Happy Campers
In our study, 93% of campers said camping can make you happier.
Not surprising then that we are seeing more and more campaigns urging us to get off the sofa and get outdoors.
There’s growing evidence that simply spending time outdoors surrounded by nature is linked to improved psychological wellbeing. But we have a theory that the beneficial effects of camping go deeper than if we just go for a walk, a bike ride or a day trip.
In fact, our research suggests that something more transformational happens when we camp. Something that results in the list below.
So where does this richness come from?
According to Dr Kaye Richards, from Liverpool John Moores University, it is this:
Camping allows us to get away from the routines – and relative comforts – of our daily lives. And even though camping and caravanning today is a much more comfortable experience thanks to modern equipment and facilities, the simple fact that we have taken ourselves out of our normal environment and into a different one, surrounded by nature, means we act, think and even communicate differently with each other.
The Top Five statements that campers agree with:
- Camping generates happy memories
- Camping recharges your batteries
- Camping makes you appreciate nature more
- Camping expands your horizons
- Camping is fun for all the family
So are those who camp richer for it?
We asked 1,000 adults who camp regularly and 1,000 people who have never camped how they feel on an average day:
Camping’s list of proven riches:
A review of over 60 academic studies looking into the benefits of camping, supplemented with our own research, shows that camping has a wealth of riches to offer:
- It promotes family cohesion, satisfaction, togetherness and fulfillment
- It encourages rest, relaxation and restoration
- It facilitates children’s learning and has a positive effect on behaviour
- It improves social interaction
- It makes us feel better – mentally and physically
- It creates memories, traditions and special places that stay with you for life
- It really does make us happier!
"Wake up in a tent or caravan with the wrap-around freedom of the great outdoors. Discover what makes the great outdoors tick in harmony with all that you have dreamed of."
- David Bellamy, Club President and Environmental Campaigner
"Without our camping trips our life would be without all those wonderful moments; that first brew in the fresh morning air, the wild and windy beach walks and the sunsets shared with fellow campers… sheer bliss."
- Sally Papworth, Club Member No.245
Camping makes families feel closer – and richer
Our findings showed that both adult campers and non-campers feel most happy when spending time with family and friends.
In a world that is more uncertain – both financially and emotionally – people are finding even greater comfort and support in having their families and friends around them. In our research, half of all adults said that they felt most happy when they were spending time with family and friends, whilst 96% of kids said that they felt happy when playing with their friends outdoors.
Our research has shown that those families who find the time to camp together really do share a much closer family bond than those who have never camped.
Tasks that would normally be considered boring or ‘not my job’ become more exciting and interesting when you camp. Families fi nd that they take on different roles and realise that their partner or kids have skills that maybe they didn’t even know they had!
91% of kids said that spending time exploring the outdoors with their Mum and Dad would make them feel happy
80% of kids who camp feel their parents are less stressed when camping and 76% say their parents shout less!
76% of kids who camp notice that their parents have more time for hugs than usual
The Family Rich List
- Over 90% of campers said that camping is fun for all the family and our non-campers also saw the benefits of camping, with half agreeing that camping could be fun for all!
- Campers were almost twice as likely as non-campers to say that camping brings you closer together as a family
- 69% of campers agreed that they feel close to their children on an average day, compared with 46% of non-campers
- 83% of campers said that they feel close to their partners on an average, compared to 59% of non-campers
- On holiday, campers are also more likely to feel closer to their family and friends than non-campers
"Camping brings a family together as everyone contributes, everyone works towards the same goals and each member rediscovers the simple pleasures of playing cards, talking, reading and cooking together."
- Simon Calder, Travel Writer
"My parents and I had a caravan in the ‘70s and I have fond memories of our camp holidays. I wanted to give the same experience to my children…the camaraderie and the amazing smell of bacon as the site comes to life each morning."
- Jane Wilcock, Member No.472