How to Have a Successful First Trip Camping with a Toddler -

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When it comes to camping with a toddler you need to have a game plan for basically any and all situations.

If you camped before having children you probably found yourself in a few rough situations, that even as an adult were difficult to handle.

These situations could be a full day of rain or noisy neighbors. There are so many aspects of camping that are out of your control.

The key to successfully camping with a toddle is having simple solutions for the problems and challenges you may encounter.

Play/Entertainment

The whole point of going camping is to have fun.

Your toddler should be entertained by the world around them. Let them explore and get dirty.

Take open-ended toys such as a bucket. A bucket could be used to gather precious items like sticks, leaves, and pine cones. It could also be used for water play. Let your child figure out how they want to spend their time playing.

Some other items I would suggest bringing include chalk, bubbles, a large ball, and other water toys. We have taken an entire water table for summer camping.

For more summer ideas check out, 10 Affordable Outside Activities to Wear Out Your Toddler this Summer!

For inside the tent or camper, I recommend bringing toys as well. Do not get these toys out!

These toys are the backup plan if it decides to rain. Keep them hidden!

When it comes to activities to keep them busy, look to see what the campground offers. They could have playgrounds, trails, a nature center, a beach, a pool, and so much more.

When partaking in any of these activities, remember there is no rush. You are camping. It is not like you have anywhere to be. Let your young children take their time exploring at their own pace.

Sleep

Do not expect a child to sleep through the night in a camper or tent if they do not do so at home.

If they have not figured it out in the optimum environment how can you expect them to be successful in an unfamiliar environment?

Not trying to scare you off here. Just telling you to have realistic expectations.

There are many things you can do to help them sleep.

You could bring a fan and a sound machine. These help block out noise

You should try to recreate the environment they experience at home as much as possible. You should also do everything you can to stick to their bedtime routine. Bring the lotion you use or the nighttime books you read.

Keeping whatever consistency you can in your child’s routine will help everyone make it through.

Another thing to remember is to check the weather to see how cool it will get at night. Make sure your child is layered appropriately.

Your sleep situation camping will be based on what you do at home.

Safety

Safety while camping can be a huge issue. Your top two priorities are fire and cars.

Always watch your baby around the fire. Figure out how to can lessen the risk. This can be done in different ways. You could keep their toys on the opposite side of the campsite.

If your toddler is old enough to understand you could spray paint a line around the fire pit marking where they cannot go.

You could limit the amount of time during the day you have the fire going. For example, you could only do fires in the evenings.

Ultimately though, fire safety is on you as the parent. Please do not let anything terrible happen to your child.

Depending on who you talk to they will argue whether the roadways in a campground are safe or not. Most people are very good about driving slowly, but you cannot rely on them for your child’s safety.

Watch the roads. Keep your baby safe.

Know who is supervising the toddler at any given time. Literally, call it out.

If dad decides it is time to start the fire and that is going to occupy his attention he should say, “I’m working on the fire. You got them?” or something of that nature. You could say, “you have eyes on them” or “they are yours right now”

This may sound silly, but it is important.

You never want to have a moment where you say, “I thought you were watching them.”

Also, communicate if you plan to take the child somewhere. For example, “I am taking Jonny in the camper with me.” This way the other adult isn’t frantically looking for them thinking they wandered off.

And on the note of a child getting lost. One of the coolest tips I have ever seen on Pinterest is to write in permanent marker the number of your campsite on your child’s hand. So if you are at site 102 write that on their hand.

This way if they were to get separated from you they could quickly be returned to you safely.

Another great safety tip is to put reflective items or glow-in-the-dark necklaces on your children if they stay up into the night. This is easy and can help you keep track of your children. This also makes them more visible for cars.

A camper-specific thing we do for safety is always turn off the gas when we are not using it to cook in the camper. Our daughter is tall enough to turn the knobs to operate the store top. This is a simple habit that could be life-saving.

Camping is a fun activity, but it does come with a list of hazards.

Food

Bring food your child is familiar with eating. They are dealing with so many environmental changes while you are camping. Providing them with foods they are used to eating will bring them comfort.

Another important thing to remember is to keep them hydrated, especially in the warmer seasons. At home, you may have a system for where they keep their cup available. Make sure you establish a system while camping so they stay healthy and hydrated.

What to Pack

You should check the weather before camping. Know what you are getting yourself into. If it is going to be warm take plenty of swim attire. Swim attire can also be great for rainy days where they will constantly be in puddles.

I strongly recommend bringing multiple swimsuits for your little one. Between pools, creeks, puddles, and water toys they are going to get wet.

Other items for warm weather include a hat and sunscreen. When you are camping you spend more time outside than you are used to.

I recommend you take 1.5 to 2 outfits per day. This is partially dependent on the weather and partially dependent on how much you mind your child wearing dirty or wet clothing.

On a recent trip, our daughter got soaked constantly. The problem was I wanted her in a dry and clean outfit for her afternoon nap.

We were flying through the outfits that week.

I learned that you can never have enough clothing for a toddler.

If you think there is a chance of there being a beach or pool make sure you bring the necessary floatation devices they will need. Also swim diapers for the pool.

Consider all times of the day when packing. The mornings and evenings can be cool while the middle of the day may warm up. Be prepared with jackets for layering.