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Thread: Anyone camping with kids this year?

  1. #1

    Anyone camping with kids this year?

    I have been to Airventure 6 or 7 times, but this year I am bringing all 3 of my kids to camp Scholler for the week. They age from 8-13. Only one, the boy, is plane crazy like his dad. The others are just coming along for the ride. I am a little concerned that the actual show is not going to keep their interest for the whole week. In addition to the kidventure activities, I am hoping the camping experience will help make their Oshkosh experience amazing.

    In past years, I have not seen an abundance of kids in any one area of camp Scholler. Is there a camping area where we are more likely to be around kids their ages? An unofficial family area? I would love for them to make friends that they could see every year.

    Thanks,
    Bryan Dever
    Last edited by flymichigan; 07-22-2013 at 04:31 PM.

  2. #2
    Joe Delene's Avatar
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    What about one afternoon at a waterpark?

  3. #3

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    Didn't they used to have a youth center of some kind near the west store.

    http://airventure.org/attractions/youth_activities.html

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by flymichigan View Post
    I have been to Airventure 6 or 7 times, but this year I am bringing all 3 of my kids to camp Scholler for the week. They age from 8-13. Only one, the boy, is plane crazy like his dad. The others are just coming along for the ride. I am a little concerned that the actual show is not going to keep their interest for the whole week. In addition to the kidventure activities, I am hoping the camping experience will help make their Oshkosh experience amazing.

    In past years, I have not seen an abundance of kids in any one area of camp Scholler. Is there a camping area where we are more likely to be around kids their ages? An unofficial family area? I would love for them to make friends that they could see every year.

    Thanks,
    Bryan Dever
    You hopefully won't have to worry too much about it. My kids are 7 and 9 and have been camping at OSH every year since they were born. It's now the highlight of their summer as well (seriously, my wife and I were talking about skipping OSH this year because we've got a lot going on this summer, and the kids were devastated, so we relented and are coming, just at a different part of the week from our normal plan).

    Aside from the airshow - especially the nighttime one - and the general camping experience, and kidventure, which you mentioned, my kids like the museum (especially when it's hot outside), the fly-in-theater movies, and just the whole experience of having ice cream, donuts, concerts, walking around the vintage planes, etc.

    Steve

  5. #5
    FlyingRon's Avatar
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    I took my son when he was about 12. He wasn't particularly aviation minded, but he still had fun. Actually, he found some girl over in the UL area early on and we hardly saw the two of them for the rest of the show.

  6. #6

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    I've also been to Oshkosh many times. I brought my three kids last year for three nights. This year we'll do four. I'm bringing a 2 year old and two 6 year olds. Will you be in an RV? We're going to arrive this Saturday. I'm hoping we'll be able to get a little closer and maybe a better camp spot this year. Does anyone know when the wooded spots fill up? I'm guessing it's at least a week early.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by FlyingRon View Post
    I took my son when he was about 12. He wasn't particularly aviation minded, but he still had fun. Actually, he found some girl over in the UL area early on and we hardly saw the two of them for the rest of the show.

    That's what I've been trying to do for the past 12 years at OSH (find girl). Aw well, I guess being married & 54, I should probably just give up.

  8. #8

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    My in-laws have been bringing their kids and grand kids for years, pretty much from the time their were born and the only real tough times were the years it was ungodly hot, but everyone still made it through and had fun. Kids were usually overloaded and crashed at night with little assistance.

  9. #9

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    Bryan,

    What was your experience last year? Did you find enough entertainment for the kids? I will be bringing my three kids up this year (ages 3, 6, & 9) and am starting to do the same research that it looks like you performed last year.

    Ryan

  10. #10

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    Ryan, the 9 year old should love Oshkosh, there is much to do, and is likely old enough that he could even spend a bit of time on his own.
    But Osh is not the best place for an infant only 3 years old. Now of course there will be some parents who claim they have brought kids that age and it was all perfect, just like you have people who drag their infants barely out of diapers out on the ski slope and say the kids do great. Really what I think they are saying if you read between the lines is that the parents are putting their needs and interests first and not the infants.
    If you are camping, it is almost certain to be hot part of the time, and unlike a motel/hotel there is no pool to go in. It will be noisy and hurt a child's ears and may frighten them. But most of all, there is not much for a child of that age to really enjoy, they don't know history or design etc. and some parent or adult has to be with them full time. They can't feed themsleves or even go to the restroom alone, nor cover all the ground walking.
    Do you and the child a favor and let them stay at home, even if it means arranging for a babysitter.

    The 6 year old is sort of in between, can probably do ok at Osh, but might be better at home for another year or two.
    By the way, my sons, now 28 and 30 spent many years at Osh, but I made the mistake of coming in a Mooney with the older one when he was still a baby and he cried much of the way out as he was hot and uncomfortable. We didn't camp so staying in a hotel was fine for them as they got older.
    Last edited by Bill Greenwood; 01-08-2014 at 04:42 PM.

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