Camping with a 15 Month-old?

my sister was 2 months old and I was 2 the first time we went camping as a family. My parents loved it and we continued camping several times a year. Just keep an eye out for the critters.

I camped with my daughters when they were just 2 and 2 mo. old! We camped in a motorhome, so that made things much easier, but it was loads of fun! Just don't worry about her getting (and staying) dirty, bring twice as many diapers as you think she'll need, and bring a few favorite toys and books from home. But I doubt she'll be bored with all that lovely dirt to play with!

BAD IDEA
(been there)
Spent the whole time with child while my husband had the fun. Had to warm water on the fire to clean bady up and got to cold at night for the baby she ended up sleeping in between the two of up to keep her warm I was not.

why not try a close camping site and do a one nighter. that way if its horrible you can leave the next day and home isnt far. i have friends that camped in a tent with a toddlerS and the kids always got some type of broncidous(sp) or cold. they finally ended up getting a camper! kept out the moist damp air i suppose. good luck hope she does fine and has lots of fun!

I went camping with my 2 boys. (age 5 & barely 2 at the time). It actually was a great experience for us. We had so much fun and the boys loved the campfire. It ended up getting really cold at night, but we were prepared with many layers and we and the boys both stayed warm. The night time was the hardest part... having to watch them so closely in the dark because they still wanted to adventure out. We had a fairly large tent which helped but it was a great trip. Depends on your kids and your level of patience. Just remember to make it fun and realize it is okay if things don't go how they normally do!! Be flexible and have fun!

My husband and I love to go camping and were a bit leary about taking our daughter too early but I think if you are prepared you can have a great time. We took my daughter when she was 18 mo old to a nearby state park for 2 days and 1 night. We had a blast! She loved being in a new place and the new experience. Pack n Plays are a good idea for sleeping and definately have a good stroller! (Preferrably a walking/running stroller to go over the gravel and rocks on trails) We went on many walks and hikes! We also stayed at a campsite that had a screened in shelter with electricity and a water spigot outside. If you are worried about how your daughter would do, just go for a night and test it out. I hope you have a great camping experience!! Good Luck!!

As long as you have a travel bed & can rig a "containment area" (playpens are really hard to haul camping), there shouldn't be a problem.
Start with day trips to areas close so the little one can get used to the idea of not being at home. That will also enable you to check the parks for good level camping areas (ie: camping at Lake Georgetown might be a little stressing because of rocky areas with severe drops)
If you plan to do any fishing & you enjoy fishing also, make sure that there's an agreement in place BEFORE you leave about equal rod & reel time. That was the only problem I ever really encountered while camping when my kids were toddlers. There is nothing more stressful than a nice leisurely camping/fishing trip when only half of the couple gets to relax on the bank!

Hi L.
I say go for it. We took our kids camping at early ages and while it was a lot of extra work for me- they actually had fun and remember it well. It is a good idea to expose little ones to nature as long as weather permits. Go and have fun
blessings

Hi L., I say yes,yes,yes to camping with any age child. We slept in a screened in shelter when the weather was comfortable. We have 4 kids that grew up camping. You just have to keep her in sight all the time. But that was not much different for me than being in the yard. Have fun. Take your time. Walk around and look at any/everything. I gave my kiddos a baggie that they could put surprises in--a rock, a leaf, a pinecone, whatever treasures they liked.

When my 18mo old was little and had tubes in her ears she couldnt get her head wet. So when the other older girls and I went to take showers, I took a small ice chest, put some warm water in it and the baby in it with us in the shower area. She played happily and didnt run off while we showered. Most moms thought it was a terrific idea. The water stayed warm and she was right with us happy as a clam. I used a little squirt of baby shampoo in the water, so she played w/ the bubbles and that soak was her bath. Then I rinsed her off when I was finished.

Tie a mesh bag, like from garlic from the groc store with a bar of soap on the water spigot. Everybody washed hands there, the mesh bag scrubbed hands and the soap didnt land in the dirt. Keep one in your camping stuff, then tie it to the faucet when you get there. Fewer trips to the bathroom! I have lots of fun stories if you want more. Have fun!

DO NOT FEED DUCKS/GEESE NEAR YOUR CAMPSITE--THEY POOP CONSTANTLY. FEED THEM ELSEWHERE!

We went with my daughter when she was 18mo. (Now she's 11yrs!) We had the BEST time and still talk about how much we enjoyed it! Suggestion... take a good food selection and be ready to do little and just enjoy the little things.

Any age is a great time to camp...packn'play idea was a good one and it fits in most tents, for car camping. This age loves to explore so we always had someone assigned to baby and sometimes put a "puppy dog backpack" that had a looong tail for times we wanted little guy close without wandering (looks like a stuffed animal and we got it at Target) When we were hiking and he wasn't in the backpack baby thought it was fun and made him feel secure. We just tucked him in to his own sleeping bag when we did this trip. He was fine and had a great time. Enjoy!

It is a great idea! Just make sure that your first trip is not too ambitious( keep the trip fairly short, close to home, easy to get to) and that you pack carefully so that she has all she needs. We bought a big tent and put the pack-and-play in it. That way our daughter has a safe sleeping space that she is used to. Have fun!

I agree with your previous posts, however I must add that I find it exhausting to go camping with a toddler. The age of three is a wonderful time to start camping. I do not mean to discourage you from camping, but perhaps you should take a superyard to contain baby while you prepare meals, etc. The backpack baby carrier is a wonderful idea and you could probably find one at a resale shop.

Great idea! We've been camping 3 times with our son, who was 11 months the first time. It was "car camping" each time and he LOVED it. Of course you have to change your expectations from when it was just the two of you. We do have a backpack he can ride in so we were able to go on short hikes, and he loved seeing all the stars and animals. We have a two person tent and once when we went it got down to freezing, so all 3 of us were in the tent, plus our dog at our feet. We were warm and cozy! Another time we went and it was warm so my husband slept in a hammock while my son and I were in the tent. It does take him a long time to calm down when he isn't in his own crib, so that is a little frustrating, but the experience and learning was all worth it. If you do try it and it's not so great, don't let it discourage you from trying again when he's a little older. My parents took me and my sister all the time when we were young and we've both grown up to enjoy and appreciate the outdoors.

I say go for it. With our kids we did everything we wanted to and it never was a problem. Yes, you have to watch her closely but if you start now by the time they are a little older it will be much easier on you.

Have a great time!
Deb

We camped with my son in my parents camper when he was 1 year 4 months. He had a great time. Made sure he wore a life jacket any time we were around water whether for swimming or not.

We have since taken him to the Guadalupe River tent camping (first time when he was 3). We even floated the river with him on a 7 hour float. He loved it all. We went again the next year with extended family that included my niece who was 3 that year. We have now gone with a large group of friends for the past 2 years (my son was 6 and 7 years). Most of our friends have kids around his age. They have a blast together.

Preparation is key. Bring things to keep her occupied, a little scooter/tricycle will be so much fun for her. Plenty of clothes, medications for every possible thing, snacks, etc. As long as y'all stay calm and enjoy yourselves, she will too.

We camped with our kids when they were toddlers, they are 3 and 5 now and we have been going their whole lives. Some ideas - take a rake so you can sweep out your campsite of leaves and debris and you'll feel better about putting her down to crawl around. If she doesn't have any old play clothes go to Goodwill/resale shop and get her some you don't mind getting dirty. We set the pack-n-play up right inside the tent. I put together a "breakfast bag" to keep inside the tent cause they wake up so early and you don't want to have to get out of the tent and be hunting thru the car/cooler at 6am:). You could wear her in a backpack for hikes, maybe you could borrow one if you don't have one. Also helps for when you are setting up camp, cooking, etc. to not have them toddling around. That's all I can think of for now - have fun!

You are not crazy at all! Do it! We went camping with our children (4 and 14 months at the time). It was easy. We did take the pack 'n play for naptime (our tent was pretty large). We also took our Fisher Price Healthy Time strap on high chair. We strapped it to the picnic table with no problems. They are easy at this age because they can't get away from you too fast. The only thing that worried me is that she wasn't as stable on her feet back then (unstable ground). She did fine though. The fire was a little worrisome too. I also carried her around in my baby carrier. That helped get her to sleep at night so she wouldn't scream her head off in the pack 'n play and bother those next to us.

No I don't think it is crazy to camping with a 15mo old infact a may be a better experience than you possibly think or anyone else for that matter. My husband and I are also campers. We've not done tent camping but we've done pop-up, trailer, and motorhome. We went when our baby was 7mo and just recently here at a year. It was a very good experience for us. I just made sure we stuck with her routine as well as had a place for her to nap and sleep and it was great. It was different for her plus visually stimulating. It kept her interest and she actually slept better because of being outside more and being active than just playing at home. We had to watch her of course but you have to watch them regardless so I think the different place and activities was really good for her and us. We have plans to do a lot more. Go For It! Have fun with it and Enjoy It!