We're going camping for five days with a 5yr old, 3yr old, and 1 yr old

[staceyobu]

We are going with some friends who will probably be staying in an RV. We will be camping in a tent. Although we enjoy camping, hiking, outdoors... we haven't done anything since before getting pregnant with our first.

 

Does anyone have suggestions on tents? Sleeping arrangements? How we're going to survive this?

 

The campsite does have electricity. We'll be camping near a river. We're maybe going to try an overnight away here or there before May in preparation.

 

I can't believe we're doing this.

[4kiddies]

Sounds like fun! I camped as a child and loved it. I have such great memories of all the trips my family took!

[Remudamom]

Snort. My only suggestion would be to stay home. I am not a camper, and can't imagine doing it with babies.

[nono]

Is this a prayer request? :D

[mamato3 all-boy boys]

We are going with some friends who will probably be staying in an RV. We will be camping in a tent. Although we enjoy camping, hiking, outdoors... we haven't done anything since before getting pregnant with our first.

 

Does anyone have suggestions on tents? Sleeping arrangements? How we're going to survive this?

 

The campsite does have electricity. We'll be camping near a river. We're maybe going to try an overnight away here or there before May in preparation.

 

I can't believe we're doing this.

 

Oh, you'll have fun. We've family camped with all of our boys when they were little, and still do.

 

We have a big tent for the 5 of us -- like a 7-9 person. We also have a tent that you can stand up straight in -- very important IMHO. When they were all younger, I packed their clothes in a laundry basket. Much easier to find stuff than in a suitcase, backpack or other enclosure.

 

I also gave up on fun, fancy food for meals -- otherwise I ended up spending all my time cleaning up and washing until the next meal -- and that was NO vacation. :lol: Cereal in the box for breakfast (sometimes poptarts), sandwiches for lunch (cheese and crackers, too), and easy dinners -- soup, hotdogs, chili, etc.

[Sasharowan]

They'll love it. We started camping when my 3rd was 1yo. When they were small, we had a 6 man tent that could hold 2 queen airmattresses. Now that we have 4 and they are larger, we have a 10 man tent that easily holds 3 queen airmattresses. Make sure everyone has their own flashlight. My guys love having glow light sticks after dark. They play with them until bedtime and then put them in the mesh bags on the side of the tent for nightlights. Bring clothes that you don't care if they get dirty, because they will. Feel free to ask questions.

[2squared]

I can't believe we're doing this.

 

:iagree: :lol: I have a 5yo, 3yo, & 1yo and this doesn't sound like fun to me. My empty nester SIL suggested that all her siblings start an annual camping trip. What sounds like fun to her = torture to me.

[Tracy in Ky]

What a great mom you are. I couldn't do it, but I think it is a great thing to do for the kids!:grouphug:

[Rosy]

Bring LOTS of baby wipes. Baby wipes are your best friend when you're camping.

 

Bring a play pen...you'll probably have one for the baby to sleep in, right? It will also come in handy during the day when you need to set him (?) down for a sec and you don't want him eating dirt.

 

You may need to sit in there with them when they are going to bed. Ours were so wired when they went to bed and wouldn't leave each other alone. Same with naps. You might consider skipping naps with the older two so they'll go to sleep at night.

 

It'll probably take the first day or so for everyone to get acclimated.

 

Do as much of the food ahead of time as you can. Ziplocks are also your best friends while camping. We do scrambled eggs ahead and put them in a ziplock, same with pancake mix (though if you're not doing it from scratch it's probably not a big deal to take the Bisquick). Sandwiches for lunch every day and hot dogs or hamburgers most nights for dinner.

If you're cooking over the fire, remember to give it half an hour (at least) before you start cooking to get good and warm. The camp stove is way easier, in my opinion.

 

Do you have a good source for free firewood? Remember, it is crazy expensive if you buy it there, but it can be a pain to haul in.

 

Do your friends have little kids? If not, prepare them in advance for what it's going to be like. We camped with family one year and none of them had little kids. They all would come by and want to see our kids...right after we'd gotten them to sleep. We'd get the kids up to say hi...and then the relatives would leave and we'd be stuck trying to get them back to bed. Hold your boundaries if necessary!

 

I'm trying to remember what else...it's been a couple years, and we haven't done a ton of camping. We do love it though. It's a great experience for the kids! :)

Edited March 12, 2010 by Rosy

[Harriet Vane]

Totally doable--I've done it many a time.

 

We bought a tiny, cheap kids' tent and use it as a holding pen for clothes. The big tent therefore only has sleeping materials.

 

I do NOT recommend air mattresses because they are cold and because your little one can slip in between two of them and not breathe well. Go with camp mats instead--they're far warmer anyway.

 

Keep meals simple.

 

We also found it nice to have a pack-n-play outside for the baby. We did not use it in the tent though.

 

Make sure you have plenty of blankets.

 

Headlamps are wonderful. Kids really like wearing them, and then everyone has their own light source. You can get them at camping stores.

[justamouse]

Camping With Children Survival List

 

1. wine

2. Graham Crackers

3. Chocolate bars. At least 20.

4. Marshmallows. 10 packs.

5. Did I mention wine?

[Brooketopia]

I took my girls camping last year when they were 5, 2, and 1. 1yo slept in her playpen in the tent and the other two were just fine. I actually took them by myself because my DH's work schedule was crazy and it's insane for us to wait for his work to open up to allow us to do anything with him. We have an 8 person tent.

 

Lots of blankets, make sure you have ground padding. We had to cut our trip short because I didn't think ahead and bring anything for us to "do" during the day...had to stay close to camp because of naps and the sun beating down on us made everyone cranky. Next time, I'm bringing lots of "quiet" activities for playing with while the young 'uns get their afternoon rest. And I was insane for thinking they'd leave me alone during rest time like they normally do at home. Perhaps it would be easier had there been two adults present. Ha ha.

 

Lots of water and drinks on hand. I couldn't believe how thirsty they got just being outside all day.

 

Don't leave the firewood out overnight if you plan on burning it ever again.

[cougarmom4]

Most definitely bring a little potty to have in your tent with you for middle of the night potty breaks!

 

We've gone camping with our four many times...and it is so much fun! Dirty, yes, but fun! Baby wipes are an essential thing to pack.

 

If you have someone you can borrow a baby backpack from it would make things better for hikes & even just keeping baby occupied around the campsite. We also have borrowed one of those playpen things that opens like an octagon--a little fence thing--that we set on a big quilt near the tables & chairs for our littlest. Make sure to bring some toys that will keep baby happy. Treasure hunts are something we love to do with ours-bring a little bag to fill with pine cones, rocks, twigs, leaves, etc.

 

As for food, our favorite thing to have is tinfoil dinners. I prepare them before we go & keep them in a cooler. Ground beef patties (or stew meat) w/seasoning, sliced potatoes, carrots, onions, with a little worcester sauce, wrapped in foil packets. Then you just put them in the coals. And nothing beats s'mores...messy, yes...but worth it!

 

As for bedtime, we love to sing songs around the campfire until the kids are sleepy, then we snuggle in sleeping bags and read stories by flashlight.

[scubamama]

Oh honey! You are going to have fun....and you will have even more fun when you get home and greet civilization :tongue_smilie:

You'll need a truckload of baby wipes, sunscreen, bug spray, and I always take Benadryl at night myself so I can rest instead of get annoyed at my kids kicking me, or rolling around, etc.

Remember, eating dirt won't kill them. My 1yo ate so much dirt on one trip I was worried about the ecology of our site! She lived.

Don't forget another truckload of snacks.

You're a crazy woman....but you're my kind of crazy! :001_smile:

Have fun!

[LBS]

take lots of blankets and sleeping bags,and mats for nighttime comfort....just lazing around in the tent in the nest is great for quiet time...let them learn about fire as much as is practicable....strap the baby to you, though, during fire time....don't forget folding chairs for every one....ground blankets for laying on and reading and doing stuff..every meal is a picnic..dollar store for critter holders, critter catchers; bandaids and antibiotic cream quickly available all the time.

 

I'd trade the electricity for a remote site that is quiet and private. If you're in a site next a tent using electric you'll have to listen to their TV. If you're in an electric site with RVs you'll have to listen to their noise, too. I'd get a bunch of batteries and camp in the non-electric sites, which have lots more space around them, and the peace and quiet that may actually mean the baby will nap...more like real camping. Usually the bathhouses are nicer, too.

 

LBS

[msjones]

I have a ton of ideas, but will try to think of the most important ones.

 

You need a place to put the baby when your hands are busy. I suggest the usual stroller or baby backpack or pack and play.

 

Bring toys. Some for in the tent, some for outdoors. This was a pain when my kids were little, but worth it.

 

We used to have a battery operated lantern for inside the tent at night. It illuminated the whole tent (better than the beam from a flashlight). We left it on the lowest setting all night to prevent pitch blackness. (My kids were not prepared for just how dark it is outside of the city.)

 

Bring a big trash bag for dirty clothes. Just stuff them in as you go.

 

Slip-on shoes for going in and out of the tent a gazillion times.

 

We used to zip the sleeping bags together so a kid could sleep right next to us if necessary.

 

Something quiet for the kids to do when they start waking up at 4:30 am.:glare:

 

We have our kids sleep in hooded sweatshirts -- they keep their heads warm but don't itch like a hat.

 

I bring a big blanket, fold it up, and it serves as a rug to sit on in the tent. The ground is usually hard and bumpy, and it's nice to be able to sit on the blanket next to a child.

 

Make sure you can stand up in your tent.

 

Bring a table cloth. And don't forget comfortable chairs for the adults. And coffee. And advil.

 

You'll be by a river so bring life vests for all the kids. They'll want to play by the river for sure. That's the fun stuff!

 

Oh, yes. My wash-up system. I keep a bucket full of water, soap, a washcloth and towel on the picnic table at all times. Makes it easy to just dip filthy hands in and wash before meals. If I'm in a good enough mood I heat up the water.

 

We love camping. It's what we do on most of our vacations. It is a lot of work, and no picnic with little guys, but still very enjoyable. Good luck!

[Nakia]

My first thought when I read your thread title was, "I'm sorry!" :lol:

 

Have fun!!