Tips for camping with little kids for the first time

My wife and I are about take our three daughters, ages 6, 3 and 2, on a camping trip — the first time all five of us have gone together.

Why it matters: Getting my kids to enjoy the great outdoors is important to me, but it also helps them build confidence, be creative and learn responsibility.

Zoom in: I've already learned some lessons after taking the older two girls camping a handful of times, starting when they were 2 years old.

Here are my tips for first-timers.

🏡 Stay close to home: I picked campgrounds that were within 90 minutes. That way, if things go sideways, you can just pack up and drive home.

• We started with a couple of state parks on the St. Croix River: William O'Brien and Interstate . We also tried Frontenac State Park on Lake Pepin, but the campsites are a bit of a hike from the parking lot.

👴🏻 Bring help: If you're outnumbered by your kids, bring a friend or relative to help with setup, cooking and cleanup. It's hard to watch kids and do all of that.

🏊‍♀️ Wear the kids down: Take them hiking, biking and swimming to burn off energy. If they're ready for it, skip their nap. The goal is to make sure they are tired and will fall asleep easier in a tent.

🩳 Bring plenty of extra clothes: They're going to get really dirty.

🔥 Make dinner fun: We use pie irons to make pizzas over the fire.

🎉 Pick a weeknight: I made the mistake of taking my little kids to a big campground on a Saturday night. Loud neighbors made it hard to put the kids to sleep. Pick a weeknight, when the campgrounds are quieter.

🎲 Have a backup plan: Scout for things to do nearby if it rains. Maybe the visitor center has kids games or maybe there's a town nearby with a museum.

🍫 Let them indulge: Roast S'mores on the campfire. Let them have more sugar than usual. You want them to enjoy this.