Starchild: Reasons why Malaysian children love camping and the outdoors

Bethany Wang Qi Syuen, 8

Calling all young adventurers! Grab your backpacks, lace up your hiking boots, and get ready for an unforgettable journey into the wild.

Camping is not only an exciting and fun-filled experience, but it also offers a world of benefits for kids like you. Let’s dive into the incredible adventures and life skills waiting for you in the great outdoors.

When you go camping, you step into a whole new world. Imagine waking up to the sweet melody of chirping birds and breathing in the crisp, fresh air.

Camping allows you to explore and enjoy nature’s magnificent wonders up close. You can hike through lush forests, spot fascinating wildlife, and gaze at the starry night sky. It’s like having your very own outdoor playground.

But camping isn’t just about having fun; it’s also a good opportunity to learn valuable life skills.

As you set up tents and build a campfire with your family or friends, you discover the importance of teamwork and cooperation. Working together to solve problems and overcome challenges strengthens your problem-solving abilities and builds strong friendships.

Have you ever cooked a meal over an open fire? Camping lets you become a little chef in the wilderness. You can roast marshmallows, grill hotdogs, and make yummy s’mores, which are melted marshmallow sandwiches consisting of roasted marshmallows and chocolate between crackers. These experiences help you develop essential cooking skills, learn about food safety, and appreciate the simple joy of preparing a meal from scratch.

Camping also teaches you to be resourceful and adaptable. Nature is full of surprises, and being outdoors allows you to think creatively and adapt to different situations. Whether it’s learning to tie knots, read a map, or navigate through a forest, camping empowers you with practical skills that you can use throughout your life.

Moreover, spending time in nature has numerous health benefits. It boosts your physical fitness, strengthens your immune system, and reduces stress. The natural beauty around you can also inspire creativity and ignite your imagination.

Recently Starchild asked readers to send in their letters on the topic, Camping. Here’s what they had to say.

“I haven’t gone camping outdoors before. What I know is from the books I read and cartoons I watched. I imagine it would be exciting to build a campfire and camp out with my family when I am a little older and more independent,” writes Bethany Wang Qi Syuen, eight.

Chuah Seng Koon, 7

Chuah Seng Koon, seven, writes: “Three years ago, I would always do ‘fake’ camping in my home. I would use two very enormous bolsters, pillows and other things to complete my ‘tent’. Thereafter, I would build a slide with my brother. I would also pretend to shoot wild animals like wolves, tigers and lions. After a while, when I become exhausted, I would take an afternoon nap in my ‘tent’. Oh! How I wish I could turn the clock back so that I could pretend play again.”

Wong Zhi Ying, 9

Nine-year-old Wong Zhi Ying thinks camping is fun.

“The first time I went camping was in my daycare centre’s garden. At night, we gathered around a campfire and barbecued chicken, bananas and marshmallows. We even sang songs. The next morning, we had sausages, eggs and bread for breakfast. I hope I can go camping again.”

“I have never been on a camping trip but I think it is very fun. I like staying by the campfire, cooking and eating marshmallows. I like to play water games too. I think I want to try going camping one day,” writes Wong Jie Ern, seven.

Wong Jie Ern, 7

“I went camping during the last school term break. I camped in my daycare centre with my school mates. Our teacher asked us to bring a sleeping bag, cloth, water tumbler and toiletries. We slept there for two nights. We slept early on the first night. When we woke up the next day, one of my best friends had a blue marker stain on his face. That was very funny! On the second night, another friend cried because he heard weird sounds at night. We had a lot of fun activities carried out during our camping trip. I enjoyed it and had a lot of fun. I hope I can go camping again,” says Wong Cheng Yang, nine.

Wong Cheng Yang, 9

Find the hidden words!

ITEM: There are eight planets in our solar system and each of them is unique with its own moons, climates and geography. But so far, Earth has been the only planet with life form. Imagine if you had the power to create your own planet.

Would your planet be square instead of round, or perhaps a great ball of fire? What would you call it? Would there be prehistoric animals walking on its surface or would it be futuristic and controlled by computerised robots?

Let your creativity and imagination run wild as you write to us about a planet you would like to create. Remember to include details like the type of life form and architecture (if any) on your planet.

Email your contributions to [e-mail] by July 21. Please put “STARCHILD: Planet of my dreams” in the subject line of your email.

Scanned drawings should be in jpeg format, with a resolution of 200dpi. Your contributions must carry your full name, age (open to children aged 12 and below only), gender, phone contact and address.