As salaamu aalaykum,
any sisters out there gone camping with little ones? InshaAllah I will be camping with 20+ Muslims (mainly families) this weekend. What should I bring? I think I will take a pack of disposable diaper in case it is impossible for me to CD but I doubt it since we will be staying in a cabin with running water and stuff. OH I also need fast and delicious recipes since we are doing potluck dinners and stuff....
The person responsible for the camping trip gave us this piece of advice
First Impressions are Lasting Impressions --- Chances are that we'll be the only Muslims camping. It's also quite likely that the other campers may not know what wonderful people we Muslims are, so we should put our best foot forward at all times. Littering, crudeness, loudness, and being otherwise unneighborly are against our religion, but when people see Muslims do something uncouth, they automatically assume that it's because we're Muslim. Let's not give anyone the opportunity to see us or our deen in a negative light. This also applies to jokes and certain political views. None of us want to spend any time at Guantanamo because of an ill-timed, insensitive, and inappropriate joke being overheard by someone who already has the FBI on speed dial. So, let's keep it light and keep it clean.
as salaam aalaykum have fun ukhti in shaa ALlah it will be nice. but where is the tent. Im used to camping outside nothing like camping next to the ocean in a tent have a nice time in shaa Allah and that is a good reminder as most ppl have a bad image of muslims.
Wa alaikum as salaam wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatuh.
Masha'Allah, that's beautiful! I went camping for the first time when I was 7 months pregnant, masha'Allah. It was in Cape Cod and very memorable, masha'Allah. However, once my little one was about 6 months old, we were off again out in the tent. I took a pack and play so she could sleep easily and be contained rather than eating too much dirt, LOL. Organic insect repellent or homemade is important, as well as cool cotton long sleeved clothing to protect from bites and the sun.
As for food, well meat, shrimp, marinated fish, and veggies for the grill are nice camping foods, as well as big pots of beans...especially chili or baked beans. Baked potatoes, corn, and sweet potatoes are also great because you can just wrap them in foil and put them on the fire to cook. Mmmm...getting hungry now, masha'Allah!
Wishing you a wonderful and blessed trip, inshaa'Allah.
Asalaam ualaikum oh insha'Allah you'll have a great time! Yes the pack n play is a great idea, and can go in the tent for nap times as well insha'Allah (just make sure the tent is tall enough, LOL). I know Walmart has an organic insect repellent (I believe after 6 months it is okay), in the camping section. I went camping for the first time in over 15 years last month, with the 4 kids, alhamudlillah it was great!! (Thanks Mai!< LOL). Bring toys, I had no washer at the time so I was a bit overwhelmed with Laundry etc, so I couldn't CD for a bit, (missed it all the way though, LOL). However I plan to bring my CD bucket along next time, and just soak them the same, and have a big stash so when you go home, the first load is the diapers, and you can even wash some by hand insha'Allah, and hang in the sun to dry (a clothes line or a bungee cord between two trees works wonders masha'Allah!
For camping foods, I took ground beef and made hamburgers, and then wrapped each one individually and then froze them, then I put all into a ziploc bag. This stayed fresh the entire time, and by the next day, they were ready to be put on the flames, alhamdulillah. Also, corn cleaned and husked, and wrapped in foil are great on the coals, as well as potatoes, with a dash of salt and pepper. Iron skillets with a bit of dish soap on the bottom works great as well (the dish soap helps prevent burns on the bottom). When I was packing up the cooler to go, I froze some milk cartons with water, and those were our ice containers, and then we could use them for drinking water after they thawed. Of course, halal hot dogs are great (though not the best health food...). Also I read that it is better to take pita bread for sandwiches because it won't squish like sandwich or homemade bread and it is already flat, alhamdulillah. My dad LOVED to camp when we were little, alhamdulillah, and we would canoe down the river and then stop overnight and it was awesome!! I have a lot of good memories. He also liked to cook gourmet food LOL like steak and spaghetti and salad and bread oh my goodness over an open fire....and I was little LOL so the responsibility wasn't on me to cook, LOL hahaha!! He would also make eggs and bacon (okay, icky I know on that point, LOL) for breakfast over the fire. Then he would take a container of shake and pour blueberry pancakes-but I know they are not so healthy. You could actually take a ziploc bag and make your own dry pancake mix with different flours etc all in one ready to go bag so all you have to do is add the wet ingredients and go. Of course there is always s'mores too with Halal Marshmallows. Insha'Allah you'll have a great time!!
Oh and also, this is what I tell my family all the time; it doesn't matter if we are camping, or in a store or restaurant, we live in a small, rural area, where we sometimes get some stares, because people are looking to see how we act. And as I tell my children, this may be the only time they ever get to see a Muslim in real life, and we have to be the best examples of the religion. So not arguing and pushing etc, but they do usually listen most of the time alhamdulillah, LOL.
May you have a blessed trip, and may Allah forgive and protect you on your journey, ameen.
Asalaam ualaikum warahamtullahee wabarkatu!!!!
wa aalaykum as salaam!
it was totally awesome! we had a couple of rough patches but mashaAllah everything went well. We over packed and ran a little late but alhamdulillah. We just arrived so I have to go check my little one, hubby and my self for any tick bites.
wa salaam