We just bought an 8-man tent to take our family camping this summer. We have a couple of campsites reserved for one night trips in June and August.
I am an experienced camper and have done tons of camping, including totally primitive camping on BLM land with no bathrooms or running water, so I know what to do when camping with other adults, but I have never done it with my kids.
Any tips for camping with kids, or suggestions for gear to buy? I have all my own gear but need to buy stuff for my kids, and actually my H will need most of the basics too. We will mostly be doing one-nighters in warm weather, at least while the kids are young.
We are going car camping in Yellowstone on our drive next month and we bought Ds a sleeping bag and pad, and we set up the tent a few times to let him check it out, we all lay in there etc. just to get him a little used to it.
I am only hoping he eventually sleeps and doesn't cry all night and bother everyone else lol.
Really they just need the same stuff you do. We've been camping with the kids since DS1 was 1-year-old. We think it's great!
do you bring a pack and play for your kids when they are babies/toddlers? Dd2 has never slept in a non-confined space before so I have no idea how she willl handle it.
I've seen camp beds for kids recommended on blogs but they seem sort of extraneous since dd1 sleeps with half her body off the bed most of the time anyway. She doesn't seem to care.
Really they just need the same stuff you do. We've been camping with the kids since DS1 was 1-year-old. We think it's great!
do you bring a pack and play for your kids when they are babies/toddlers? Dd2 has never slept in a non-confined space before so I have no idea how she willl handle it.
I've seen camp beds for kids recommended on blogs but they seem sort of extraneous since dd1 sleeps with half her body off the bed most of the time anyway. She doesn't seem to care.
When they were/are still sleeping in a crib we use the pack and play. After that we had cots for them. Now they just use air mattresses (thin ones just for warmth). With all boys, bathrooms aren't really an issue. We have chairs for them around the camp fire, extra clothes (they always seem to get wet/dirty), and just other normal camp stuff. You may want a little potty for the tent with if your girls need it in the MOTN.
We also take them hiking, and DS1 and DS2 have their own backpacks. I don't know if that is part of your camping routine, but they enjoy carrying their own snacks .
We took the potty for the campsite for middle f the night. My kid refused because she is stubborn but it would have been convenient. When she was 1.5, we took the playpen. When she was 2.5, she slept on the double air mattress with me. My h was on his own mat. I suggest lots of wipes. You need them for everything. And lots and lots of extra clothes.
Bring diaper wipes for easy clean up (especially needed after eating sticky marshmallows).
We brought a cheap umbrella stroller with us for DS2 to sit in instead of a camping chair because we could strap him in during meal times and when sitting around the campfire. I'm so nervous about kids around the campfire.
We went camping on Friday and the kids loved it, the fresh air wore them out so they were both asleep on the air mattress in the tent by 8pm.
We have taken our 4 month old out twice so far. We got him this pad m.rei.com/product/829826/therm-a-rest-z-lite-sol-sleeping-pad for warmth more then comfort. I figure it will last him years and I don't have to worry about him putting a hole in it when he gets bigger/more destructive. Beyond that I don't have many suggestions as he isn't mobile and just goes with it for now.