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Why S’mores Create the Happiest Campers (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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Would you believe that I have never EVER been camping in all my years on this earth? And would you believe that I don’t feel sad about that, either?! Yeah, I’m not much of an outdoor girl. I think it is because I was raised in a part of the country where mosquitoes thrive and unbelievably large insects roam freely. Also, it’s hot most of the year, and muggy the entire year. So that’s not exactly the kind of conditions that most people dream of when thinking about spending the night outside!

Even so, I do have fond memories of going on hay rides and doing camp fires with my youth group (that’s about as close to camping out as I ever got!). And I can see where getting to do things like camp out in your backyard as a kid would be so much fun. I don’t want Darah to miss out on these kinds of adventures just because they aren’t my cup of tea. I will not discourage her from camping out (maybe her dad will even take her and leave me home!). And I’ll certainly make sure that she knows the most important lesson of all when it comes to camping…

HOW TO MAKE A S’MORE

Because really, everything else is just details, people!

Tim recently made an indoor camp for Darah (ok, really for all of us) to play in. We had the BEST time, and it was all bug-free, thank you very much!

Since I wanted to make sure we covered the essentials of camping right away, I brought out the plate of S’mores supplies. On a whim, I bought the chocolate graham crackers at the store…they totally rock as the S’mores foundation!


My little one wasted NO time sampling the ingredients! While she’s still a bit too young for the full melted S’more experience, she already totally gets that when you put together marshmallows, Hershey’s chocolate and graham crackers, something really magical happens. It certainly brought back fun memories for me, and got me so very excited about all the new memories that await my family on all our future camping trips…even if they all take place in our living room!

I want to encourage you to pop over to Hershey’s Facebook page because they are having a great giveaway! Just capture your favorite S’mores moments and submit your photos for a chance to win S’mores-themed prizes. The grand prize is a Canon Rebel Camera, slate marble outdoor firebowl, $250 SnapFish gift card, roasting skewers and all of the ingredients needed to make S’mores!

Win it!: Thanks to Hershey’s, I’ve got an opportunity for you to make fun memories with your family through your own special camp out! One Stuff Parents Need reader will win a S’mores pack, which contains Hershey’s chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallows. The giveaway will run until September 7th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected via Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.


Mandatory entry:Tell me about your experience camping out? Do you love it? Have any tips for someone like me who has never been? Anything relevant to the topic works for me.

Additional entries:

1. Sponsor love:  Like Hershey’s on Facebook

2. Blogger love: Like Stuff Parents Need on Facebook

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of the page.

Disclosure: This post is part of my participation in the Hershey’s “Say S’mores” Promotion. All opinions expressed are mine.

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  9. I absolutely LOVE camping. Not at a camp ground with electricity hook-ups, water slides, and showers, though! I love heading to the U.P. in Michigan, finding the most deserted campsite, and just roughing it for a week or two.
    ohmiss14 at yahoo dot com ☮

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  18. We love to go camping! Whether it’s at a campground, in the backyard or right in the livingroom…..we always have a blast!!! 😉

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  21. My idea of camping is in a camper with a bed and running water! Not much of an outdoorsman, when it comes to sleeping outside.

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  25. My suggestion is to camp with first time with someone who is experienced with camping, plan to camp during nice weather ( not cold or rainy), and have a comfortable seeping bag and maybe an air mattress too. Have fun!

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  31. Growing up, we always used to camp out. My parents always made kept things pretty simple, just some board games, some outdoor games (like horseshoes), bug spray, bathing suits, sunscreen and food! Basically we spent time together as a family and I have great memories from that. Just keep it simple and fun! And of course, chocolate never hurts!!

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  32. Figure out exactly HOW MUCH “roughing it” you think you can handle. A tent without electricity to renting an RV and various levels in-between.

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  33. I am a single parent of 3 children, so camping is hard to do. Our smores are enjoyed around our campfire in the back yard. The children love them.

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  39. I love camping! I wasn’t able to go this summer because I have been too busy, but we usually rent a site for 2 days and bring a big tent. We go swimming and walk along the beach at night, and make sure to bring our bikes, attempt to build a fire, and make food over the fire! (jessicapeeling@yahoo.com)

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  40. I haven’t been camping in years, my parents always used to take me and I loved it. My husband and I talk often about ho we need to get some gear together and try it out as adults!
    blue65829 at aol dot com

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  43. I did a lot of camping before I had my kids! And we just took our girls camping for the first time a few weeks ago. They are 4 and 2, they did really well, my 4 year old’s favorite part was the s’mores! Bedtime/naptime is really tough between campground noise and the sun coming up really early, so it is a little stressful when the kids are so young.
    Marysa {at} marysa {dot} com

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  52. i have never camped out in a tent or anything but my friend did have a cabin on a lake once and to me that was camping lol bc there were still tons of bugs, trees, and a fire. my tip would be bring tons of bug spray.

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  55. First family campout for my son’s 4th birthday next month. I LOVED smores as a kid. Remember to put your food away properly, we once had squirrels chew through our tent (note: don’t store food in your tent).

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  57. As a child, our family vacations were camping trips. I didn’t really like it, so I have not been camping as an adult.

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  60. It’s been Years since I’ve been camping! I use to love to bring bikes when we went to enjoy some bike riding! You can also meet a lot of nice people while Camping!

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  70. Just keep thinking to yourself that its just dirt and will wash off/out of everything. Oh and make sure you stop drinking a while before bed so you dont have to troop off to the outhouse in the middle of the night with a flashlight lol

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  73. We used to go camping a lot when I was kid. I always had a great time. But, I don’t have any tips unfortunately.
    jtmagmom73(at)gmail(dot)com

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  74. The only time I’ve been camping was in girl scouts a long time. I have to say, it wasn’t that much fun, but then again, I am not an outdoorsy kind of person. Too much heat and bugs!

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  77. The last time we went camping we did not watch the weather and thought it strange we were the only ones there. Then we set our tent up at the bottom of a hill. When it rains in Oklahoma, it pours. My advice, watch the weather before, and dont set your tent at the bottom of a hill unless you want to be woken in the middle of running water

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  84. We took our first real family camping trip this summer and it was quite an adventure. My tip is do not leave food out at all. We had a raccoon steal a bag of marshmallows as we were roasting them. The raccoons at the state campground were not afraid of you at all.

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  91. My family is fresh off a 3-day weekend camping trip that was the best we can remember. My advice would be leave the rules at home and let the kids be themselves in nature. Of course manners and safety can stick around, but relax and watch them get creative in the outdoors. It’s a beautiful thing.

    Reply

  94. I hate camping, the bugs really love me so it has made past experiences horrible! I make smore’s in the microwave now or in my firepit out back!

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  98. I use to go camping alot when I was a kid been a couple of times with the children and had a blast but can’t take all of the bugs.
    tamben7996(at)aol(dot)com

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  101. I only went camping as a child. As an adult I am no longer able to “rough it”, so my tip would to be a cot that would keep you off the ground to lessen any fears of bugs!

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  110. S’mores are the best part of camping, although I don’t really like to go camping, I’ve only been once and I prefer to stay at home in the nice cool air conditioner LOL

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  114. My mom was 2 weeks due from having me and she was camping out. Nearest hospital was about 2 hours away. Even before i was born, I was “camping’.S In California, there is mountains. Here in Oklahoma, there is “hills”…that local folks call “mountains”. I miss the smell of pine trees, pine cones burning in the fire, fresh perked coffee, fire grilled hot dogs, and very much so smores for dessert (variety pack of individual sized candy bars is very fun to excite various flavores). Just the other day my husband and I was in Bass Pro-Shop talking about how much we miss camping and that our two year old daughter has never experienced camping. She is an outdoor kind of girl. Looks like we need to schedule a camping trip next year. Thinking Colorado or Montana at the ski lodges.

    I recommend wet wipes to freshen up. Do not store food, gum, toothpaste etc near or in your vehicle or tent as Bears (and other animals) will seek them out. We use “OFF” bug spray, sunscreen for water/lake activity in the summer and our skii’s/gear for the winter if staying in cabins, winter and summer wear as you never know. I seen it snow in the middle of July one year and crazy warmth still in the beginning of winter.

    If you are going in high elevation, watch what you eat and how much. Some people can get elevation sickness or motion sickness if they are on going on whindy roads. Extra batteries, flashlight, jumper cables, water, phone chargers for vehicles, blanket, towel, extra sets of clothes/socks and some non perisable foods incase get stranded. light cooking items like pans, (I like to bring paper plates, forks/spoons that i can throw away if needed to limit the need to wash and cause a scent to the bears to our camp site.

    Prepare for gas. The nearest gas station might be a distant drive. If possible (especially if you have a truck), to take a 5 gallon gas can. I always carry 10 gallons of Diesel and strap it down in the truck of our bed. I had that happen where my truck started to studder as I pulled into a gas station doing the very long stretch through New Mexico of no station over 100 miles away.

    Just make a check list. Two actually. one for when you pack and the other is for when you place it all in the vehicle. I have packed it but realized I left it at the house half way to our destination.

    Reply

  120. I haven’t been camping in years! But the girls and I use to go camping/fishing a couple times a month. They Loved it! I always took a picnic type lunch & dinner and We would gather wood for the fire long before dark, at night we roasted hotdogs or metts and marshmellows! they loved to fish! so they fished for the small stuff in the day and at night we fished for catfish. I don’t think we ever kept a fish, we fished because they loved it & because I enjoyed seeing their face when they caught it. Hints, I got a ton of them, Always take extra water, fingers & faces get dirty a lot! I use to take wipes & several damp soapy washcloths in a baggie to wash them off with. You will need bug spray, I was always kind of scared of bug spray that you put on your skin, so I used that stuff that you spray around the area and they don’t come in, it seemed to work pretty well. I always had extra flashlights just in case we needed a backup, and you should make sure there is no posion ivy around for them to get into. It really is best to take something( some games or something else for them to do if they get board)
    Remember to take your camera, there will be a lot of shots of suprised faces & huge smiles! And then have fun!
    chocho1957@hotmail.com

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  121. The last time my sister convinced me to go camping was awful! The temperatures dropped into the 30’s that night and we had to sleep in my husband’s work van. We’d sleep a few hours then wake up half-frozen to turn the heater on for a while. I’m not a big fan of dying of overexposure, so we don’t go camping with them anymore.

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