Hey girl, today let's chat about the best tips to go camping with toddlers.
Are you wondering how you can best plan to go camping with toddlers? You have come to the right place then, Mama!
As a mom of 4 myself, I have been in your shoes, and I am going to fill you in on the best tips and tricks for camping with toddlers.
You are going to learn about where to go camping with toddlers, camping with toddler activities, camping with toddlers checklist, and so much more.
After hearing about all of these helpful tips, you are going to be more than ready to plan your camping trip.
Let's jump into the best tips and tricks for camping with toddlers that every parent should know about.
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Best Camping With Toddlers Tips
I am so excited for you that you want to share your love of adventure and the outdoors with your toddler.
Have the best time with them.
Let me know in the comments below how your camping trip went with your toddler.
I love hearing family adventure stories. And trust me, camping with toddlers is an adventure.
It has a complete rundown of everything you need to bring with you to make your camping trip a success.
Tips For Camping With Toddlers
1. Don’t go all out on the first camping experience.
If you haven’t camped with your toddler before, start small.
Try it in your backyard first.
Only try it for 1 night instead of multiple times.
Really ease into camping with toddlers, or you are the one that will be paying for it.
2. Be realistic about your toddler’s abilities.
Even though it seems your toddler has endless energy at home, he is going to get worn out when camping.
It is something different for him going on this great outdoor adventure and part of his energy will be used up while you are packing up to go.
Don’t push him past his limit or everyone is going to get miserable in a quick minute.
3. Know that you are going to be tired!
Oh, mama, you have to have known this was coming. You are going to be so tired at the end of this trip.
And that is true even if your toddler sleeps great. All that fresh air is going to take its toll on you too.
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So, bring along this JetBoil, and your favorite coffee or tea, so you can get a boost of energy in the morning.
I didn’t even know that I needed this in my life until my husband bought it for a hunting trip.
It has been at the top of our camping checklist ever since.
Because you know, if mama ain’t happy, no one is!
Don’t forget to bring along your best coffee mug either. Being outside can make your drink cool off fast.
I love this Yeti Tumbler! In fact, I have 3 of them. A bit much since I am mostly the only one who uses them, but 1 was a gift.
If you have a ways to drive back home, bring enough to make a cup for that trip too.
5. You may not get to do or see everything you want to.
This has happened multiple times to us.
We always plan a few things we want to see or do before we even leave the house. But we never got to them all when we had toddlers along.
This year may be different since my youngest is no longer considered a toddler, tear!
Pick out your top 2 -3 choices and do those first. If you don’t get to the rest, then you have a reason to visit again.
6. Pick a campsite close to the bathrooms.
It isn’t as noisy as you think! But it is oh so helpful, especially if you are potty training.
I actually enjoy being right next to the bathroom since I don't like to walk super far to go myself.
Where To Go Camping With Toddlers
It doesn't matter where you want to first take your toddler camping. You can try your backyard or a campground somewhere.
We started in our backyard. It made it easy for us since our toddler did not want to sleep in the tent all night.
After practicing tenting in our backyard, a handful of times, we set off on a grand adventure of staying at a campground that was about 20 miles from our house.
And you know what? Our toddler did better than expected. She slept through the night, even if it was a little shorter night than usual.
Tent Camping With Toddlers
I am not sure which way you lean on this one, but when I think of camping, I think you are staying in a tent. But then I guess should it be called tenting?
Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Anyway, I am going to let you in on the best tent you can get for camping with toddlers.
There are 2 tents I want to tell you about, a small one and a bigger one.
If you plan to go camping for years and years, I would get this large tent.
Even if you only have 1 toddler at the moment, another sweet babe may come along.
Having the extra room is so nice if the weather is a bit gross, you all have room to spread out.
It is a very large tent; you can fit 2 queen air mattresses in it with a little room to spare.
This tent also has a high ceiling right out to the corners.
My husband is about 5'11" and he doesn't have to duck his head at all anywhere in the tent.
If the large tent just doesn’t interest you, then I would look at this 6-person tent.
You won’t have as much extra room as the large tent, but there will be enough room if there are only 3 – 4 of you staying in it.
Always make sure to leave room for your stuff. And you will have stuff when you bring kids camping.
Camping With Toddler Activities
When camping with toddlers, you will want to plan a few activities. You don’t have to go hog wild here, they are pretty little and the fresh air will take a lot out of them.
Here are some fun activities that my kids have enjoyed in the past.
1. Hiking
If you plan to hike with your toddler either pick a nice path that isn't too long or be prepared to carry your toddler part of the way.
This is the best backpack carrier for hiking with kids that I have found.
It has tons of padding for you to save your body from getting too sore.
It has a weight limit of 40lbs.
2. Playing Ball
Easy outdoor balls to bring along are a soccer ball and a football.
3. Games
Our favorite toddler games are Hi Ho Cherry-O, Candy Land, and Matching. Be sure to put the games in your vehicle overnight so the dew doesn't ruin them.
4. Go on a nature scavenger hunt
Make a small list of things that you can find in nature that your toddler can recognize – birds, deer, squirrels, and flowers (you can be more specific if he knows his colors).
Trust me on this, it will make your hiking trip way more fun for them!
5. Books
Bring along some of your toddler’s favorite books. I like bringing along books that are a bit longer and I know they will keep my toddler’s interest for a while.
These are some of our favorite books like that.
6. Put on a shadow puppet show
My kids can’t wait until it gets dim enough to put on a shadow puppet show. I know your toddler will have just as much fun.
You can join in the fun and have your little one try to guess what you are making.
Camping With Toddlers Checklist
1. Clothes and Shoes
You will want to bring an extra set of everything you can!
- Pants
- Shorts
- Shirts
- Diapers and Wipes or Underwear
- Socks
- Pajamas – Check the overnight temperature so you know which kind to pack
- Sweatshirt
- Coat
- Shoes
2. Rain Boots
If you are in the market for toddler rain boots, these are the ones!
My kids have had these for years now, and they last through multiple kids.
There are also so many cute girl and boy designs to choose from.3. Sleeping Gear
Pack and Play
Is your toddler still sleeping in a crib, right on! Bring this pack and play along with you.
My kids were used to sleeping in it whenever we traveled so they were comfortable sleeping in it in our tent.
I did for multiple years and it worked so well!
Stuffed Animal/Blanket
If your toddler sleeps with something at home, don’t forget to grab it on your way out the door.
He will sleep better with a little comfort from home.
Food For Camping With Toddlers
The best thing you can do when it comes to food is MAKE IT EASY!!!
Your toddler isn’t going to care if you make a 5-star gourmet meal or if he is going to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, so make it easy for yourself.
I try and prep a bunch of easy food ideas ahead of time so that when we get to the campground, I just have to open the cooler and grab the meal.
Don’t forget to pack extra snacks for your toddler. They will be working hard playing, hiking, and any other activity you may have planned.
I like to pack all the food in coolers so I know where it is.
These 2 coolers are my go-to coolers by the way. They have held up for many overnight trips.
This post was all about the best tips for camping with toddlers.
Let me know in the comments below how your camping trip went.
I look forward to hearing from you and thanks for stopping by.