Camping with Kids? Read THIS!
One of the things I’m MOST excited for this spring/summer is CAMPING!! I love sleeping under the stars, and I’ve been itching to get outside (wonder why, hah) and take my babies camping for their first time ever. Like anything with children, though, a certain amount of prayer and preparation (classic P&P) goes into getting ready for a sleepover in the great outdoors. If you’re camping with kids anytime soon, here are a few things I’m doing to get ready and suggest considering for your fam. Foolproof? Mayyybe. Maybe not. Memory-making and totally worth the prep?! ABSOLUTELY.
Get the Gear
It probably goes without saying that proper camping gear is KEY to having a successful adventure. You’ll need to hit up Bass Pro’s Ascend?gear for everything from camp chairs to sleeping bags to tents. If you plan to be extra adventurous (hats off to you!!) then you can find some solid options for backpacking packs, too!! We got their 6-person tent and I honestly think we could have gone with a 4-person one…but anyone who’s ever napped with a baby or toddler can attest that a liiiiittle extra wiggle room isn’t the worst thing to have. The tent seems really spacious and it was super easy to set up for our test run. Speaking of which…
Do a Practice Run
We set up a little camping preview in our yard with our camping gear and I’m SO glad we did. When you have kids with you, streamlining any processes you can BEFOREHAND is kind of a necessity. When you do a practice run, especially with something like camping out, you’re not stressing over not knowing what to do or how to set up the equipment and worrying you’re going to tarnish the memory of their first camp-out. Instead, take out alllll the guess work somewhere where the stakes are low–like, for example, your backyard (or living room if you don’t have a yard)!! Even though the tent we bought was fairly easy to set up, it’s always good to iron out the kinks before we’re deep into the woods somewhere. We’re thinking of doing living room camp-outs when the weather’s bad so we can keep it fun and get the kids used to it as much as possible!!
Pack Smart
Kids can be a SERIOUS wildcard when it comes to the outdoors and travel plans. Some days, Leni is happiest playing in dirt and counting random nature items she’s found, which I LOVE. Other days, though, she definitely shows her princess side and needs a bit more entertainment than that. I?ll bring a few small things she hasn?t played with in awhile that are light and easy to pack?this will definitely give me some extra peace of mind so we can live our best, peaceful camp lives. Tim and I tend to dress in layers to camp, and extra socks and shoes just in case are a MUST. In addition to the major list of necessary camping items (I’ll have to do another blog on this soon!), we always pack extra sets of clothes for both kids, ample bug spray, headlamps (with spare batteries!), a lantern, a tarp for under the tent, sunscreen and made the most of our cooler space by freezing water bottles and lining everything within the cooler that way. This way, we get both ice AND water when we want it and everything will stay cold for our mini adventure! That brings me to my next point…
Snacks & Drinks on Deck
Snacks. Are. Non. Negotiable. When you go ANYWHERE with kids, not having snacks is a major party foul. It’s obvious why you’d bring tons of snacks for an adult, but snacks for a toddler are multi-faceted: they can be anything from a negotiation tool to a happy treat to keep their little souls feeling loved and full. Some of my favorite memories growing up are of going out to camp with my family and the food we’d eat by the fire in the evenings. Pack something easy for the mornings (pre-baked protein muffins, bacon, etc.!) and spend your energies on good snacks and solid dinners followed by s’mores–another non-negotiable, hah!
The longer I’m in the parenting game, the more I realize that bringing kids along shouldn’t feel so impossible. With the right gear, planning, and a positive mindset, your babies should be able to come almost anywhere you go. Otherwise, how will they get used to it and learn about the world around them?! How will you make those family memories? I’m ready to get our babies back to nature; and besides, our best night has never been spent on the couch.
Do you like camping?! Is it something you see as a family excursion? Drop your thoughts in the comments below! I can’t wait?to share even more as we ease into summer and make tons of memories along the way.
-Eva
My family camped a lot while I was growing up and some of my favorite memories are running around with my cousins at campgrounds in all kinds of weather – even winter. (We had campers). For small kids since the fire was usually going all day the parents would put an expandable gate or coral around the fire to be extra safe as people were busy and not sitting right there. We also each had our own toiletry kit for the showers and our own washcloth and towel that we put our names on with t-shirt paint. (Ideas for when kids are a little older????). When my son was a toddler I brought the pack n play for those times when both parents need to hands on with something:)
What kind of bug spray do you use on your sweet kiddos? I have a 1 year old and the mosquitoes have gotten bad around our house here in Virginia this spring
We love camping! So excited to add our newest addition to the tent this summer!
We love camping! I have 2 girls one 2 years old and one 9 months. People think my husband and I are crazy for bringing them camping but it’s seriously my favorite thing to do. Some days can be a lot of work and others I soak it all up and wish we could live a lifestyle that would allow us for longer weekends!
We have been taking our girls 2 and 4 a lot this year in Western NC. After the first trip we didn’t know if they liked it but after a week they asked when we were going camping again and when they played dolls inside they all pretended like they were camping and hanging around the campfire. We plan on raising them outdoors for sure. Linville Gorge in Western NC is pretty spectacular by the way. I highly recommend heading out that way. We moved to SW Virginia in February and love this area and the mountains so much. Take care and keep up the good work!
I used to camp all the time as a kid. I used to camp every weekend with my grandparents and even lived with them for a year so I could camp for a full year in a tent. After my grandfather passed I’ve only took my son camping once who is 8 before I had my girls (4 yrs and 18 months). I just recently decided to start camping as of this weekend again while my husband is gone working. We live in North Dakota and is decided to camp in South Dakota by my. Rushmore. I always pack extra blankets cause you never know when you need more. Simple kid friendly food like hotdogs, bug spray that’s all natural with oils cause of the littlest one, hammocks to sit back and relax and watch the stars, chairs, a tent of course,and a couple of tarps just in case. I love camping and I truly feel I needed to see your camping post to feel better about going. Thanks Eva Shockey ????
We are typically camper people, but even with that we haven’t gone because it is hard to have a safe sleep space for the baby that doesn’t take up a ton of room. My 7 month old doesn’t fit the mini pack and play anymore so we have to use a full size one. Any camping people have a good solution for a safe sleep space for baby?
Please please please let me know if anyone responds to this! I also have the same question and I feel we both have a better chance of getting an answer if there isn’t a million comments that are the same ????????
We use the Skip Hop portable play yard when we’re on the go. Our 1 YO grew out of the normal pack n play too so this one works great for us. It folds up relatively compact and can expand to a play space where they don’t feel stuck in. I also got a play yard mattress and that helps a ton to get him to sleep. Just the small play yard mattress might be a great fit for your camper too depending on your setup.
I loved when you said this: “With the right gear, planning, and a positive mindset, your babies should be able to come almost anywhere you go. Otherwise, how will they get used to it and learn about the world around them?!”
This has been our parenting mindset since our little girl was born 3 years ago. We now have a 3 year old and a 1 year old (I know they would be besties with Leni and Boone). We have always taken them on adventures because we want them to know the good things in the world. We just bought a little pop up camper and can’t wait to get out there with them – although we know planning is key ???? You’re an inspiration as a parent.. the good and the hard times.. and I so appreciate that! Camp on!
Unfortunately haven’t been able to go camping this year due to covid lockdowns in Australia. We usually have a big camping trip at Easter on the river bank where we fish and swim. Cook on the open fire. Go on wood runs and animal scouts.
Both our babies have been tent camping with us since they were just a few months old. The first cried many a night, the 2nd slept perfectly. They both love it now at 2 and 4. We love trying out beautiful new and favorite places and staying for cheap! Bed idea for the toddlers who have outgrown the pack n play-this air mattress has worked great for us. AFTER we trained her to stay in it! https://www.walmart.com/ip/Intex-Kids-Travel-Airbed-Mattress-with-Hand-Pump/22899906
Don’t be afraid to try camping with your kids. You’ll have hard moments but amazing ones too!
I grew up camping and being outdoors. We took our son camping at 4 weeks old and haven’t stopped. ???? He’s 3 now and absolutely loves camping. He asks almost daily, during the week, when we are going back “to a camp spot.” When he was little the rock-n-play was great to have and I loved the Moby wrap. I also had a really cool portable bathtub that folded up and made bath time a breeze. As he got older we would bring a pack-n-play with a mosquito net over it and now he brings his bike, has a basket of toys (that stays in the camper) and loves to play with sticks and rocks. I also bring his favorite snacks. We love his excitement for being outdoors.