Family reunion – two words that can strike fear into the heart of any otherwise sensible person. The reasons many people are hesitant to volunteer as hosts fro such an event usually has to do with a lack of planning. Following are some good ideas that can help with the three main needs families need to deal with on a reunion campout.

Keep Them Fed

Three meals a day is a good start, but multiplying that by several snacks and a watermelon bust or two is more realistic. When people, especially kids and teens, spend active time outdoors, their appetites increase exponentially. Plan a satisfying breakfast, an early lunch, a snack mid-afternoon and an evening dinner. Plan a fun food-centered activity each afternoon, such as homemade ice cream floats or a fruit and veggie buffet with dips. Plan at least a couple of meals that can be taken along on a hike.

Personal Hygiene

A hot shower can help you keep happy campers after all of the hikes, lake swimming, horseshoes, Frisbee, tag or other physical activities. This may be especially important to the teen girls in the group. Many camping spots have inadequate or non-existent shower facilities. You might consider renting a couple mobile shower trailers so that you have facilities close by.

Restful Sleep

Make sure that every person has a bed, or a space for their sleeping bag inside the cabins or tents you choose. Cousins may have fun grouping together for the night, but parents will likely not get much sleep. Instead, hold a series of late night activities to get their wiggles out. Or show a movie on a sheet, hold a charades night, or have a fun group sing-along. Enforce curfews and quiet hours so that everyone can at least rest.

While volunteering to take charge may not be your first inclination, following these basics can certainly help with your planning. Who knows – things just may go so well, people with want you to sign up to organize the next one.