Spring is here - and Summer is not far behind! For families with young children, camping can provide a fun and economical vacation or getaway weekend. It's never too early to instill a love of nature in children, and camping also provides an opportunity to teach kids about environmental responsibility. There are so many new things for children to explore outdoors, including plants, trees, flowers and critters. Simply sleeping out in the "wilderness," in a sleeping bag in a tent or cabin can be a wonderful new experience. But the newness of camping can also be a fearful thing for young children too. One good thing parents, family members, caregivers and babysitters can do is to preview the camping experience with a child before the family camping trip.

Talking to children, even toddlers, about what they can expect while camping--hearing different noises in the night, seeing different animals and birds, sleeping in a sleeping bag instead of on a bed, explaining to them why not to touch poison ivy and especially why not to wander away from the campsite-- can make the experience a little more familiar, easier and safer for all concerned.

When planning your family camping trip, it is very helpful to have a checklist to make sure you're not stuck in the woods without necessary equipment or provisions, such as sunscreen, sunglasses, a cell phone, mosquito repellent, a map and comfortable shoes. Both Koa and Coleman have good checklists that can be printed out.

Just as there are a lot of things to remember to bring on the trip, there are a lot of things to remember as far as safety is concerned. Before your trip, make sure a trusted family member or friend knows where you and your children are going camping, how to reach you and which children are along for the trip. Make sure that you have a charged cell phone and, when traveling with young children, that it works where you are going. As parents, it's also good to know the details of your campsite and how far you are from the local hospital.

AmazingMoms.com advises that if you are bringing little ones who are first-time campers, you may want to keep the travel time to the camp to a minimum (stay close to home) and possibly camp at a State park where there are bathrooms with running water (for obvious reasons!) Also, bring healthy, easy-to-consume snacks and keep your menus simple.

Make sure to purchase and bring a first aid kit on the trip. The kit should include at a minimum: Sterile adhesive bandages in different sizes, gauze rolls and pads in different sizes, adhesive tape, safety pins, scissors, tweezers (for splinters and ticks), a needle (splinters, thorns, etc.), latex gloves, cotton swabs, and tongue depressors-- and don't forget to bring whatever prescription medications you or your child must have while on the trip. It's also a good idea to bring some type of ointment your family doctor advises you use if your child comes into contact with poison ivy or poison oak (i.e., calamine lotion, Caladryl, etc.) to minimize itching and encourage drying of poison ivy or other rash. Anti-bacterial spray and/or wipes are also handy to have along on the camping trip. Also, make sure to bring a flashlight for every family member and a battery-operated (no flame) lantern with batteries that work.

Camping outdoors presents endless opportunities for young children to discover and experience the world around them. We hope this post has given people ideas as to how to do it more safely.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. In a 2007 study, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 794,000 children were confirmed by Child Protective Services in the United States as having been abused or neglected. As you might imagine, that number represents only a fraction of the actual instances of child abuse and neglect taking place in the U.S. today.

Tragically, most cases of child abuse and neglect are not reported and child abuse remains a major problem for our society in 2010. Studies have shown that child abuse can alter or adversely affect brain development in the very young. It can also lead to permanent physical and mental disabilities as well, such as visual, cognitive and motor impairments. Child abuse also is now regarded as a possible cause for the onset of heart, liver and lung diseases later in adult life.

As a parent, family member, caregiver, babysitter or friend, how much do you know about child abuse? You probably do know that all child abuse injuries are not visible. Child abuse frequently can leave long-lasting emotional scars, such as anxiety and depression. Children who are abused often become wary of forming friendly relationships with other children and adults and distance themselves from others. But there is help--and the critical first step is to report potential child abuse or neglect if you are suspicious that it is occurring.

If you suspect that a child has been abused, please report it to your state child abuse hotline or call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD). You can also visit your state's child abuse website can help you understand your state's child abuse reporting laws. If you know a child is in imminent danger, call 911. For more information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Child Welfare Information Gateway website maintained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - http://www.childwelfare.gov. Abused kids aren't able to protect themselves, and their only hope of escaping their abuser is if those around them are willing to act courageously. Please help.