by Raven Storme

Created on: May 09, 2010

Camping is a great way to spend some quality time with the family, but what do you do when it starts to rain?

The first rule to camping is to always be prepared. Hopefully you have already taken the steps to waterproof your tent, and that you brought along a few spare change of clothes.

Waterproof matches are another important tool that will help you in case of a sudden downpour. I always place a tarp over the firewood, for just in case purposes. If you happened to forget to bring any rain gear, you could always resort to using some heavy duty garbage bags. Just poke a hole in the bottom, and a hole on either side, and you will have a makeshift rain jacket in no time.

The second most difficult part of dealing with rain, includes passing the time and keeping the kiddies amused. Always, bring along a deck of cards and a few board games, which will be handy to pass the time. Older kids, will likely have a portable game system, so extra batteries are a good thing to have on hand.

Nobody really likes cooking in the rain, so bring along some cold-cuts, lettuce and tomatoes, and make some sandwiches.  If all your food requires cooking, you might find yourself starving, or struggling to maintain a fire in the rain. Canned goods, such as pasta in a can or even tuna, are also handy in a pinch.

Bring along lots of fruits and easy to prepare vegetables, unless you don’t mind eating chips, cookies and other junk food products.

Lastly, rain or wet weather often brings cooler temperatures, so its always a good idea to bring extra blankets, sweaters and a wire, so you can hang up any damp clothes to dry.

Hopefully after a few hours or minutes the sun will be shinning again, otherwise you might want to consider whether its time to pack up and head home. Always, check the weather report before heading off on a camping trip, and during a thunderstorm, keep away from trees and open fields. If the storm is producing large amounts of lightning, head for the car; since the rubber tires will provide the insulation to protect everyone from electric shock.

In the end, camping can be a great adventure, and hopefully a little rain won’t dampen your vacation, but if it does, at least you’ll know a few things about surviving when it is wet out.   

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