Camping with Toddlers

When you take toddlers camping with you it requires a little more work and responsibility on your part as a parent or guardian. This doesn't make the camping experience any less fun, it just takes some more attention to detail. Here are some areas of concern when you take a toddler camping.

During Setup

If the toddler is asleep when you first arrive and about to setup the campsite, great! Keep the toddler buckled into their car seats with the windows rolled down a fair amount; just check in on him or her frequently. However, if awake, they are usually very excited and will want to wander about so have someone watch them at all times. During setup, everyone is usually too busy running around and may not notice the toddler crawling nearby.

Diaper Disposal

On most campgrounds, a garbage bin is usually available near or even at each individual campsite for easy diaper disposal. Although disposable diapers are the convenient choice, using cloth diapers with you when camping is certainly manageable. Bring a large plastic bag with you in case a trash bin isn't nearby. This way you can hold the soiled diapers in there until you get a chance to make a trip to the next dumpsite. Just don't wait too long, nobody likes to be around a bag full of dirty diapers for very long.

A Crawling Toddler

Always remember that toddlers love to explore, this is especially true when camping. Dress the toddlers appropriately and keep an eye out for anything that may be a hazard as camping has many of them; sharp sticks, ant hills, poison ivy, etc. You can always spread out a quilt or blanket on the ground to define their play area. You can use lawn chairs to build a perimeter around this area. But, regardless of how safe you think it is, always have an adult watching the toddler.

Bathing Options

When out camping, a toddler can easily get him/herself dirty in a hurry. You have several options when it comes to cleaning your toddler. A bath house, if available, is one method. If there are shower stalls accessible to the disabled, there may be a tiled bench that you can use to sit and hold the toddler while you both rinse off. Using a large rubber bin at the campsite is also an option. Just heat up some water using a camp stove or the fire and fill the tub with it.

Toddler duty

Assigning and alternating someone on toddler duty while camping would be an advisable option to keep a toddler out of trouble. Make sure to keep the toddler away from the campfire but confine them within the campsite. Also, make sure the toddler doesn't get tangled among the many ropes used around the campsite.

Toddlers are great joys at home as well as camping and I'm sure that they enjoy the company just as much as we do. Give a child the chance to get to know nature at such a young age will assure that they love the outdoors just as much as you. Enjoy and stay safe!

Don't miss John Dee's article on Choosing Campgrounds