Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park™ | 839 Mill Run Rd. | Mill Run, PA 15464 | 724.455.2929 | Email Us

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park™ in Millrun

Closest Jellystone to Pittsburgh

Happiness is Camping

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Camping happinessThere are many reasons people love camping as much as they do and one of the biggest is that it makes them happy. We see it all the time. Often, our campers arrive for their long-awaited vacation looking a little stressed and/or tired. It’s been a long stretch of work and other responsibilities and they are way overdue for some time off. Camping not only provides the time away from daily life but takes it up a notch to actually make people feel happy. And happiness is good for your health. Following are a few things that happiness can bring to you and the people you love most.

Protects Your Heart – Happiness can lower your heart rate and your blood pressure as well. It can also improve the pattern of your heartbeat. You may also be less likely to develop heart disease. All good reasons to boost the happiness in your life.

Strengthens Your Immune System – Research has found that happy people are less likely to get sick. It’s probably due to having a more robust immune system.

Combats Stress – Who doesn’t want a better defense against stress? It appears that happy people can more readily tamper the effects stress can have on them.

Fewer Aches & Pains – A higher level of happiness can ease many of the discomfort from ailments such as arthritis,  and can even help us heal faster.

Combat Disease and Disability – Happy people are less likely to become frail as they age or to have a stroke. That’s good news and another reason to focus on doing things that make you happy.

Lengthens Lives – Happy people live longer. Much of that is probably due to the effects of the other benefits we mentioned above. Happiness can create a tidal wave of good things in our bodies.

You can read more about this at Six Ways Happiness is Good for Your Health. Because of these benefits, not to mention the strengthening of relationships and family bonds, we think you should consider camping, if you haven’t yet. If you are a camper, keep on doing it and let yourself benefit from it. We look forward to seeing you around the campground, all taking in a good dose of happiness soon.

 

 

Easy Recipes for Cake in a Mug

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Campers often find themselves wanting something sweet to snack on while enjoying the campfire, or after eating a nice meal with the family. These Cake in a Mug ideas will make it so everyone can have their favorite flavors and can make them up whenever they want.

Most are made with a base of flour, sugar, and baking powder. These can be pre-measured into zipper sealed plastic bags and then add eggs, oil, and other flavors when you cook the cakes. Even the kids can get involved in this easy dessert option. You’ll find 4 delicious recipes to get you started on the video below.

We hope all your camping desserts are sweet and satisfying. You can also try some experimenting with seasonal fruits or frozen fruits as well. Give these tasty treats a try. We’re sure you won’t be disappointed.

Fun Christmas Gifts for Campers

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Camping Cards - Etsy - greetingsfromlunaLong time campers know you can spend quite a bit on camping accessories after you’ve purchased the camping vehicle. Whether you’re camping in an RV or a tent, there are a few things that most campers will love to get under the Christmas tree.

Camping Cards – There are some adorable designs to choose from and Etsy,com – Camping Cards seems to be the place with the most variety. You can choose fun cards about the ups and downs of camping or a pack of note cards with envelopes to send to all your non-camping friends. There aren’t many of these that a camper wouldn’t enjoy having so you can feel pretty confident that your gift will be enjoyed.

Photo Source: Etsy – GreetingsFromLuna

Headlamp – Kids will love these and adults will put them to use. A camping headlamp is one of those items you aren’t sure you’ll use until you have one. Then you find lots of ways it can be of assistance in a pinch. It’s a good thing to keep packed with your gear, along with extra batteries. Heck, you can even use it to read at night when everyone else has gone to sleep.

Warm Socks – No matter when you camp in Pennsylvania, you can run into some cool mornings and evenings. Having several pair of nice, thick, cozy socks for each person will be just what you need at such times. You and the kids can slip them on if you feel chilled and then just set them aside when the day warms up. Use them almost like slippers and they’ll help keep the rest of you warm as well.

We hope your holidays are wonderful and filled with family & friends. Who knows, maybe if you’re lucky some of these best camping gifts will find their way to you this year.

10 Slider Recipes to Make Ahead for Easy Camping Meals

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sliders for campingWe all know the kids eat their weight in food when you’re camping but they rarely want to sit down long enough to eat a real meal. They have far too many exciting things to do and see, you know. That’s where these simple sliders can come in very handy – for the whole family. You can make them at home and freeze them to bring with you. Then simply thaw, warm, and let the kids grab what they want when they race through the campsite. They’ll be getting the nutrition they need and you won’t have to lasso them to get everyone around the table at the same time. Or, these can act as a tide-me-over for when the kids are hungry and dinner isn’t quite ready yet.

You’ll start with a package of dinner rolls and slice the whole thing in half. You’ll be adding items such as cooked ground beef, cheese, sauces, and seasonings. You can then put the top layer of rolls on and brush it with melted butter. These can be baked and, once finished, bring them out to pack away in the freezer for your next camping trip. Once there, you can have these as high-quality snack food options or even think about making them dessert-like by adding brown sugar, cinnamon, pineapple, or just about anything that strikes your fancy.

We look forward to seeing you enjoying your time with the whole family as you come camping with us this year. And happy camping mealtime to all.

Preserving Those Camping Memories

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photos from camping tripsThere are so many ways, these days, to capture photos of our camping trips that it can almost make saving them more complicated. And, it can be hard to get to that project once you’re back home again with home and work calling for your attention.

You may not be the scrap booking type. If that’s the case, you’ll find any of the numerous online photo book making companies will make that job much easier for you. You can check out Shutterfly, Snapfish, or Mixbook for this service. They all make it easy to upload your photos, choose a layout, add comments, and then have the whole thing printed and shipped to your door. They are competitively priced and have good reviews from those who’ve used their services.

If you are a do-it-yourselfer you can have your photos printed and then add them to your own creative designs in your scrapbook. You might want to theme each page per event, per person, per group, or keep things random. It’s all up to you once you start planning.

Be sure to keep your photos protected by storing them away from humidity and dust. A shelf in an upstairs bedroom is better than a shelf in the basement. Make sure they are stored flat and any paper you use should be non-acidic.  If you use adhesives to glue the photos into books, be sure to select adhesives that were made for this type of work. Some can damage the paper and photos over time.

It can be hard to carve out enough time to organize and store your photos but it’s an effort you’ll be glad you took in later years. The kids will love looking through the albums and maybe even showing them off to their own kids later on. We hope all your camping memories are good ones and we look forward to seeing you around the campground for many years to come.

Do You Remember Making Shadow Puppets?

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Campers make shadow puppetsIt’s one of those activities we all loved as a kid. We’d lay in bed and, using just our hands and a flashlight, make up all kinds of funny animals and people to form shadows on the wall.

It’s still a fun activity because kids of all ages can play along. From the littlest to the grown-ups, we can all have a good laugh at some of the crazy images made up upon the tent wall.

You really only need a flashlight and an imagination. You can find some ideas on Pinterest if you’ve forgotten how to do them. For the most part, though, it all comes back to you once you get started again.

hand shadow puppetsStarting with an alligator is pretty simple or a bird. Here’s a photo of a few more ideas. The kids will enjoy it so much they may not want to go to sleep so best to start early. Or maybe give it a go if you’re inside on a rainy afternoon. You can always tuck up inside a cardboard box with a blanket over it. Kids won’t care how you set things up as long as they get to play along. Give them a chance to copy what you are doing and help them move their little fingers into the right places for making a nice animal shadow.

All in all, it’s a simple game to play with the kids that will provide hours of entertainment. They love spending time with you and learning new things, you’ll accomplish both by playing with these shadow puppets.

Good Ideas for Homemade Trail Mix

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Trail Mix for campingMost campers find having a supply of trail mix on hand for their camping trip is a quick and healthy snack for the whole family. It can provide a good source of protein and an energy boost for the little ones after running all afternoon. Buying trail mix can be expensive, though, so making it yourself is something to consider.

It’s really not hard to do and can be customized to the preferences of your family. Kids can even make their own if you’re up for it. You can give each child a zipper sealed plastic bag and have the ingredients all set out to choose from. Some ideas of things to have on hand are as follows:

Peanuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios, chocolate coated candies, chocolate chips, mini pretzels, mini cheese crackers, bagel bits, raisins, dried apricots, dried cranberries, mini cereal squares, flaked coconut, toasted sesame sticks, hot n spicy peanut mix, gummy bears, and licorice bites.

The kids can add their favorite items to their bags and will enjoy creating their own specialty mix. Write their name on the bag with a marker and you are good to go. You can bring along the rest of the snacks to refill their bags as they finish them off. This kind of snack can get them through until dinner or keep them happy on a road trip.

We know you’ll burn a lot of energy while you’re camping and the kids will, too. This kind of snack will keep you out of the kitchen and keep the kids happy at the same time. Happy camping to all.

Packing Your Camping First Aid Kit

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first aid kit for campersNo one wants to run into a medical problem during their long-awaited camping trip but sometimes there are bumps and scrapes to be attended to. Having a first-aid kit on hand will shortcut the process of patching up the problem and getting everyone back to having fun. You can buy ready-made kits at most online retailers but it’s just as easy to make one of your own.

Begin with a box or plastic container that has a nice fitting lid and a good amount of storage space. In it you can pack some of the essentials for all the people in your family. Start with any medication you family and pets might need while you’re away. Be sure to have plenty on hand in so you don’t run out during your trip and have to find a way to get a refill.

You’ll be packing for internal and external concerns such as tummy trouble or poison ivy. Some things to consider putting in your kit are gauze pads, ace bandages, medical tape, bandaids, antibiotic cream, calamine lotion, peroxide, aloe, tweezers, small scissors, magnifying glass, and eyewash cup. Also include some antacids, pain relievers, cold medicine, allergy medicine, and anything your pets might need as well.

You can put the kit together in an evening and then it is ready when you are. Check the kit each time you return from a camping trip and refill as necessary. Now it is ready to get when you are and you simply have to toss it in the rig on your way out the door.

This useful kit will ease the little ones’ anguish quickly if they get a splinter in their hand or a blister on their heel. No need to run into town for the right equipment. We wish you all a safe and happy camping trip, and we hope you find you never need the first-aid kit at all.

Camping Finger Foods for Kids

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finger sandwiches for campingWe hear parents remark all the time that they can’t believe how much their kids eat when they are camping. They can put away a lot at dinner time but there is also a lot of grazing going on during the day. That’s because they are burning energy all day as they run, play, and swim with their friends. They get hungry and you don’t want to be spending all that time in the kitchen so we have some ideas for easy foods they can grab on the run.

One idea is to make a big batch of grilled cheese, grilled ham & cheese, peanut butter & jelly, or tuna salad sandwiches and but them into strips. These will be easy for the kids to pick up and eat on the run, and they taste good cold.

Of course, be sure to have plenty of fruits and vegetables cut up for them as well. The water content they contain will help to keep the kids hydrated as well as satisfying the hungries before dinner. Another idea is to cut hotdogs in small sections and wrap them with canned croissant dough. Bake these covered with foil on the grill or campfire and the kids will love snacking on them when afternoon comes and they need a pick-me-up. Premade biscuits can be used to make mini sandwiches, too.

Have plenty on hand to drink because these little ones will be burning it off. You could squeeze some citrus in pitcher of water. The kids will enjoy the flavor and the water is the best way to hydrate them available.

Most of this can be assembled in the morning and then you’ll have your afternoon free to enjoy your family without making many meals after another. It’s a good idea for all concerned and will make that camping trip even more enjoyable.

A Setup Checklist for Your RV

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RV checklistMost long-time RVers have an established way of setting up and breaking down their RV before and ending every camping trip. They’ve developed their own way of doing things over the years and it works well for them. New RVers, though, may not have a good system set up yet and can use some tips to help shorten their work and make sure they haven’t forgotten anything. This short list of to-do tasks will help.

Be sure to chock your wheels, regardless of whether you are on  a flat surface or not. It’s just a good habit to get in to. This will provide you with a swayless experience when you’re walking from one end of your rig to the other. Set the leveling jacks, too. This ensures that all your RV systems work as they are intended to do without causing damage.

Roll out your steps and rail, deploy your slides, then hook up your utilities such as electric and sewer. Empty your black water tank and the gray water, too. Turn on your propane and light the pilot on your stove. Make sure the water heater is on so you don’t have to find out with a cold shower. Set your thermostats and raise the antennae or adjust your dish.

This should see you all set up and ready to have some fun. When it’s time to leave, do things in reverse and you should be good to go. Safe travels to all our campers. We look forward to seeing you return for many years to come.

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