Camping with babies and toddlers can be so much fun—introducing your little ones to the great outdoors and all the wonderful things that come with it. Make these special times more easily managed with these six tips for camping with babies and toddlers.
- Bring some familiar outdoor toys
When you bring a few outdoor toys that your kids are familiar with, you have an option for self-play in the camp site. By choosing toys they play with regularly, they don’t need you to encourage them in how to play, or make them feel safe to free play in a strange new place.
- Bring a security item for sleep
If your child has an item they regularly sleep with, or even if they don’t, it’s a good idea to bring something familiar to hold onto at night. Keep it in the tent, only for sleeping, so it doesn’t get tossed in the dirt.
- Don’t forget the pack n play
A pack n play is a definite MUST for camping with babies. You don’t need a fancy one, but a safe place to put the baby down for naps or play time if you don’t want to be in the tent.
This is especially useful during setting up and tearing down camp, and meal prep and cooking.
- Don’t be restricted to the campsite
Toddlers will quickly get bored if there’s nothing to do outside the campsite. Look for an area with lots of opportunities for adventure. Hiking, swimming, fishing, looking at waterfalls, whatever you like. These are some great memory makers too. Play grounds with toddler friendly equipment are also an excellent source of physical exercise and fun!
- Give your toddler a head lamp
Giving your toddler a head lamp to wear to and from the bathroom or around the camp site at night is both a fun game, and a great sense of security. A headlamp with a red light setting which exists to help preserve night vision, and it won’t blind you if your toddler shines their head lamp in your eyes!
- Lower your expectations of cleanliness
You might work really hard to keep your baby clean and out of messes at home. That’s most likely not going to happen while camping. They will roll off the mat into the dirt, or big brother will toss dirt into their pack n pay for them to play with (because it’s fun!). Bring extra clothes to plan for this, and don’t panic. Honestly, even if baby ends up eating the dirt, they’re going to be okay.