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Topic: Camping for kids 0-3?

 

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nicolestephan 06/12/2008 at 2:24 PM
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I just read the great article in Colorado Parents magazine about Camping with your kids. My husband is dying to go camping with our 21 month old and I am less than thrilled about getting no sleep and packing for every possible scenario. I went as far as suggesting that we load up the car, drive around the block and camp in our backyard. Will she really know the difference???? I WILL when she refuses to sleep in a tent and I can just sneak back in the house and put her in her crib :-). What advice do you have on camping with kids 0-3 years old and what locations have the best setup for this age range. Thanks!


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GnuMom 06/18/2008 at 5:30 PM
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My daughter is 22 months and has been camping 4 times.  We have a home-made tear-drop trailer (roughly 6x10) so we have a bed to sleep on, but a tent would allow you to put your daughter to sleep in a separate bed, i.e. playpen, that might be more familiar to her.  I would suggest just one night, close to home or at least near a town, in case you forget something.  Go with some friends or family who can help.  Try to stick to your nighttime routine as much as possible, and keep her busy during the day to wear her out.   We take my daughter for an evening walk in her stroller and she falls right to sleep while we walk off our s'mores.  I can't recommend any place in particular, since I live in California, but the last place we went had a playground on site - it was for older kids, but my daughter loved it anyway.


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denvermom75 07/09/2008 at 2:28 PM
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Got this great article from a friend and thought it had some great ideas. My mom also uses a natural bug repellant...sprays listerine (mouthwase) around the yard/camp site.

Camping Tips

My family loves to camp. Camping can be difficult with little babies and young children. We took Brayden camping the first time when he was two months old. He loves it.

Camping can be hard for many reasons. One is the temperature. If you camp in the mountains, it is ridiculously cold and night and then gets really hot in a tent in the day. You don't really know where to have the children sleep. You feel the need to pack everything under the sun because you never know what needs will come up while you are there. There is no doubt that it is challenging. But if your family loves to camp, don't let the difficulties keep you away from camping. I have fond memories of camping with my family as a child.

While you don't have to cut it out, you might need to modify your pre-children practices. For example, my version of camping does not involve a camp trailer. I think camping should be in a tent. However, after camping with Brayden as a baby and having him freeze, we thought we should get something for climate control with the kids. They just don't keep blankets on them. Even Brayden at 3 doesn't really stay in his sleeping bag. So for now, we have a camp trailer. No big deal, and I will most likely change my mind after enjoying the trailer :).

Here are some camping tips:
  • Dress appropriately. Keep in mind the temperature variation. Layer. Layer at night. Bring blankets. Try to keep your child at a comfortable temperature. Bring clothes from every temperature extreme, especially if you are camping in the mountains. Remember good, sturdy shoes also.
  • Timing. Certain times of the year have warmer nights than others. Try to plan your vacation so that you can have better sleeping conditions.
  • Sleeping arrangements. We have always brought our pack and play along. It fits in the tent just fine, and in the camp trailer, we just remove the mattress and put the pack and play on the wood bed frame. A really nice thing about the pack and play is that you can put blankets hanging off the side and over the top to help trap heat inside. When Kaitlyn was small enough, we brought the bassinet.
  • Keep it short. Keep your vacation length at whatever length you think will be good for your family. We tend to go shorter amounts of time right now. Remember that it is only for a season. You can of course go longer if you want to. If you do, be prepared for more adjustment when you get home.
  • Bring sun hats and sun shades, especially if you have a baby who is too young for sunblock.
  • Bring medication you might want. Bring that Tylenol. Bring the diaper rash ointment. Be prepared.
  • Bring a potty chair. If you have a child who is using the potty, a potty chair might be a nice thing to bring. I know my son would not poop in the wilderness, and he is even resistant to peeing in the wilderness.
  • Vinegar. I have read that you can apply vinegar to your skin to keep mosquitoes and bugs away. This is great for children and for avoiding chemicals.
  • Expect the early waketime. Kids often don't sleep as well when camping. It is cold at night and hot in the day. It is worth the effort to get those naps in, even if they are short. Don't be discouraged if your children wake up early. The sun is usually much brighter. This past weekend we camped with the youth of our church, ages 14-18. They went to bed around 1:30 AM and woke up around 6 AM. If the sun is going to wake up a bunch of sleep-loving teenagers who were up late, it will certain wake your little children.

Have fun! As always, please add your tips if you have them!


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momofhks 07/28/2008 at 4:46 PM
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So we did it! We took our 23 month old daughter camping and it was really fun minus the fact we didn't get much sleep. I have never had this happen to us but she napped in the Kelty backpack as we took a hike in the afternoon. I should have done the same to get her to bed, but we panicked and let her sleep with us instead and that is just not good for anyone. I do want to recommend the Foil packs for meals. We made fajitas, banana boats, veggie packs and pest/pasta foil packs. Throw them on the hot coals and they are done in about 10 minutes. Here are the ones we made and they were great! Fajitas: Raw chicken strips, raw red pepper strips, green pepper strips, onion strips, 1 TBSP olive oil, 1 TBSP fajita powder. Wrap twice in heavy duty foil. You can recycle the foil too! Banana Boat: Take a banana in the peel. Cut a slit down the center and fill with chocolate chips and small marshmallows, Roll in foil. Cook for about 8-10 min.

Veggie packs: Cut up zucchini, chopped carrots, chopped onions, garlic, pepper, fresh chives, salt, red potatoes (boiled until soft), and 1 TBSP olive oil.


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