When you are out camping the last thing you feel like worrying about is your hair but you still want it to look good for all those photos that are bound to end up on Facebook. At rock festivals your hair becomes dirty pretty quickly because of the sand, mud, wind and water you expose it to everyday. Have a look at these easy, ready to-go hairstyles that look great, even on dirty, messy hair.

Braids

A messy side-braid looks great while keeping your hair out the face and it doesn’t matter if your hair is knotty. If you are sitting around a campfire then get a friend to braid your hair into tiny braids for an indie-girl look. After a day or two you could even take the braids out for a cute curly style like Taylor Swift.

The ponytail

The classic ponytail is great for camping and can be worn high or low on the head. For a different look pair your ponytail with a cute headband of headscarf. You could even add some tiny braids into the pony or buy some clip on ribbons and wrap them up in the ponytail. You could also put it in pigtails for a younger, flirty look or a messy bun especially when it starts to get very greasy.

For really bad hair

For really bad hair days buy a baseball cap or straw cap and tuck your hair underneath; it will look great and protect you from the sun. By night you can cover your hair with a slouchy beanie that will keep your head warm but you’ll still look gorgeous.

The best look, however, is natural and loose and after a couple of days you will probably have developed that messy, surfer girl look like Ke$ha. If your hair is really difficult to manage then straighten it before you go camping and keep some styling cream with you for a quick fix.

Whether camping is something that you’ve always enjoyed or you’re unsure whether you want to try it out, your kids’ enthusiasm will mean that it’s always fun to camp with them. That doesn’t mean that the experience isn’t daunting, though, so take time to prepare for your trip to make the best of your adventure in the great outdoors.

Take it easy

For your first family camping trip, keep things simple by going to a campsite that has facilities like running water. There’s plenty of time to get more adventurous later, once you’ve got some experience. You’ll probably also want to keep it short, and give the kids a talk about some basic camping safety before you begin the trip.

Just in case

‘Prepare for the worst and hope for the best’ is a great motto to have when camping with kids. Make sure that you first aid kit is well-stocked when you camp with kids, and prepare for bad weather too: take along some playing cards and think about setting up a tarpaulin so the kids have a dry playing area outside.

What’s on the menu?

Photo: ClintJCL / Flickr

Keep food simple to reduce the amount of dishwashing you’ll have to do. Fruit and cereal bars make healthy snacks, while canned soups and anything that’s easy to barbeque will be great at mealtimes.

Check it off

Make a checklist to avoid those moments halfway through your car trip when you suddenly remember that you’ve forgotten something vitally important. What should go on the checklist? Well, everything – your camping equipment, sun protection, sleeping bags and sleeping mats, the cooking equipment and food, a first aid kit, and anything else you think you’ll need. Bring along torches for the whole family – these aren’t just useful, but lots of fun, too, and will help to turn your camping trips into the stuff memories are made of.

Perhaps it is time for your children to experience their first outdoor adventure. It may seem daunting at first, but taking your children camping regularly is one of the best ways to create lasting fun family memories. And it does not have to be complicated. A few useful tips, a kids’ camping kit and a good location are all you need for the perfect outdoor family holiday.

Preparation

To start, prepare your children for the idea of camping. You may want to pitch a tent in the backyard, or let them lie on the lawn and watch the stars at night. It is also useful to go for walks in the country to spark their interest in wildlife before you take the children camping.

Choose your destination

Don’t go too far away for you first trip. It is important not to tire the children out before they arrive at the campsite. And make sure that the campsite is safe. You may also want to go somewhere with bathroom and toilet facilities just to make your life easier. On the other hand, portable camping toilets are easy to find and just as easy to set up, if you are not close to facilities.

Packing

Apart from all the regular camping gear like tents, sleeping bags and cooking utensils, make sure you remember to pack a first aid kit, sunscreen and insect repellent. You should also have a special kids’ camping kit that will help to keep them busy and entertained. This should include children’s spades, craft items like plastic scissors, glue, and paper for making a nature collage. You could also bring special jars or boxes for any ‘treasures’ they collect and a disposable camera for each child to record the trip.

Finally, all you need is a collection of songs, some fireside stories and a willingness to go with the flow to make your first family camping trip a roaring success.

Doing the camping thing the easy way means doing it the no-stress way – or doing it exactly how you want to. If having a proper camping adventure with only the bare basics is your idea of a good holiday, then go for it, but if you can’t do without the comforts of home, then there’s really nothing wrong with taking some of them along with you. Decide what will make camping work for you, then get out there.

Plan ahead

There’s no checklist that tells you exactly what you, personally, will need on a camping trip. Start off with the basics: a good tent that’s big enough and that will keep you dry, and some simple camping equipment. Next, think about which of the comforts of home you can’t bear the thought of being without.

It’s up to you

Photo: Stock.Xchng

Some people will tell you that to get the ‘camping experience’ you should go with the bare essentials, but why deprive yourself of the things you enjoy? It’s true that you’ll thank yourself for packing light if you have to hike long distances carrying all of your supplies, but take along the things you know you’d really miss. Find out what your campsite allows and already provides and you might be pleasantly surprised: taking a bottle of wine is probably perfectly acceptable, and if they don’t provide hairdryers in the bathrooms, they should at least have somewhere for you to use yours.

It’s not what it used to be

If you’ve never camped before or your last experience outdoors was a disastrous one years ago, keep in mind that camping is a lot easier today with better camping equipment and more well-equipped sites: tents that keep you dry, sleeping bags that keep you warm, and plug-points nearby all allow camping to happen the easy way – there’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy it.