few days, the steam was starting to emerge. It was definitely time to shift gears. So, when we decided to change our itinerary and stay a little longer, we opted to stay at the lovely Yellowstone Park KOA. We hadn’t stayed at a KOA in years, but this one is organized, immaculate, and beautifully maintained. The bathrooms were clean and the little shop offered lots of conveniences such as milk, bread, ice, and even homemade fudge. There was a playground and a coffee stand. A little café served pancakes in the morning. There was WiFi... [Read more...]
Getting the Camper Ready!
June 22, 2011 by Diane Berry · 6 Comments
Those of you who have been following this blog for awhile heard from me last year about the excitement that occurs when our camper comes “home” for the summer from its winter storage place up on some land we have in northern Wisconsin. It’s not that I like to have an 18 foot trailer parked in our driveway preventing any access into or out of our garage. It is what the camper being “home” represents in terms of my time. Every time I look out our kitchen or sunroom window and see it sitting there, waiting, I am reminded of the wonderful times we have had traveling. It is like being on vacation without ever leaving home. Well, in a few weeks the camper will be coming home; albeit a bit later this year due to our oldest daughter’s wedding which will occur June 24th. We will need the extra parking spaces for visiting and overnight guests so the camper will have to stay “up north” a little longer this year. But we have wonderful adventures planned for it in July. To that end,... [Read more...]
People-Powered Transportation
May 29, 2011 by Hoby · 2 Comments
One of the great things about summer is that it is time to bring out the people-powered modes of transportation. With the warm sunny days, and the kids out of school, you see a larger number of these people-powered machines on the road, in the campgrounds, on the trails, and just about anywhere else you can imagine. (Photo Caption: Bicycle) Naturally the most common are the bicycles in all their forms (racing bikes, off-road bikes, stingrays, stunt, tandems, recumbent, and many others), but you will also see things like skateboards and in-line skates. But, as we have traveled around the country, we have seen a few others that are very interesting. (Photo Caption: Folding Bike) Yes, we have bikes; an 18-speed “hybrid” (sort-of a light-duty mountain bike or a heavy-duty road bike) for me, as well as a 7-speed folding bike that is easier to carry. But we have also added a couple of more items to our people-powered fleet of vehicles. The first one we picked up came from our stay... [Read more...]
Dinosaurs. Real Close And Nearly Alive In Seattle!
May 15, 2011 by Melissa A. Trainer · 1 Comment
Seattle has many wonderful destinations for children. There are waterfront parks, a wooden boat center, dozens of playgrounds, a fabulous market, and many healthy kid friendly restaurants. If you find yourself traveling through the Emerald City this summer, seriously consider a trip to the city’s Woodland Park Zoo. I visit this zoo often with my youngest son, and we absolutely love strolling through the zoo and exploring all the animals. Some of our favorite spots are the Family Farm and the Raptor Center. Both offer great opportunities for learning because there are usually zoo educators or volunteers in the area who are willing to answer lots of questions and share their knowledge. There is one temporary exhibit right now that looks super cool. It’s the “Dinosaurs. Real Close.” exhibit and it will run through September 5. I haven’t been to the animatronic exhibit of enormous North American species of dinosaurs just yet, but my son and... [Read more...]
Sailing For Salmon At The Anchorage Museum
April 29, 2011 by Melissa A. Trainer · 1 Comment
If you are lucky enough to be traveling and camping throughout Alaska this summer, be sure to visit the Anchorage Museum located in the heart of downtown. When we lived in Anchorage about five years, I spent many afternoons at this museum with my children. During the cold dark days of winter, I often became restless and wanted to learn more about America’s Last Frontier and the fascinating history of this very young state. When those moments struck, I would often bundle up the children and take them downtown. We spent many hours strolling through the museum’s permanent galleries. These visits gave my children a wonderful historical foundation of knowledge. So, once the snow melted and we started to camp in our travel trailer, we were all well-versed in the region’s history, culture, artwork, and lifestyle. The Alaska History Gallery and The Art of the North were two of our favorite permanent exhibits. The museum recently underwent a major expansion... [Read more...]
Visit The Tillamook Cheese Factory…
April 24, 2011 by Melissa A. Trainer · 5 Comments
If you are lucky enough to find yourself on or around the Oregon Coast this summer, be sure to visit the wonderful Tillamook Cheese Factory. Located in Tillamook, the factory is a cooperative dairy that produces a wide range of products–yogurt, sour cream, ice cream, butter and, of course, their well known cheeses! More than a million folks visit the facotry each year, so you can be sure it’s worthwhile. And, if you are a fan of Monterey Jack cheese, you should note that their Monterey Jack was just voted the best in its class at the 2011 United States Championship Cheese Contest. I’ve never been to the factory myself, but my husband and two sons toured the factory while they were vacationing on the Oregon Coast last week. They watched the cheese being made, sampled various cheeses, purchased some ice cream, and toured the gift shop. If you like cheese and need to stock up while traveling through the Coast, be sure to put the Tillamook tour on your list! Photo by Chris... [Read more...]
