Kids packing themselves

As my kids are getting older, they are expected to have more involvement in getting ready for a camping trip.  They are responsible for packing their own belongings.  A couple years ago, I made a list of items for them that need to be packed.  The list is written in pencil and I can change the quantities of the items depending on the trip.  The same list gets used every time and goes back to the same spot in my dresser drawer until the next trip.  The kids are happy to be self-sufficient and get exactly what they want packed.

Youngest wasn't reading when I started this, so there are pictures to help her "read" on her own.

Car Travel Bins

Long car rides.  They can be torturous for kids.

"I'm bored."

"Are we there yet?"

"How much longer?"

"I can't find my _____!"

"She has my _____!"

It's enough to make any easy-going parent snap when you're in the car for hours on end.  And for the not-so-easy-going (you know who you are), well... good luck to you.

Technology has certainly changed since I was a kid.  BUT, my kids can only play on a device for so long.  They'll want something else to do.

On the way home, the bins are a bit messy

That's where these bins come in handy.  I've tried bags in the past.  The stuff in the bags ends up in a heap, burying the bags.  Stuff is falling onto the dog.  No one can find anything.  It's a big mess.

The beauty of the bins is that they're open, the kids can see everything in them and grab it easily.  What they put back goes right into their own bin.  The responsibility of keeping the bins neat rests solely on the bin owner.

What goes in the bins?  I'll write another post about that later - heh, heh.

Ok, I'll tell you one thing.  I'd like to point out that you can see a pink cup in the picture.  Colored pencils go in a cup, one cup for each kid.  Why colored pencils?  They don't melt in a hot vehicle like crayons.  They don't accidentally mark the vehicle when dropped and they don't dry out.  I really like the twisty kind of colored pencils by Crayola because they're easily sharpenable (yea! I made up a word!) with just a small twist.  Buy one package of these things, split them between the kids, and everybody is happy.  When the kids were younger, the Crayola Wonder markers were my go-to.

The bins are stacked nicely at home, easy to get ready for the next trip.  Though, honestly, they're still sitting and waiting for some items to be put away before I can put the bins where they belong.  Yeah, my process of unpacking from a trip sometimes involves laziness.

Checklist

Tomorrow is the big day!  Our first camping trip!  Everyone at our house is anxious with excitement.

This means that I'm packing today and will finish up tomorrow before we hit the road.

I have certainly forgotten things on trips over the years.  Husband has, too.  Then there was the trip where my youngest didn't pack any pants and thankfully big sister had extra and that they're close enough in size that it works.  And yes, Mama should have checked to make sure there were pants that got packed.  But didn't.

I attempt to minimize this forgetfulness by making a list.  The list used to be handwritten.  I'd take the list from the previous trip, make a new one and modify it specific to the upcoming trip.  Technology though, it makes this much easier.

I now have a spreadsheet.  Each trip gets it's own sheet, labeled with the location we're going and the dates.  Each person gets a column with all the items they need.  There's a column just for stuff that covers the dog and random stuff and previously forgotten stuff.  There's a column for food.  I also plan the meals for the trip on here.  Finally, I have a column where I can make sure I take out the trash from the house and run the dishwasher before we pull out of the driveway.  As things make it into the camper, I use that strike-through button to cross everything off.

I know there's an app for that.  I've looked at a couple.  The ones I've looked at don't allow for customization as much as I'd like.  So I came up with my own system.