BY Nick Bulanda
Published January 15, 2021
Camping with the whole family is easy with the right preparation. In this guide, you’ll find tips for camping with a toddler sleeping and so much more. “Camping en Gaia” by mariosp is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Tips for Camping with a Toddler Sleeping and More
A camping trip could be just the right way to spend some quality family time. Even if you have a young child, that doesn’t mean you’re tied down at home! While there are some extra steps you’ll need to take, camping with a toddler sleeping next to you is not too difficult. If you’re at the beginning stages of planning your next trip, take a look at this guide for some assistance.
We’ve put together a list with a lot of brief pieces of advice. With these tips, you should have some extra knowledge to help you do all the right things for your family. That way, you can have a worry-free good time! Let’s get started.
1. Camping with a Toddler Sleeping Through the Night
Usually by the time your child has reached the toddler stage, they have a set sleep schedule and they mostly stick to it. However, when you take the child out of their normal bed and into a tent, it’s likely their sleep schedule could be disrupted. Remember that they don’t have quite the concept of what’s happening yet, so it can be confusing and even scary! We recommend keeping your toddler close by, and being there to comfort them if they wake up in fear.
Additionally, you’re going to want to make sure you have the best sleeping gear for your toddler. There are sleeping bags out there made for young children, and you could also opt for a cot or even a hammock if you think they’d prefer it. You can also find great camping chairs for toddlers out there. If you want a successful night camping with a toddler sleeping all the way through, the best thing you can do is prepare yourself. Make them as comfortable as possible!
Take a look at different gear available online that’s made for toddlers. You should find plenty of different options that suit your needs!
2. Bring the Right Gear
This next tip applies whether or not you’re camping with a toddler sleeping by your side. Either way, you want to make sure you remember to bring everything you might need. Notice how we say everything you might need. That’s because it’s important to be prepared for whatever possibility may arise. The weather can change on a dime, and plenty of other things could go wrong. Because of that, you should always come prepared.
When planning your camping trip, create a checklist of important gear you should bring with you. This includes the basics like a tent, cooler, clothes, food and water (this last one is especially important!). However, make sure you don’t forget about other essentials. That includes a first aid kit, a flashlight, a backpack, and whatever other supplies you might think of! It’s important to consider where you’ll be camping. This could have a great effect on what you’ll need to bring along. If you have any questions, an employee of the campground or park you’re visiting should be able to help offer specific details!
3. Packing – Don’t Overdo It or Underdo It
There’s a fine balance to walk when packing for a camping trip. It’s all too easy to bring either too much or too little. The real trick is to bring the perfect amount! If this is your first camping trip, or your first in a long time, it’s understandable if you don’t quite nail it. Over time, you’ll get a better sense of how much you need to bring depending on where you’re going and for how long. It takes practice, like most things. We’re confident you can eventually nail it.
However, if you’re camping with a toddler sleeping next to you, there will definitely be some extra items you’ll need to take. Make sure you have plenty of food and water available for them. Additionally, bring plenty of clothes both for warm and chilly weather. As always, it pays off to prepare yourself.
4. Leave the Tech Behind
One of the biggest advantages to an outdoor family trip is the ability to truly spend time together. That’s grown increasingly hard in recent years, as more and more kids become glued to phones, tablets and TVs. For some families, it has actually become a major problem. Heading out together on a camping trip is the perfect opportunity to leave those aspects of daily life behind. These mostly applies to children older than toddler-aged. In fact, it even applies to many adults!
We all know how difficult it can be to put your phone away for an extended time. However, it’s sure to be good for your mental health to leave the troubles of the world behind. Whether it’s work, the news, or social media, it’s easy to get sucked in and stop paying attention to your surroundings. That’s something you likely want to avoid on a family trip. At the very least, keep non-essential tech at home and lock the essentials up in the car until you need them!
5. Choose the Right Locale and Climate
Do you have an idea as to where you’ll be going camping? That’s certainly an important part of the planning process! When camping with young children such as a toddler, you want to make sure you’re picking a site and time of year where things won’t be too rough. You want to get them acclimated to camping life, and it’s best to ease them in. Make sure to pick a time of year where the weather is most likely to be comfortable, and a location suitable for kids.
You should also be able to find information on the different places to camp in your area. Take a look at reviews to see what other campers have thought of the place. You should also find more information about weather in the area at specific times of the year.
If you’ve got older kids as well as a toddler, you may want to check out family campgrounds in your area. These places will have other kids for them to play with, as well as a number of activities for them to enjoy. If that’s not your style, there are still plenty of other options out there to consider. Just make sure that the site you choose is right for the entire family.
6. Bring Some Fun Along With You
If you’re camping with kids, you should know that it can be quite easy for them to grow bored. You have to remember that they’re used to constantly being simulated and entertained by technological devices. Bring along some activities like a ball to throw around, some card games, and other outdoor games to play.
Depending on where you’re camping, you make be able to take the kids out hiking. If you do this, make sure you’re prepared with snacks and plenty of water. If you’re taking a toddler along, something to easily carry them in might be a good idea. Lastly, make sure not to plan too big of a hike, because the kids can get tired quick!
Final Thoughts on Planning a Camping Trip with a Toddler
As long as you make the right preparations, a camping trip can be a blast for the entire family. If you plan on bringing a young child along, you just have to make sure you have everything they’ll need, including diapers, food and all the other basics. As long as you cover these bases, we believe you’ll have a fantastic time.
Do you have any other tips or camping facts to share with our readers? If so, feel free to leave them for us in the comments section below! Be sure to keep an eye on our website for more information in the future. With us, you’ll be able to take your camping trip to the next level.
