Camping with a toddler advice

Hi folks,

Our toddler is about to turn two, my other half has mentioned how she’s seen other people “on her insta” camping with a 2 year old and just wondered what the general consensus is for how possible?

So we’ve just bought a “nightfall” tent with blackout rooms and the main issue isn’t the day, no problems there it’s the night. Getting him to sleep if it’s either a bit loud outside or light or belting down with rain, or too cold.

Of course at home he has a cot, a turtle light so I can read a book or three to him as he slowly falls asleep but how successful have others found this?

I am thinking maybe it’ll be better maybe by spring next year when he’ll have another 5-6 months under him so about 2.5 years old.

T C he reason I ask is twice on the way down to a house we use in France we’ve had HORRENDOUS experiences. The first one although it was an amazing wooden lodge he was beside himself upset as can only think there were lots of nicnac’s all over that made it feel very alien to him…. We eventually got him asleep by 3 I think. Then another time we stayed at what was a great stop off, low budget but ideal…. However again he was a extremely unhappy and I ended up needing to take him outside as Mum was losing it from his crying and from about 3am driving around with him til 5 where he then slept and I tried to sleep in the car to save waking him….

It’s all relative as all kids are different but I can’t help but think he’s a bit older since those bad experiences now (around another 3 months) so just under 2yrs old so wondered how others fared with camping? There I suppose is the thing that in a tent there’s not alot to get scared or nervous about and who knows what was making him unhappy but most might say “too young and to give it a bit” so jus thought I’d ask

Thank you, one of these days I’ll post something bike specific when I either have time to ride or tweak something on it! ?

Try him somewhere local first. Somewhere quiet where you’re not going to disturb other campers and is close enough to head home if it all goes awry. Then try a couple of nights and so on. Remember that some sites close the gates at night.

We took both of our sons camping from about 12 months. Kids are resilient and adaptable but may need reassurance. Biggest problem we had was when boy 1 snuck out of the tent…

Find a way to securely close your tent. And then double check it.

As you say, all kids are different but we took our two camping for the first time when they were two and a half and four and a half.
First night we made the mistake of trying to get them down at their “normal” bedtime and it didn’t go well.  Second night, we let them run themselves into the ground playing with other kids they had met on the site until they crashed out and slept like logs…

From my experience, after a full day of fresh air and outdoors adventure your toddler will probably go out like a light.

Also – one of the points of camping is that it’s a bit of freedom and break from routine so maybe let him stay up a bit later until hes tired which helps.

As above, forget routine or expectations. Go ’til tired, lay with them and sleep.
We had a pop up tent cot from life venture they couldn’t escape from and to maintain their own space. They were already familiar with it too as we used it for napping outdoors.

I honestly think that the sooner you do all these things the sooner they get used to it.

I think our second one was weeks old when we took him on his first trip… not more than a couple of hours from home in case things don’t work out.

I well recall a trip where we didn’t even get to night time before the eldest (3) had an asthma attack and we pulled the pin. Another where the younger one (1 year old max) was sick all night and we were so exhausted we only did one night… and the little bugger giggled all the way home.

Fast forward ten years and the kids put the tents up.

Find a way to securely close your tent. And then double check it.

Maybe one of those small Screw Gate Carabiners through the zips

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363732260894?_nkw=screw+gate+carabiners&itmmeta=01J6TNAV4KCM5845DCEBTGF0BZ&hash=item54b021d81e:g:J64AAOSwugNiDLxd

Both of ours went from 18 months old. Local trips initially. Ideally with a play area.

Forget routine, but if you let them explore and tire themselves out they will sleep. At that age we had a big sleeping compartment where they slept with us. When eldest was 4 and little one came along he was old enough to have his own compartment.

Put his bed between the two of you in the tent.

Why not start with a night in the garden.

I don’t think you can compare staying in a strange hotel when he’s been sitting on his bum travelling with his own tent when he’s totally knackered from playing on a campsite all day.

We just recently got back from a three night trip with our not quite two year old. Second time we’ve been out with her this year. She mostly loved it but we didn’t do much in the way of sleeping, partly because she’s like that when we’re home and partly because she decided to pick the day we set off to break out the chickenpox.

As others have said, adjust your expectations of bed time and assume that you’ll be going to bed at the same time as them. You might find them sleeping next to you helps with their rest even if it isn’t brilliant for you.

Take more blankets than you think you’ll need to keep them warm (ours doesn’t like sleeping bags or blankets which can be fun) and make sure you have a way to get a coffee in the morning. Close ish to home is good just in case it all goes wrong.

Really good advice so throw the 5:30pm tea, bath and bed out the window and just as you all say let them tire themselves out…. He’s walking  now anyway and is a proper character so I don’t think that would be hard for him to get to that stage.

Did you still wash them on the nighttime or use wipes? He has a bath every night usually, we could ofc still take the baby bath and use warm water but being in the tent can imagine it’d be a quick thing!

the tent is big enough he can have his own room but also appreciate he may want that comfort knowing we’re near. Would you take a travel cot (we have one and use it for trips away)  as he’s not in a bed as yet)

Has just 2 days ago slept for 2 nights with little movement after we added a small low pillow for him so that may also aid in a good nights sleep…

It should be fine,  just don’t have any expectations on times etc.  Just go and enjoy it.

If your tent allows it,  put the zips at the top of the door,  that way little hands can’t reach but you can still get out in an emergency

I think we did it from when our youngest was about 18 months. After the first two nights of no sleep I was ready to jack it in, but then they got used to it and we all had a great time.

We only recently tried putting our biggest two in the own “room” in the tent (as we only just got a tent big enough to have multiple rooms) and it didn’t work out too well at the start. Found having a red light lantern on helped them if they woke up in the night but at the toddler stage I really wouldn’t bother trying them away from mum and dad.

wouldn’t be too worried about bath time either. You’re breaking with the normal routine anyway and it will save a lot of faffing if you can just skip it. Wet wipes or take them in the shower with you.

Bluetooth headband for sleeping. Keeps the light out and steam some white noise to it to keep the background noise out ? my daughter uses one when she’s in the pop top

Edit – keep forgetting emojis and links aren’t working well for me!! Search Bluetooth headband kids in Amazon, should be the first thing that pops up

From my (admittedly limited to my friends and family) experience, parents who have a fairly rigid bedtime arrangement generally struggle during the toddler years when life calls you to things other than put a child to bed at 7pm.  We were always keen to make sure our <12mth old experienced a range of bedtime scenarios, e.g. staying/sleeping in strange houses, hotels, camping, hostels, cars etc (we’re not homeless BTW!)  This wasn’t just the location, but also the time and the run up process to it.  It worked out well for both of ours who were pretty adaptable to life from a young age.  That said, and for reasons outlined above, camping was probably the trickiest from that list.  Noise, light, the fact that it was a tent rather than 4 solid walls meant that it was always the once scenario that took longer to get them off.  As others have said, you’ve got to let routine go out of the window, accept that they might not get to sleep until 10am or later, yet still be up at 5.30, cranky the next day…We always found the first night was tricky, then as the tiredness from less sleep and generally 18 hours running around outdoors caught up with them, they were generally back to a normal(ish) routine by the end of the weekend. Give it a go, but don’t stress over it.

We started with our kids (4 and 2) last summer for a few nights, somewhere 1.5 hours drive to get back home. We have always been very rigid on routine at home, and both kids have always been very good with bed at 7 and up at 7, bath/ books before bed etc. First night of trying to get the youngest down reasonably ‘on time’ wasn’t great and he took a while to go (but did eventually). After that we threw ‘bedtime’ out the window and just judged tiredness levels – as soon as ours start really grouching we’d do a book or two and throw them in bed. Showers were done early so out the way. Did a week in Cornwall this year and both were excellent. Wish we’d started younger tbh.

I definitely think it helps when they are mobile and can spend the entire day running around to knacker themselves out.

Took ours camping from about 6 weeks onwards. Though that was in a van rather than a tent.

We’ve just had our first summer of camping with a toddler, and it’s gone well.

Started with the tent in the garden, b with no intention of sleeping in it. Gave me a chance to practice building it, and the kids a chance to see what they’ll be sleeping in, and enjoy playing with the zips etc.

Next step was literally half a mile down the road. Arrived in the afternoon, built tent, cooked food, played in the woodlands around the campsite, all slept late, had a great time. I know a few others have said “not more than a few hours from home” but if you’re as fortunate as us you might find a campsite very nearby, allowing you to explore a bit of land you can’t normally access. You don’t need to do a “day out” somewhere as part of the camping away trip – this is not a holiday – camping is the event.

Haven’t read all the above but we took our kids camping from a few months old. Just go with the fow and let them sleep when they want to. We had a travel cot in with us and it was generally fine. If you’re calm and relaxed they are more likely to be!

Think my sons first camping trip was in October, although we did get moaned at when he woke in the night and was covered in shit! Apparently we made to much noise while cleaning him up! That was fun….

This has been pretty much universal so far but – our boy has been camping since he was less than 1.

Let them stay up, play outside in the dark, get grubby, eat snacks. Its good for them, its exciting, and they will sleep when they are tired enough. Get them to choose their favourite toys and books etc to take and they can set up their own den in the tent.

Have a go at putting the tent up in the garden just to get them all excited about it and so they understand what going camping means. They will love it.

We did as above.

Took ours when they young with some friends as soon as youngest could walk. Local place, 15 minute drive away. No fixed bedtimes or baths. They woke up, ran around and played for 12-18 hours, then fell asleep when they got tired.

They’ll be up late on the first night!

We used to go to a campsite with a playground, but found there were too many parents who just seem laze around whilst their 10 year old kids bullied all the little ones, so we now we just go to a big field with a toilet block and some woods nearby.

Great thank you some more further very useful feedback. Will take some good tips away, thinking building the tent in the garden will be a good first step so he can get used to it then go from there 🙂

It’ll be fine! Done loads of camping with groups of friends and kids of all ages. There’s always someone who doesn’t get any sleep but it gets better. Going local with a group of similar aged kids can help. They all play together, get exhausted and fall asleep. Start with 2 nights.

thinking building the tent in the garden will be a good first step so he can get used to it then go from there

A couple of folk I know tried that but it didn’t work well as the kids knew that they could pop into the house “for the toilet” and it became a bit of a farce. Might be better at your boys age though.

Just regarding clothing too how did you make sure they were warm enough? So I guess in summer it’s not really an issue but if we were to take him camping in the next few weeks it’s cold in the mornings and at night much colder than in his nursery. Just thicker clothes?

It’s 20 degrees in his nursery now and he’s in a sleep suit and I’d say a medium tog sleep bag. That’ll be nowhere near enough for being essentially outside.

With us just starting to use a pillow and maybe a duvet in the next week or so we could then of course maybe then start giving him a thicker duvet and will that be enough?

I would avoid house household duvets and pillows. If it gets damp you will never get it dry while camping. Take long and short PJ’s. A blanket or two to cover it go under sleeping bag. A thin hat and warm jacket. It’s always colder at night when camping. Think layers

Or just do glamping to start with. Two days camping just cost me £60. Glamping was only £150 – which is good for less stress of trying to set everything up and cook etc

Type 2 fun on our first attempt. We took ours (5 and 2) locally this summer on Gower and they did really well. They eventually went to sleep around 10pm and then the birds had them back up around 5am, the blackout tent couldn’t help there. Partner and I were shagged so we only did the one night and were home within 20 minutes of packing up. I guess just be prepared to forget the routine and have loads of activities to keep them occupied during long days. Ours are very food orientated so we took all the their favourites.

As others have said:

Forget the routine, and let them play until it’s dark and they are pooped (for this reason I think camping in mid summer is not ideal if it doesn’t get dark until 10pm, and they’re awake at 5am!)

Buy some gear just for them (e.g. kids sleeping bag, special head torch, new PJ’s) to get them excited about camping (and bed time …)

Keep crocs handy for the inevitable night time trip to the loo

Car free campsites are the best for letting them roam about safely

Hey,

Just do it! Get basic gear and air mattresses at least. Watch how far they can crawl, it’s amazing the distance they can do, given the escape incentive 😉 Oh as a piece of advice err go to France, great for camping and a lot drier 😉 We all still go and love it. It kinda made my son who is very active and works in the outdoor technology sector for a very well known manufacturer that I cannot mention.

BR

JeZ

Thanks all and apologies for the delay, so we have gone camping lots and know just how to make it comfortable it was just adding him in the mix and clothing for nighttime’s. So essentially likely a sleep suit then probably a fleecy suit over the top or fleecy PJ’s.

we’ve just got him using pillow and duvet and the tent is massive so we could even store them in a room that he can’t get in, till evenings so they stay dry. So basically use common sense, if it’s cool on the night then layers of clothing to keep him warm and likely a duvet over the top which he’ll either keep on or kick off!