camping

Try These 3 Tips for an Amazing Autumn Family Camping Trip #woodsexplorer

September 15, 2015 by Kathryn 35 Comments

Even though camping is one of the most popular family vacation choices in the summer, people tend to forget that camping excursions don’t have to end as soon as September rolls around! If you’re looking for a fun family activity for a fall weekend, a trip to a nearby campground is a blast for the entire family. Just remember these three tips for the best autumn camping experience possible!

Get the Right Tent

Weather in September and October can be much more unpredictable than in the summer months, and sudden rainstorms are common. Make sure to choose a tent that can stand up to the weather, such as the Woods Yukon Tent. With its RAINGUARD™ water-resistant 3,000 mm coated rainfly, walls and floor, this tent provides superior weather protection designed to repel water more effectively so that an unexpected autumn storm won’t rain on your parade. And since it’s sized for six adults, it’s roomy enough for the whole family. [Read more…]

Plan the Perfect Camping Trip with 3 Simple Tips and Woods Canada-Giveaway #woodsexplorer

August 18, 2015 by Kathryn 25 Comments

My boys and I have always loved camping. From cooking over a fire to sleeping in a tent, the chance to connect with nature while discovering a new area is something we all love. But the perfect camping trip means having the perfect camping gear too, and this year I’ve been able to take our camping trips from average to amazing with gear from Woods Canada!

Of course, any great camping trip starts with the planning, and for the ultimate vacation, these are the three tips I use for planning the best possible camping trip!

Research the Location

While many campsites have standard amenities including washrooms, showers, a convenience store and more, there can be a lot of variation in the available amenities from site to site. Ensure you know about the available features of your chosen location so that you can pack accordingly. A campsite with showers, for example, means that you may want to pack shampoo and body wash in your toiletries. And a site with a store will let you pack less food if desired to save space. [Read more…]

Stay Warm and Comfortable on Your Next Camping Trip with Selk’bag-Giveaway

July 9, 2015 by Kathryn 163 Comments

My boys and I love camping, so having good sleeping bags is a must. And while a basic sleeping bag is great, crawling out of it on a cold morning isn’t nearly as much fun. That’s why Selk’bag decided it was time to revolutionize the sleeping bag with a new, wearable design!

I recently had the chance to review a Selk’bag for myself, so I decided on the Patagon bag in Black Forest. With the highest warmth rating and removable boots for added mobility, it looked cozy, comfy and especially versatile. I pulled it out of the bag as soon as it arrived to see what it was like.

Now I have to admit that I thought this sleeping bag system, while practical, looked a little silly. But as soon as I pulled it on, I was won over. Not only does the bag make sleeping incredibly comfortable, but it is incredibly warm too. For sitting outside by the fire on a chilly night, it was ideal for keeping warm without fumbling around with a blanket. In fact, I wore the Selk’bag all that night when outside instead of a coat! [Read more…]

Try Campfire Ham and Cheese Bread for an Easy Camping Lunch

May 21, 2015 by Kathryn 26 Comments

My boys and I absolutely love going camping. From large excursions with the Scouts group to family getaways to nights in the backyard, if we’re under the stars cuddled up in a blanket around a crackling fire, we’re in our happy place.

And as with many other special things in life, one of our favourite things about camping is the food! Like most kids, my boys are never going to turn down classics like hot dogs and marshmallows.

But I love getting more creative with my campfire cooking and one of my all-time favourite ways to make easy camping meals is by using foil. I love the versatility of being able to cook up a foil packet containing all our favourite foods. And the minimal cleanup of the method is an added bonus!

There are some great recipe ideas for foil-wrapped easy camping meals on the Kraft What’s Cooking website; the Foil-Pack Taco Chicken Dinner looks sublime!

But I found that most of them were more dinner ideas and I wanted to make something more suitable for a camping lunch. And so my Campfire Ham and Cheese Bread was created! [Read more…]

Spend the Day Outside with the Coleman Youth InstaClip Screen House

August 2, 2013 by Kathryn 6 Comments

Living in Saskatchewan, my boys and I are forced to spend a fair amount of time indoors when winter weather arrives. So we spend as much time as possible outside in the beautiful summer months. The fresh air and sunshine are such a treat, but on the hottest days, being out of the direct sun is a good idea. So how do I ensure my boys can have a solid day of outdoor play without having to retreat indoors? With the Coleman Youth InstaClip Screen House!

coleman youth instaclip screen house

This handy youth-sized shelter provides a shaded place for kids to play. I love the screen walls of the shelter since it means the boys can stay outside at dusk without dealing with swarms of mosquitoes. And with a five-foot height, both boys can play inside the screen house without having to bend or stoop! [Read more…]

Turn Camping into Glamping with the Instant Tent 8 and Other Amazing New Products from Coleman Canada-Giveaway

August 21, 2012 by Kathryn 142 Comments

Do you love the great outdoors but want to be able to enjoy it without having to use bushes as a washroom and fire as an oven? You need to try “glamping!” Glam camping is taking North America by storm and if you want to kick your camping up to a new luxurious level, Coleman Canada has just the products you need to do it! Here are Coleman’s top three tips for turning camping into a glamorous experience:

Ambiance is key: Amplify the nature experience with a few items from home like flowers, bedside lighting, tablecloths and linen napkins. You should also bring along a cozy portable chair, a small rug and a tented shade for the ultimate outdoor Zen zone.
Eat like royalty: Don’t let your dinner suffer just because you’re roughin’ it! Thanks to a little bit of preparation and some great new portable appliances, you can enjoy your gourmet goodies just as you would at home. Take it up a notch and bring along some posh snacks like cheese and crackers and a nice bottle of wine to really wow your campsite guests … and taste buds.
Deck out your tent: Turn your tent into an outdoor oasis to truly unwind on your glamping retreat. From a collapsible nightstand to host your iPod dock, to those 900-tread count sheets that sooth you to sleep – this is sure to be your classiest camping trip yet.

We head out camping every summer and to make our experience more luxurious this year, Coleman sent us the fabulous new Coleman Instant Tent 8. Remember those days of juggling tent poles, forcing them through the tent’s fabric and desperately trying to get the rain cover fitted on properly…all just so you could sleep crushed together on the hard ground? Those days are no more with this fantastic eight-person tent! [Read more…]

Education Outdoors Wants To Know…Can You Find the Snipe?

July 3, 2012 by Kathryn 2 Comments

snipe hunt graphic In real life, the snipe is a bird, but to the unwitting camper, the snipe has been a legend of the forest for many years. Countless numbers of outdoorsmen have roamed the wilderness armed with a stick and a bag looking for the elusive snipe, but none have ever been able to catch one…until now!

Finally, the search for the woodland snipe has ended, but the fun is just beginning! The snipe is a legendary mythical creature that experienced campers will sometimes convince novice campers to track through the wilderness. Of course, the search ends in failure and a little laughter on the part of the experienced prankster. But now a naughty prank has become a fun game and nobody will be left feeling silly playing it!

Snipe Hunt is the newest game innovation from Education Outdoors; it features two snipes and a “nest” to set them in. The game can be played in teams or an adult can hide one of the snipes and let children search for it. After turning on a switch on the bottom of the snipe, one person hides the snipe carefully. The other person then searches for the snipe, trying to find it as soon as possible. After a few minutes, the snipe starts making chirping noises that gradually increase in frequency and volume. After five minutes, the snipe’s eyes begin to flash as well. When the player finds the snipe, he rushes back to set it in the nest and stop the chirping. [Read more…]

Stay Safe This Summer with the Master Lock Live Secure Safety Squad

June 11, 2012 by Kathryn 10 Comments

Summer is here and that means more time spent playing outdoors, visiting local attractions and heading off on vacations. But all that time spent away from the home also means that extra safety precautions need to be taken to keep your family possessions safe both at home and on the road. Fortunately, keeping things secure is Master Lock’s specialty.

I’ve reviewed a few of the fabulous products from Master Lock on Mommy Kat and Kids before and they quickly became essentials in our household, so I was thrilled when I was chosen as a member of the Master Lock Live Secure Safety Squad. For the rest of the year I’ll be bringing you all kinds of fantastic information to help keep your family and your possessions safe in every season. And in addition to all kinds of helpful tips and reviews of new products, there will be some exclusive giveaways for my readers too!

master lock LiveSafeSecuritySquad [Read more…]