What kind of extra "stuff" should I consider bringing for a trip with my wife, 8 y.o. daughter, and 5 y.o. son? I have this feeling that I've already forgotten something. I've completed my fair share of trips, but this will be a first time for the rest of my family. This will also be my first trip with kids. We're attempting 5 days into EP 16 in early August. Thanks for any advice.

Make everyone brings something (each individual will have to determine what that "something" is)to keep themselves entertained if conditions dictate that you will not be able to get out to fish, swim, explore or do whatever you had planned etc. Perhaps something to keep the group occupied as a unit also. You never know if, or for how long, you may be stranded in camp.

Also, a nickels worth of free advice. Plan on going at a slower pace than you're used to.

IMO you don't need much. Less is more I think. I regret bringing a puzzle book for my young teen. That is all she wanted to do. there are endless things to do in damp. Firewood, fish, look for tadpoles or crawfish or minnows, check out rocks, look for animal tracks...

That said I do like a back up plan for rain. Perhaps bring something for rain but only gt it out if it rains? UNO game? Pass the pigs?

I always pack 2 extra pair of pants/underwear for my kids. They mess there stuff up a lot from playing in the dirt and mud.

My kids also like those little strech gloves if there is a chill in the air

Amen to TB's hint about moving slower...

Maybe a water ball? Lightweight and small... easier than catching rocks and it floats too.

Enjoy! Hope it's a great time for everyone!!

Oh wait...dip nets. Like what you'd use if you had an aquarium.

Thanks for the great ideas! Moving at a slower pace is definitely going to be tough for me, but I think I'll plan on a single basecamp. Any ideas on rough estimates for max. travel time with kids?

They can each pick an item as long as it's not a laptop, Ipod, DS, etc... Although my 5 y.o.'s favorite toy is a stuffed loon that I gave him when he was a baby (we call it dirty bird). Can't wait for him to see a real loon. I really like the idea of aquarium nets!

Any luck fishing with kids? I've done some with my 8 y.o. daughter successfully, but it was in a much more controlled environment.

all 3 of our kids have caught huge fish. One time our middle daughter was 2 and caught a 20 inch walleye on a Snoopy poll. All our kids caught 18 inch bass out of a canoe last month. But they have been canoing since birth and are experts as far as kids can be.

For us it takes about 6 trips across a portage. So about 3 portages a day at around 50 rods or more is as far as we can go. I would say one portage takes about 2 hours? Paddling is easiest for us

My daughter (7) picks out 1 small stuffed animal to bring because it's small, light, doesn't take up much space, comforting, and she likes playing with them. She also takes a couple books and a coloring book for tent time. There is plenty for her to do/play with that's already in and around camp. She played with the leeches for 2 hours one day.

Have fun.

Initial trips were maybe 2-3 hours of paddling a day. We're up to 4-5 hours now (youngest is 10). Sometimes paddling was the worst and portages were great - when we were all in one canoe and kids didn't HAVE to paddle, so they were bored like in the car on road trips. Now, they are almost always paddling in a canoe, so portages are declared enemies. Go figure, can't win. They used to love portages, now they hate them (or so they say).

It will surely depend on your own child's interests, but we bring a set of colored pencils/sharpener/small drawing pad for each of the boys. They can do many different things with these items... draw, make cartoon books, paper airplanes, keep score for a card game, play hangman, etc.

We also usually each bring one book to read in case we get stuck in camp during bad weather and a set of cards for game time in the tent at night.

We brought along a deck of cards and a chess set on our recent trip. The boys kept themselves occupied for quite some time playing BS, poker, blackjack, war, and other games they made up. The chess set, while not exactly compact worked well for tent time too.

I also had my son bring along a couple books but he had no interest in reading, but that's been a bigger issue this summer so far.

Water proof playing cards - they're great for rainy days. In a drizzly day when you are tired of being in the tent, you can play with them outside. At least until they get muddy.

Other small card games. We usually try to pick up a new one and bring an old favorite along. list has included Uno (also in plastic water proof version!), Monopoly Deal,Phase 10, SkipBo.

Yahtzee is another easy compact game - just dice and a scorepad.

Everyone packs at least one book, one pen, pencils (usually one set of colored pencils for all to share) and a small notepad or journal.

Last year we were all going to keep a trip journal so we could do a family trip report. That didn't happen. We were too busy or tired each evening. Despite some rain passing through we didn't use our rainy day activities much, kept entertained outside in other ways.

quote Twins87: "Last year we were all going to keep a trip journal so we could do a family trip report. That didn't happen. We were too busy or tired each evening. "

I am glad to see I am not the only slacker when it comes to trip BWCA journals! I always have the best of intentions but find myself falling asleep or reading instead.

yes to waterproof cards and yahtzee!

Eagleson - I'm interested to hear how your trip went! We are also entering into BWCA EP#16 later this month on our first trip to the BWCA. We have two 4-year-old boys, so I'm interested to see what you guys did and saw and any tips you can offer!

kimmycanoe - Base camped for 5 days on Lake Agnes. I recommend the campsite on the point, directly across from the Nina Moose River. It's very large with a nice landing, plenty of trails to explore, multiple tent pads, and a brand new latrine pit (most of the area has new pits). Around the point to the northwest is a sandy beach that we spent a few hours at on two days.

Looking back I probably would have moved sites at least once. We did discover an extra portage on the Moose River between the two 20+ rod portages. It's due to a beaver dam and it's a nasty clay covered trail (first time I've taken a spill in 8 trips).

The kids enjoyed exploring the trails, looking for wildlife (resident camp piney and chipmunks), and a little bit of fishing with nightcrawlers and slip bobbers.

My 8 y.o. daughter brought a book on tracks/scat, a geography workbook to look at the states we drove through, and a dip net to catch frogs and small fish.

My 5 y.o. enjoyed our ENO hammock, coloring, throwing stones in the lake, and our nightly camp fires (collecting sticks and roasting marshmallows).

Have a great trip and if you have anymore questions, let me know!

Eagleson,
Thanks for the info. We are going to be heading further north into Lac La Croix. Hoping to see waterfalls and pictographs and such. We are looking forward to our trip!

I am planning on bringing fishing poles and nets for the kids as well.

How were the bugs? What did you guys use for bug protection?

Thanks again!

We tried that Bullfrog sunscreen/insect repellant in one can. Not impressed at all! I think the little buggers actually liked it. Bugs were present (mainly mosquitos), but not bad.