Shelter is an obvious starting point. Leave the tent and blow-up mattress in the car (or at home) and practice looking for natural shelter – such as a cave or rock outcropping – and building it up.

This isn’t always possible, of course, which is why you should also learn how to build your own shelter. There are dozens of possibilities here, but a few particularly good shelter-building skills to practice include:

Using military ponchos to create a tent or teepee

Using a tarp and 550 paracord

Building a lean-to

Raised platform shelters

Bear in mind not all shelters can be built on a campsite.

You’ll need to talk with the site owners or management about what you can and cannot do. They certainly won’t take kindly to your digging a defensive trench and earthen breastwork, for example!

A few other things you want to be mindful of include size and fire.

You might be able to survive with a little discomfort under a poncho shelter, but is there enough space for the rest of your family members under there? And how close can you safely build your fire – just outside of your shelter, or can you safely bring it in?