Camping has always been more than a holiday — it’s one of the simplest ways to reclaim your child’s childhood in a world that keeps speeding it up.
For me, what began with a simple idea: to help families camp without needing a trailer, a giant car, or a shed full of gear, evolved into something quite different.
A mission to help parents reconnect with their kids — and reclaim the parts of childhood that modern life quietly erodes.
After years of trial and error (plus every beginner mistake under the sun), we finally created a setup that actually worked. Simple. Repeatable. Stress-free.
And being an accountant, I did what any good numbers-person would do:
I systemised it.
Documented it.
Turned it into a framework so families could do in four weeks what took us four years.
I assumed it would be easy.
I followed every “expert” tactic — funnels, hacks, content plans, sales pages.
For years I tried to make it all work, with mixed results: some success, plenty of frustration.
Then I read a government report linking rising childhood anxiety and depression with screen use.
And that stopped me cold.
Because I wasn’t reading about “other people’s children” —
I was looking at my own.
I realised something deeply uncomfortable:
I wasn’t standing outside the problem trying to solve it.
I was standing inside it — participating in the same digital noise I wanted families to escape through camping.
That moment changed everythin
The Quiet Countdown of Childhood
Every parent eventually feels it — that quiet moment when you look at your children and realise childhood is moving faster than you expected.
And in a world full of work, responsibilities, and constant digital noise, it’s easy to look up and think:
“Where did all that time go?”
Meanwhile, our kids are growing up inside an environment no generation before them has ever faced: rising anxiety, digital overwhelm, and an attention economy designed to keep them hooked.
Even the Australian Government has acknowledged the impact.
On December 10, they’ll announce new social-media age restrictions for under-16s — not based on opinion, but on clear evidence of harm.
It’s a reminder that we can’t wait for the world to fix itself.
Families need simple, intentional ways to reconnect now.
Why Camp to Connect Exists
For years I thought my role was as a family camping advocate to help parents connect with their kids. Because they are busy and distracted and miss out on a lot of achievements and milestones as they juggle jobs, social lives, responsibilities and the distractions of everyday lives.
But there's a bigger need.
But the more I watched my own teenager grow, the clearer it became:
Kids already want connection.
We’re the ones being pulled away — not by choice, but by life.
Camp to Connect isn’t about becoming “camping people.”
It’s about using camping as a tool — a simple way to create the conditions where connection happens naturally.
Not the rugged kind.
Not the expensive caravan kind.
Not the “live under canvas all summer” kind.
Just the basic, intentional,
“let’s slow down and actually see each other again”
kind.
The Three Things Kids Need Most — and Why Camping Delivers All of Them
Children don’t just need screen limits.
They need three core ingredients that modern life quietly erodes:
1. Connection
The foundation all resilient kids stand on.
Kids don’t just need more time with us — they need time where we’re actually present.
Not rushing. Not multitasking. Not competing with notifications.
Camping brings this back instantly.
It removes the noise, slows everything down, and creates long stretches of unhurried time — the kind where connection happens without forcing it.
2. Meaning
Moments that matter long after the weekend ends.
Most modern moments are low-value: scrolling, tapping, consuming.
Kids don’t remember those.
They remember lighting a campfire, helping with dinner, laughing in a tent, exploring freely, trying something new.
These moments become stories.
Stories become identity.
Identity becomes resilience.
Camping creates meaning without us needing to engineer it.
The environment does the heavy lifting — we just show up.
3. Independence
Confidence that can’t be downloaded.
Kids grow stronger through small, safe challenges — the kind camping provides naturally.
Pitching a tent.
Fetching water.
Navigating the campsite.
Meeting new kids who become instant friends.
These experiences build capability, which builds confidence, which builds a more grounded, capable child.
The 2% Tradition
Here’s the part most families don’t expect:
You don’t need a lifestyle overhaul.
You don’t need a big car or expensive gear.
You don’t need weeks away.
You just need 2% of your year.
Two or three simple camping weekends — that’s it.
2% is enough to give your child:
✔ confidence
✔ resilience
✔ belonging
✔ connection
✔ childhood memories that anchor identity
✔ moments where they feel truly seen
Small, consistent moments become defining parts of childhood.
That’s the 2% Tradition — a gentle rhythm that cuts through the noise of modern life.
At a time when the country is reassessing kids’ digital lives, camping offers a research-backed, practical, joyful alternative — not in a fear-based way, but in an empowering, “we can do this” way.
In fact, research shows that time outdoors reduces stress and improves emotional regulation in children.
Your first step: Reset Your Why (or Why Not)
If you're new to camping — or you’ve tried before and it felt chaotic, expensive, or overwhelming — I’ve created something to make this easy.
Scope Video #1: Reset Your Why (or Why Not)
This free video inside the Set to Camp Starter Plan helps you:
- Clarify why camping matters for your family
- Unpack any fears, blockers, or hesitations
- Understand what’s actually possible (no matter your budget, car, or experience)
- Create your first tiny action step
A Quiet Invitation
If you feel the Quiet Countdown in your home…
If your kids need something deeper than another screen…
If you want to reconnect without overhauling your life…
You’re in the right place.
You don’t need perfection.
You don’t need special gear.
You just need one small moment of willingness.
Welcome to Camp to Connect —
a movement to reclaim childhood, 2% at a time.
— Jo