3 Tips for Taking your Toddler Camping

Camping has always been considered a fun family activity. While you might think that you have to wait until your kids are a little older for the whole family to enjoy themselves, that’s not true!

Does camping with a toddler have its challenges? Sure - doesn’t everything with a toddler?

But, with a few ideas for some age-appropriate activities out in the beauty of Mother Nature, you can keep your little ones busy, teach them about the environment around them, and make lasting memories from a very early age.

So, let’s look at a few tips you can use both before you hit the road, and while you’re actually camping with your child, to make it a comfortable and fun experience for everyone.

1. Practice Ahead of Time

One of the best ways to know if your toddler or preschool-aged child is ready to go camping is to do a test run. Pitch the tent you’re going to use in your back yard. Don’t just sleep in it with your little one. Instead, set it up exactly how it would be if you were camping. Get the whole family out there to make sure the tent is spacious enough.

Once you’re in place, it might take a while to calm your toddler down. That’s actually the whole point of the test run. They can get used to the tent, you can assuage any fears, and they can learn to sleep comfortably. Doing this now will help you to avoid a headache on the first night of your trip if they’re not used to a tent!

2. Bring a Familiar Toy

Although you should have plenty of activities planned to keep your toddler busy, bringing a toy or two from home can make a big difference. It’s not even really the idea of playing with a toy that’s important. It’s the comfort factor. If your child is going somewhere new and unfamiliar, it can be scary to them. Having something from home that they love can help them to feel safe and secure.

So, while you shouldn’t bring a whole mountain of toys for them to play with, bringing one or two items that they truly love and play with often can make the experience go much smoother.

3. Make a Scavenger Hunt

If you’re scratching your head trying to think of activities for your toddler once you’re at your campsite, a scavenger hunt is the perfect way to keep them active, keep their minds at work, and to show them some of the land surrounding you.

Make a list of things that will be fairly easy for them to find on a walk or hike, and show it to them. Then, you can go on the “hunt” with them. Include things like:

• Rocks
• Sticks
• Leaves
• Squirrels
• Bugs
• Moss

As they point things out from the list, you can help them to check each item off. This activity can be as easy or as complicated as you’d like, depending on your child’s age and abilities, and can keep them busy for quite a while!

It can actually be a lot of fun to take your toddler camping and to get them interested in the great outdoors from an early age. Keep these tips in mind, and pass on your love of camping to the next generation!