Thinking of going camping with the family this summer but are a bit nervous because it's been awhile? No worries. The folks at REI have an entire section of their website dedicated to making your family camping experience the stuff great memories are made of.
The REI blog has links to a series of webisodes which follow two families as they prepare to take a camping trip together, covering everything from expectations to packing to cookery. While not exactly a how-to, they are well-produced little videos that could provide the motivation you need to reserve that campsite you have been thinking about all winter.
Their Family Adventure Program is a great resource to get your kids excited about the great outdoors. It includes an extensive Kids' Adventure Journal as a free download, which is chock full of games, tips, and journal pages for your kids to record what they have seen. REI's site has loads of info on every topic imaginable, so be sure to check it out before your next expedition.
Must-See Small Cool Homes: Week Two
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Commercial Flour Sa...
How to Cook Moist & Tender Chicken Breasts Every Time
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
I'm curious what's the youngest anyone has taking their kids camping? We want to start camping with our girls next year where our youngest will be almost 3, and curious if anyone has had success with it or was it miserable?
We took our son car camping when he was 8 mo old; we just brought along his pack & play and set it up in the tent. It was a lot of fun! If you have a campfire, though, make sure you have a way to keep the kids away from it!
This summer will be his 3rd year camping, and this time we'll be bringing his 10 mo baby sister. I hope she takes to it as well as he did! We will be bringing her a pea pod for in the tent, and leave the pack & play for outside the tent only.
Have fun if you go!
We took Jack on his first backpacking trip at 8 months and it was fantastic. My hubby and our two camping friends had to carry more gear, but we only went about 2km in. We didn't go again this year as Jack is way more mobile and it's by a river. My nerves wouldn't take it :)
We did go car camping though, and he was not quite two. I would recommend a high adult-child ratio, if possible. We have the REI Kingdom 6 tent and it is *wonderful*. We had four adults and a toddler in it -- close but good. There would have been lots of inside space had the weather been bad. We brought tons of little toys and good non-toxic bug spray... and ignored the dirt. Jack was even good around the campfire (again, high child-adult ratio was essential here).
i can't wait to take our daughter camping! we're planning our first trip (close to home, just in case) for when she'll be 6-8 mo old. the book babes in the woodshas been quite helpful and full of good ideas!