First-time camping with a Cub Scout can be a little scary, especially if you are a little (or a lot) inexperienced. Here’s the best news:

1. You are not alone.
2. Welcome to an organization that specializes in teaching children (and subsequently parents) how to camp.
3. Take a deep breath. If I can do it, I promise—you can too!

I have taken the time to chat with two of our in-house experts who have Cub-Scout-aged kiddos and quizzed them on all things camping so that you can consider this a safe place to get your questions answered. If you’ve got more things you’re curious about, be sure to drop a line in our comments, and I will chase down those answers for you.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about camping with a Cub Scout?

• Brad: Keeping my kids entertained. I am a big fan of games. I also find a lot of value in conducting some research before heading out to grab pertinent books and educational resources about where we are going. Best of all, I love to get them involved in the process – kids love to help. Give them tasks to help you with every step of the way.
• Andrea: Excitement of the Scouts – their energy is palpable and excites me even more. They are excited about every single part, even unloading the car!
• Recap: Play off your Cub Scout’s excitement and get them involved! Please do your homework so you can have a plan to keep them occupied.

What can you not, under any circumstances, leave home without?

• Brad: A comfortable sleeping pad. (Author’s note: we sell a few options for this!)
• Andrea: My solar charger. My cell phone is my watch, alarm clock, stars app, camera, etc. It is essential for all kinds of reasons! (Author’s note: we are big fans of these super portable chargers.)

What can your Cub Scouts not leave home without?

• Brad: Their pocketknife and a warm sleeping bag.
• Andrea: Their flashlights.
• Recap: This is an easy roundup. A comfy sleeping bag, a pocketknife or multi-tool (if they have their whittlin’ chip), and a flashlight!

How do you configure your sleeping setup?

• Brad: We like sleeping in one tent – we are a family of 4 and use an 8-person tent, and that gives us room to change and room to walk around. We use both air mattresses and blow-up sleeping pads.
• Andrea: Our twins love to be in their sleeping bags for our family tent but are close to Mom and Dad. Everyone needs their sleeping pad, so we all sleep better. Tired Scouts make for a long day on the trail. (Author’s note: She can say that again!)

What are your favorite games to play?

• Brad: Frisbee, fishing, any of the backpack games – variety is the spice of life and the best way to keep my kids interested.
• Andrea: We love to geocache (Pro Tip: Sometimes, we even set some up in advance when we get there). We also love playing hide and seek in buddy form (because safety, always!). At night, we love to play dominoes. Dominoes are great because they are easier to keep track of than playing cards with our young Scouts.
• Recap: There is no limit to the games you can play! Plan your ideas out beforehand; if you need more ideas, check this out.

What does prepping for your campout look like?

• Brad: We create a checklist and always double-check to ensure we have everything. Also, it is so important to pack your food! That includes everything from coolers and food seasonings to planning the meals.
• Andrea: Gathering all the items from all around the house and then pre-staging in the garage. As a Den Leader, I also want to ensure my den knows what they need to bring and, if we are going to share equipment as a pack, that we each have our assignments in advance so we don't have too many duplicate items. Pre-staging is vital to ensure we don't forget anything! Like paper towels or trash bags! 
• Author's note: Make sure you check the weather! Rainy days may not be the "ideal," but they are doable with proper planning and gear.

Did you practice camping in your backyard before heading out for the real thing?

• Brad: Yes, to introduce the kids to the noises and sounds of sleeping outside. Get them to understand the temperature variance and find out what they need (some may need to sleep in an extra layer than others)
• Andrea: We should have (lol). Our first campout was pretty remote as a family, and I remember we had just laid down to sleep, and one of our twins asked to go home…it was at that moment I thought, maybe we should have tried this out first. I would recommend that for families! (Author's note: Something that I did when we took our toddler camping for the first time was bring a sound machine that she was used to. It helped to give her something to ground into and connect to that was "normal." We also used the toddler air mattress when visiting family, so she was accustomed to what she was sleeping on. For more reference on that, check this out).
• Recap: Practice sleeping outside at home before camping with items they have seen and used before.

What is your favorite camping meal?

• Brad: My family loves Hobo burgers, pizza in the cast iron or on a grate over the fire (Pro Tip: Use Texas Toast as the pizza crust!), or nachos in the cast iron skillet/dutch oven.
• Andrea: Breakfast always smells so good, and usually, we eat a better breakfast when camping than at home!

Top 3 tips for first-time campers?

• Brad:

1. Research the bathroom situation – if you are camping for the first time, go somewhere with amenities (electric, water, bathroom access)
2. Start with one night – don’t bite off more than you can chew
3. Practice cooking! Taking a small stove is a great starting point and more foolproof than attempting over-the-fire cooking. (Author’s note: Check out all the Scout Chef Kitchen recipe ideas – they will make mealtimes fun and yummy!)

• Andrea:

1. Don’t buy the most expensive stuff until you decide how you will camp. Borrowing from friends and fellow Scouting families is ideal at first!
2. Don’t over-plan. It is okay to have time to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Free play is great for the kids and also takes the pressure off you. (Author’s note: The best plans are the comprehensive ones you can toss for in-the-moment changes and decisions!)
3. Make it a comfortable experience for your Scout… and let them stay up late around the campfire.

What’s your nighttime bathroom situation like?

• Brad: We stick to campgrounds with bathroom facilities with our kids. For true middle-of-the-night emergencies, we have a bucket potty. It can be stored either in an outhouse tent or the tent vestibule.
• Andrea: It is a non-negotiable that the kids go to the bathroom before bed!

Do you have your own set of tips for the first-time Cub Scout parent heading out on an adventure into the Great Outdoors? Be sure to drop them in the comments below! For all the camping gear you need to successfully camp with your Cub Scout, please visit ScoutShop.org—the official store of the BSA.