Now that the camping boom has settled down! 7 secrets for beginner dads to make family camping a success

Now that the camping boom has taken a little breather, we occasionally hear people reminiscing, saying things like, "Solo camping was super popular, wasn't it!"

But family camping, which you can enjoy with your family, is still the ultimate summer vacation event even after the boom has passed!
Playing in the river with your kids, biting into chilled watermelon, laughing while burning marshmallows over a campfire, and hearing your child say, "Dad, camping is the best!" under a starry sky—these moments are sure to become treasures etched into your family album.

But honestly, it's a high hurdle for beginner dads, isn't it?
You're full of anxiety, wondering, "How do I set up a tent?", "Mom isn't really into it...", or "Will the kids enjoy it?"

Now that the boom has settled, it's the perfect time to go camping, as campsites are easier to book than before and gear is available at affordable prices! For beginner dads, I will introduce 7 secrets to make family camping a success, including my own real-life experiences.

Let's definitely make it happen—a camping trip where the whole family shouts, "We want to go again!"

✅️ 3 reasons why family camping shines right now

1. Throw away your busy daily life! A family reset in nature

Modern families are super busy, aren't they? Dads are working as usual, and moms are on the verge of burnout multitasking with housework and childcare while also working. Even the kids are so busy with school, cram school, and leveling up in games that you might wonder, "Are they busier than the adults?" (laughs). The magic of family camping is escaping from that hectic daily grind.

Leaping out of a life surrounded by city concrete and electrical appliances and diving into the greenery of the forest or the murmuring of a river. If you take a deep breath in the dappled sunlight, the negative ions will wash away your stress. Waking up with the sunrise and sleeping under a starry sky at night. That "human" rhythm should reset your family's mind and body.

I remember my son, who was in kindergarten at the time of our first family camping trip, running around happily.
I was moved when my son, who usually sticks to the TV or tablet, started collecting pinecones as "treasures" and gave them to me.

Now that the camping boom has settled, campsites might be quieter than before, allowing you to have plenty of time just for your family.

Putting your smartphone in your pocket, you can't help but smile at your child's grin or Mom's comment, "I'm glad we came." You can't experience this kind of happiness in everyday life.

2. Laugh off the inconveniences! Deepen your family bonds

At home, you can turn on a fire with one switch and get hot water by turning a faucet. But camping is different. Setting up a tent, starting a fire, cooking rice in a rice cooker... you might think, "What a hassle!", but this "inconvenience" brings the family together and is fun.

For our first camping trip, I bought a large tent and was very satisfied. I chose a 2-room tent, thinking, "This is spacious and good," and prepared thoroughly by practicing the setup at WILD-1. Since I filmed it on my smartphone and practiced many times, I was able to do it well without any confusion. And with the help of my kids and Mom, the tent was completed.
Well, it still took two hours, but the moment the whole family cheered, "We did it!", all the fatigue blew away.

We also cooperated in making dinner. We started the fire quickly with fire starters, and the curry we ate in the great outdoors was highly praised as "maybe the most delicious thing ever."

Modern camping can be easy and convenient depending on the tools you use, even if it is inconvenient.
Of course, there are various inconveniences, but I think the true essence of family camping is laughing and overcoming them together.

Now that the boom has settled, it might still be crowded on weekends, but if you look at the right time, campsites are relatively empty.

You can enjoy time just for your family in a relaxed way!

3. Troubles are the spice of adventure! Growing as a family

Trouble is part of camping. Sudden rain, forgotten items, freezing nights... I think there are many moments where you'll want to mutter, "Seriously?" (laughs). But this trouble makes the family stronger.

On our first camping trip, it was hot during the day during Golden Week, but it suddenly got cold from the middle of the night until morning. Of course, a towel blanket alone wasn't enough to keep us warm.

The gear we brought wasn't enough, so we used the shirts we took off as blankets. Even so, it was cold, so we slept huddled together as a family.
The kids didn't wake up, but for some reason, I was happy about that.

On another camping trip, a stray cat took our meat for dinner.
The moment I took my eyes off it, the meat was gone from where I had placed it.
"Eh..." my mind went blank for a moment... I was able to identify the culprit because footprints were left on the table. Of course, the meat didn't come back... It was good steak meat, though...

If you enjoy troubles like game quests, your family's teamwork and problem-solving skills should improve.

For a beginner dad, turning failures into fun is also a chance to show your skills.

✅️ 7 secrets to make family camping a success

1. Get Mom on your side

2. Beginners should take it easy without being overly ambitious

3. Choose a nearby campsite

4. It's okay to use what you have on hand for gear

5. Work together as a team

6. Create experiences that make everyone want to go again

7. Follow the rules! This is important

1. Win over mom's heart! Passionately explain the appeal of camping

The key to successful family camping is mom thinking, "That sounds fun!" This is extremely important.

Even if dad enthusiastically invites everyone by saying, "Hey, let's go camping!," if mom looks on coldly saying, "I hate bugs" or "Tents are impossible," the conversation will stop right there. My wife is also a complete indoor person, and at first, she dismissed it, saying, "Why not just go to a hot spring instead of camping?" and "Why do I have to cook if we go camping? It's no different from being at home." But once I set up an environment she could be comfortable with, her expression changed to a smile and she said, "If it's like this, then it's fine."
If you feel that staying in a tent is too high a hurdle to start with, you can begin with a cottage or bungalow at a campsite. If there is air conditioning and beds, mom will relax and say, "It's like we're on a trip!"

For our family, we chose a campsite equipped with clean flush toilets and showers, and emphasized, "I've got the bug control covered!"

If it's a campsite with resident staff and a shop, even beginners can feel at ease knowing that "it's okay if something happens." If it's an auto-camping site, you can drive your car right up to the site, making it easy to carry luggage and giving you a place to escape to in case of sudden rain. To persuade mom, the trick is to passionately talk about the romance of camping. Appeal to the special time just for the family by saying things like, "Let's roast marshmallows under the starry sky" and "You'll be able to see the kids' sparkling smiles."

In our case, that alone didn't seem to resonate with her, so I made sure to prioritize hospitality by saying, "I'll do the cooking" and "You can just relax." lol

2. Beginners should pursue "ease"! Keep preparations simple

When you're not used to camping, if you get too fired up and think, "Let's do everything on-site!," you'll go through hell (lol). Our first camping trip took two hours just to set up the tent, and the kids were grumbling, "I'm hungry!" Mom's look of, "Is this supposed to be fun?" really stung... The secret is to keep preparations simple. If you cut ingredients at home and prepare simple menus (like BBQ or hot sandwiches), cooking at the campsite becomes easy.

On our first trip, we used an electric grill at a powered site for BBQ. Mom smiled and said, "This is easier than at home!" It might be good for dad to take the lead on cooking, and ask mom and the kids to help out with small tasks like setting the table.

If you have a site with power, you can use an electric kettle or hot plate, eliminating the stress of starting a fire. I even heard a story once about someone who brought an electric rice cooker lol

3. Start with somewhere nearby! Keep travel time to 1-2 hours

Dads who dream of "stylish camping in Karuizawa!," I understand the feeling, but for your first time, I recommend starting somewhere close by.

If the campsite is 1-2 hours from home, the kids won't get fussy in the car, and you'll have plenty of time to prepare after arriving.

For our first camping trip, we chose a local campsite 1.5 hours away. Because the travel was easy, the kids were full of energy, saying, "We're here!" We were able to take our time setting up, and we even enjoyed playing in the river by the evening.

Once you get used to it, you can stop by roadside stations or go fruit picking on the way. You can buy local vegetables to cook at the campsite or have a fruit-picking experience with the kids.

If there are tourist spots on the way to the campsite, you can enjoy your trip even more.

In our family, we grilled corn we bought at a roadside station over a campfire, and it was exquisite.

By the way, I always check for places that sell soft-serve ice cream and go eat it.

4. Renting gear and using what you have at home is fine! Start casually

Dads who have been turned down by the family treasurer (mom) saying, "Camping gear is too expensive!"... there are many of you, right? (laughs)

Our family also trembled at the thought of "80,000 yen for a tent!? 60,000 yen for four sleeping bags!?" But beginners don't need to buy everything from the start.

By utilizing rental gear at campsites or "hands-free camping" services, you can decide whether to purchase items after testing the comfort of tents and burners.

Using frying pans, coolers, and tableware you already have at home is perfectly fine.

If you have any acquaintances who are campers, they will surely lend you gear (I feel like there are many good people among campers).

That way, at the campsite, you can sneak a peek at the gear of other veteran campers or stylish campers and find gear you'll want to imitate, thinking, "That table looks convenient!" or "That tent over there is stylish."

If you gather the courage to talk to them, many people will kindly explain various things to you.

Now that the boom has died down, you can see a lot of camping gear at recycle shops like Book Off.

Camping gear that was expensive during the temporary boom can now be purchased at affordable prices, so I recommend that as well.

5. Give everyone in the family a role! Teamwork makes the fun explode

If a dad gets enthusiastic at camp saying, "Leave it all to me!", he will burn out (from personal experience). The secret to having fun is to divide roles among the whole family.
My daughter, who was 4 years old at the time, was in charge of holding the tent rope and had a smug look on her face saying, "I'm amazing, right?"
If you give mom a light role like "Please set up the table!", she won't end up just babysitting.

Give children simple tasks according to their age. Even just picking up firewood or arranging ingredients will make them shine with a sense of accomplishment, thinking, "I'm being useful!"
Dads should be in charge of the main setup and fire-starting, while praising the family's "I did it!" moments.
By the way, small children might want to hit the pegs. In that case, watch them carefully or hold the hammer together.

By the way, my daughter made her camping debut at a year and a half old, and she enjoyed it without any problems.

6. Create experiences that make them say "I want to go again!"

There are many ways to enjoy camping, depending on the family. It's important to discuss "What do you want to do?" in advance.

My son was excited, saying, "I want to go grass sliding!" I'm not good with bugs, so I was a little relieved he didn't say bug catching (laughs).
When we took cardboard and went looking for a slope together, we had a blast as parent and child!
Mom is the type who prefers relaxing with a nap in a hammock.
Let's think of a plan where everyone can enjoy themselves, with adults relaxing and children being active.

The trick for beginners is not to pack too many plans. If you are already exhausted just from setting up the tent, adding hiking or playing in the river will make things quite messy.

The first time, our children were very satisfied with just bubbles and a frisbee. But I, the adult, used up all my energy with the frisbee...
At night, we lay on a picnic mat and observed the starry sky. My son was excited, saying, "Dad, the stars are moving!"

Even if it's simple, the family's "That was fun!" will be firmly etched in your memories.

7. Follow the rules and enjoy a pleasant camping experience

Beginners especially need to check campground etiquette. Depending on the campsite, rules differ on whether you must take your trash home or if there is a designated disposal area.

It is reassuring to check the campground's check-in and check-out times online in advance.

Keep things quiet after 9 PM and dim your lights to preserve the starry sky. Keep the kitchen and restrooms clean for the next person. If you teach your children that "manners are cool!", they might even enthusiastically say, "I'll pick up the trash!"

We often hear about "annoying campers" in the summer; let's be good role models so our children don't copy that behavior.

✅ Summary

Now that the camping boom has settled down, it has become easier to book campsites and gear is more affordable (though weekends and long holidays are still crowded).
Family camping is the perfect opportunity to forget the busy daily grind and deepen family bonds and smiles.

I'm sure beginner dads have endless worries like, "What about gear?", "Mom isn't really into it...", or "Will the kids get bored?". But it will be okay.

Once you take that first step, things will work out.

A special time just for your family awaits at the campsite. First, let's check out some nearby campgrounds.

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