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1,762 Views 6 Replies Last post: Nov 21, 2009 8:25 AM by mommaof4 RSS
Polly_Winzeff Community Member
Polly_Winzeff
69 posts since
Aug 10, 2009
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Aug 24, 2009 8:23 PM

Camping with babies & toddlers

We have been camping twice this summer with our son, at 13 months old and at 14 months old.  It is a lot of work!  My husband and I have managed, but we are wondering if any more experienced parents have some good ideas we could try?  Is it even worth it to go with a child this young?  We find we have to always be holding him since we don't want him crawling in the dirt and gravel.  And he doesn't like sleeping in his play pen in the tent!  He can sleep in the play pen in a house.  Thanks for any helpful ideas you have!
Tags: vacation, fun, recreation_activities
SunnyFOTF Focus Employee
SunnyFOTF
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Nov 7, 2008
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1. Aug 28, 2009 9:46 AM in response to: Polly_Winzeff
Re: Camping with babies & toddlers

Hi Polly_Winzeff!  I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!! My husband loves camping. I mean, he LOVES camping. We took my son camping for the first time when he was 3 months old (my daughter was almost 3 years old), and we did the whole play pen thing in the tent for him. I think it was because he was still so little, but he slept great in the tent (sorry!). I had him tucked in under a ton of blankets, the poor kid really couldn't move, but I guess he liked it. We've taken our kids camping every year since then, and I have to admit, the 12-18 month age range was the toughest. I also didn't want my son crawling around in the dirt (we moms think alike, don't we?), so we had to bring a little portable swing or bouncey seat. We also would set out a really big old blanket, toss some toys in the middle, and he'd play there for, um...about 3 minutes? In the end, he got really dirty, and loved it. Me, not so much!

 

 

That "difficult" phase didn't last too long, though...by the next summer he was walking so it was much easier. I've had friends who have put their toddler (all bundled up) between themself and their spouse when sleeping, so they won't be rolling all over the tent...they use buckets of water to rinse off tiny feet before bed, stuff like that. You could do a trial run with the sleeping arrangements...if you have a yard, set up the tent and see what works. In the end, every child is different, so if your son doesn't seem to enjoy camping, you may want to wait a bit before you try again. I'll be honest with you...we went camping this summer with my now 3 and 6 year olds, and it's always hard work with kids. But it's a lot of fun, too, and they really love it now! Take lots of unscented baby wipes with you (those will clean up almost anything), expect a lot of dirt, and try to enjoy!

 

 

I know there are a ton of parents out there who take their little ones camping, and I'd love to hear some of your ideas, too! Please share...in the meantime, Polly_Winzeff, I hope you'll enjoy all your future getaways with your family!

 

 

SunnyFOTF

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kougarten Community Member
kougarten
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Nov 17, 2009
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2. Nov 19, 2009 7:55 PM in response to: Polly_Winzeff
Re: Camping with babies & toddlers

Ihave four young children and we have gone camping a couple of times.  What a lot of work!  Just hauling all the gear you need for a baby, the pack-n-play, stroller, and all the extra "special" food that a baby or toddler can eat, it can be a pain!  However, I am not afraid to let my kids get dirty!  Granted, you don't want them to eat the dirt, rocks, bugs, etc,  so you do have to watch them constantly but camping is dirty work.  Thats why you go swimming:)  It washes off!

Good Luck

Polly_Winzeff Community Member
Polly_Winzeff
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Aug 10, 2009
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3. Nov 19, 2009 9:27 PM in response to: kougarten
Re: Camping with babies & toddlers

Thanks for your input.  This seems to be the case with kids and camping - just a lot of dirt.

 

I didn't specify in my earlier question - my son's biggest problem with camping is that he doesn't like to sleep in the tent.  At home, I put him to bed in his crib when he is awake and he goes to sleep no problem 99% of the time.  When camping, he never went to sleep on his own!  I had to hold him in my arms until he fell asleep, and then carefully put him down in his playpen in the tent, which was almost impossible.  At night, he would sleep a few hours on his own, but when he woke up in the middle of the night, he would not be content to stay in his play pen.  We would have to get him out and let him sleep between us.  We have our sleeping bags zipped together so it is like a double bed, so there was room for him.  It just means we can't sleep very well because then we are worried about rolling on him or else he is just so figety we can't sleep.  He was dressed warm enough, so I'm fairly sure that being cold wasn't the problem.  At home he has a night-light, so maybe he was just upset with it being so dark.  The power was off at our house one morning this week due to a windstorm, and he didn't want to sleep as late as usual, probably because the night light wasn't on.  So maybe he is just afraid of the dark?  But he didn't want to nap during the day in the tent either.  Perhpas I just have a fussy baby who won't like camping until he is grown up a little more?

kougarten Community Member
kougarten
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Nov 17, 2009
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4. Nov 20, 2009 6:13 AM in response to: Polly_Winzeff
Re: Camping with babies & toddlers

Polly,

I actually had the same problem with the baby waking up and not wanting to sleep or continue to sleep in his pack-n-play.  He had his blankie but the surroundings are so different then his room at home!  I didn't worry about him not falling asleep at a certain time (after four kids some things don't worry as much as they did at first) after all, he'll eventually fall asleep and maybe sleep later? (wishfull thinking on my part:)

But my boy also woke up in the middle of teh night and would not go back to sleep even when between us on our air mattress and we also do the worry about rolling on him, get no sleep etc . . . I am 99% sure that next year when he is older he will do much better!  Have fun!

Polly_Winzeff Community Member
Polly_Winzeff
69 posts since
Aug 10, 2009
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5. Nov 20, 2009 1:28 PM in response to: kougarten
Re: Camping with babies & toddlers
Thanks, kougarten.  Nice to know I'm not the only one with a babe who doesn't want to sleep when camping.  I guess I shouldn't listen to the people who tell me their babies were great whenever they took them camping.  I will look forward to better years to come!
mommaof4 Community Member
mommaof4
54 posts since
Nov 20, 2009
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6. Nov 21, 2009 4:04 PM in response to: Polly_Winzeff
Re: Camping with babies & toddlers
ITS ALL ABOUT CAPACITY.... HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO DO? HOW FAR WILL YOU GO? ME...I WOULD STAY HOME.  YOU MAY HAVE WHAT IT TAKES.

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