Roughing it might sound, well, rough if you have kids, but there are a lot of reasons to consider a camping vacation this summer. Regardless of where you live, it’s usually convenient and easy to find a campground within a couple of hours from your town. Many campgrounds allow you to go as “rough” or as comfy as you want, with facilities such as electrical outlets, wireless internet, showers, and fully outfitted cabins with air conditioning. National parks are a great place to start, or you might cruise the Web for a posh place to pitch your tent. Look for amenities such as the Junior Ranger program for kids, where they’ll learn about ecology, geology, wildlife and much more, while having the chance to earn badges. Gocampingamerica.com will help you find a campground that suits the whole family’s needs. Keep the family safe around the campfire and in other danger zones. Draw a line or have kids help create a barrier with stones or sticks around the fire pit to stay a safe distance from the fire. Keep a couple of water buckets nearby in case you need to douse the fire, and be sure the pit is completely cold before turning in for the night. Avoid any unwanted contact with wildlife by cleaning up thoroughly after meals and disposing of trash far from the campsite. Cover food stored in the car with a blanket or towel – any critters who are smarter than the average bear know to look for food in cars. Use plenty of bug spray with DEET in it to keep ticks, mosquitoes and other bugs at bay. Want to get technical out in the wilderness? Use your smartphone to download apps that describe the constellations, track hiking routes for you and help kids match animal tracks to the animal who made them. Enjoy the great outdoors!