Mom Cola Nut
Our family has been camping for many years, but after Guoguo was born, we gradually went less often. First, the tent had to fit all five of us...
This time, the Cola Nut family showed up for the “Little Squirrels Take You Camping” Halloween event with absolutely no gear — empty-handed. There were so many kids dressed up for candy, it was super lively.
Not only did we not need to bring any camping gear, but meals and accommodation were provided too. There were family activities, and both kids had an amazing time over the two-day, one-night trip.
As the kids grow older, I, the mom, am getting lazier about taking them camping. Instead, we often stay in homestays or hotels, because that’s when I get some time to relax.
Mom Cola Nut, who hadn’t wanted to camp for ages, actually signed up for the Halloween family camping event hosted by “Little Squirrels Take You Camping.” The kids were thrilled from the moment they heard the news. This was the first time the Cola Nut family camped since moving to Taipei, and their first time camping in Yilan.
“Little Squirrels Take You Camping” is a professional family camping organizerthat offers everything: rental of camping gear, meal reservations, activity planning, family games, outdoor challenges, campfire parties, campground booking, barbecue meals… and more. Whether you’re organizing a graduation trip, family outing, hiking excursion, school field trip, employee getaway, or corporate family day… they provide enthusiastic service.
This was our first time joining a “Little Squirrels Take You Camping” event. The location was “Datong Dome 360” in Yilan, which isn’t too remote and was fairly easy to find.
Weekends are for sleeping in before getting up slowly, then having a leisurely brunch before heading to Yilan. Before arriving at the campsite, we usually stop by a convenience store to stock up on instant noodles and snacks, just in case we get hungry. This time, the trunk only had our clothes, snacks, and instant noodles — it wasn’t even full. We set off with an almost empty trunk.
This trip was super relaxed and simple. With fewer worries on my mind, I felt that both I and Cola Nut Dad could enjoy this camping trip easily.
“Datong Dome 360” isn’t at a high elevation, and there are many neat tea plantations around. With a bird’s-eye view, the scenery is amazing. At night, there’s a stunning starry sky. But I just admired the beautiful views with my own eyes — haha.
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When we arrived at the campsite, “Little Squirrels Take You Camping” had already prepared all our camping equipment, including tents, camping tables and chairs, air mattresses, camping mats, picnic mats, pots, shovels, gas stoves, gas cylinders… and more. After checking in, the staff gave us a packet with all the event info and schedule.
By the time we got to the “Datong Dome 360” campsite, many people had already claimed their spots, so we had to quickly find a place for the night. Now that we’re a family of five, each person found their own corner to start setting up the tent. I, the mom, just took photos and directed from the sidelines — haha.
Actually, ever since our first child, daughter Keke, started camping at just one and a half years old, we’ve never worried about the kids getting bored. They’re the type who always find things to do on their own — like picking up leaves, stones, hitting rocks, collecting branches, or even playing with other unfamiliar kids.
The kids wander around, playing soccer, blowing bubbles, and flying discs with other kids they don’t know… They never let themselves get bored. This time, our little Guozi was totally immersed in his own world of picking up, knocking, and arranging stones. Even his older brother Lele joined in, and a neighbor kid we didn’t know ended up curious and playing along. Kids’ worlds really do come together easily. So cute.
The point of bringing kids camping is to get them away from screens, connect with nature, and have more family interaction. So if your child can’t find things to do on their own or entertain themselves, joining “Little Squirrels Take You Camping” will definitely keep things fun and lively.
At 3:30 PM, there was a “Spooky Tag Challenge” activity. The older kids from Little Squirrels led a group of little ones in a warm-up dance to get to know each other and liven up the atmosphere. After the dancing, there was a balloon-stomping game where each kid got two small balloons, and the “Grim Reaper” would try to stomp on them. The kids loved the balloons and swarmed the big sisters asking for them.
The Grim Reaper was played by a big sister who graduated from art school — not scary-looking at all. But the kids were terrified of having their balloons popped, so most tried to avoid her. This roaming Grim Reaper sister moved around different areas of the campsite. She didn’t intentionally scare the kids, so no need to worry about crying — the kind Grim Reaper even got teased by the older kids.
My little Guozi wasn’t scared of the Grim Reaper, but he hid behind me as soon as she approached, afraid his balloon would get popped — haha. What’s more important, saving your life or saving your balloon? Haha~
The kids also joined various [challenges] scattered around, earning stamps to exchange for small gifts. The activities included pumpkin lantern tossing, pumpkin ball pinching, catch-and-fetch, face painting… all super simple. These kinds of activities are great for kids aged 10 to 100.
After collecting enough stamps, the kids could trade them with the Grim Reaper for a small gift. And the gift? A perfectly seasonal “pumpkin tote lantern,” perfect for going candy hunting at night.
I, Mom Cola Nut, was originally stressed about what to give them for trick-or-treating — but now that problem was completely solved. “Little Squirrels Take You Camping” really thought of everything for parents and made things stress-free for the kids. How considerate.
After the challenges, it was time to prepare dinner. “Little Squirrels Take You Camping” provided us with a full set of ready-made meal packs, cookware, and utensils. Just open them, cook, and eat — wow, it was soooooo easy.
Even though the meal packs were frozen, there were lots of choices, including meat, noodles, and rice dishes. Our family of five ate very satisfyingly. The rich flavor with a bonito base, plus the hearty spiced chicken leg, was so delicious. In the end, the instant noodles we brought weren’t even touched — haha.
After eating, we quickly got into costume, grabbed our pumpkin tote lanterns, and went trick-or-treating. Almost every child was dressed up elaborately by their parents, and some of the more unique costumes were hilarious.
I, Mom Cola Nut, took the lazy route — I just dressed the kids in black clothes and pants, gave them skull canes, and used the face paint done by the big sisters during the afternoon challenge as their Halloween look, haha. (The skull cane was drawn by Sister Keke for the two boys — I think she did a pretty unique job!)
Before departure, “Squirrel Takes You Camping” reminded us to bring some candy (about two or three pieces per pack is enough), as well as Halloween decorations to share the fun with everyone. So we had no choice but to prepare the candy and hand it out.
A bunch of kids carrying pumpkin lanterns swarmed from tent to tent, shouting: “Trick or tent teardown, tent teardown!” How scary!! (In the end, we actually ran out of candy—there were way more kids than we expected!! Ah!! Ahh!!)
The restroom was pretty clean and spacious—even co-bathing with the kids wasn’t too cramped. There were also water ladles and buckets provided. But the weather was a bit chilly, so after a quick shower battle, we just dove into our sleeping bags, haha!!
The tents were rented, but the quality wasn’t bad at all!! And there was no sweaty smell either. Our family of five huddled together in one tent, which kept us fairly warm. The next morning when we woke up, breakfast was already laid out on the table—just grab and eat, no prep, no worries. How awesome is that!!
Mom, I’ve never had such an easy time camping before!! I truly think if we do it this way from now on, I won’t be too tired to go camping anymore!!
At 9 a.m., there was morning exercise to get the body moving—wake up, move around, feel great!! When “Yo-kai Watch” played, lots of kids started dancing along!! It’s seriously the anthem for kids!!
After the morning exercise came the DIY wood-fired pizza session. My family’s pizza got manhandled by so many little hands—but thank goodness it went into the oven afterward, or it might’ve been... a bit scary!!
Kneading, shaping, spreading sauce, adding toppings, into the oven—before you know it, you’re enjoying a wood-fired, parent-child made pizza. No matter how it tastes, it’s an invaluable kind of delicious.
Once the wood-fired pizzas were done, the whole event officially wrapped up. We headed back to our campsite, packed up our things, and got ready to leave. This time, since we brought fewer items, packing up was super fast and easy.
Over these two days and one night, the kids sang and danced, participated in point-collecting challenges, enjoyed a costume party, went trick-or-treating, made handmade wood-fired pizzas, and there were also built-in camp activities like sand pits, swings, and a pool in the summer—no dull moments whatsoever. The kids were simply too busy to stop!!
I truly believe that as long as you join a “Squirrel Takes You Camping” event, you’ll never have to worry about stuffing your car to the brim with camping gear, nor will you have to fret about the kids getting bored!!
For first-time campers, those who think camping requires tons of equipment, or parents who don’t know what to do with their kids to keep them off tablets—sincerely recommend “Squirrel Takes You Camping.” Let them take care of all these hassles for you!!
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Related information
■ Organizer: “Squirrel Takes You Camping”
■ Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/famicamping/
■ Squirrel’s Blog: http://famicamping.pixnet.net/blog
■ Squirrel Forest Academy: https://www.facebook.com/familyforestschool/
■ Squirrel Parent-Child Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/602377706590178/
■ Phone: 0965-336391
■ [email protected]: @famicamping
■ E-mail: [email protected]
■ Event location: Datong Dome 360
■ Address: No. 88, Lane 1, Section 1, Tayal Road, Datong Township, Yilan County 267
■ Coordinates: N24 40 46.7 E121 35 45.1 N24.679641 E121.595856
[Authorized reprint from Cocoa’s Imaginary World | Original post: “Yilan Datong Dome 360. Attend ‘Squirrel Takes You Camping’—fun activities and no need to bring camping gear”]