Camping With A Baby

There have been so many things I feel cheated about this year. The ultimate cheat lies in the experiences of my year at home with Daniel. We no sooner started going to story time at the library, going to music classes, and sitting up in high chairs at restaurants when the world came to a grinding halt. We have made the best of it and we’re healthy and that is all that truly matters anyway. Recently, my parents invested in a big and beautiful new camper so we are going to load up memories by taking our baby camping! Sounds intimidating but camping with a baby is easier than you think!

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Our first trip camping with Daniel was actually not for his benefit at all. I turned 30 this month and with no festivities possible on the horizon, my mom and husband concocted a plan to go beach camping to celebrate. 

This plan spiraled into my parents trading in their modest camper for a behemoth camper. Our family has been camping for as long as I can remember. Our tents graduated to a pop-up camper, which evolved into the modest version and now has completely transformed into full-on glamping (glamorous camping, if unfamiliar with the term).

I was apprehensive about taking my 10 month old monster (er, baby), camping. We took him to Disney as an almost 5 month old right before the pandemic took over so I wasn’t too worried about packing. If you’re going to take your baby camping here’s a short list of things that will make the whole experience, be it tent camping or glamping, way easier and pleasurable for the whole family!

1. A safe place to sleep

• Sleep is always my number one concern with Daniel. I am a little traumatized still by the 4 month sleep regression and his overall distaste for a decent nap. Daniel is sleeping in his pack and play in our room until he turns one. During the day, he naps in his crib so he can and will sleep in both places. The pack and play was the best bet for camping because it was safe and he was accustomed to it. They make smaller mini cribs for you to tote along when on the go as well. If your baby is smaller, you can also bring a bassinet. When we went to Disney we brought the bassinet since that is where he slept at home.

2. A sturdy place to eat

• If your baby is not eating yet then this is something you do not have to worry about. You will just need a comfy place to sit to bottle or breast feed your baby. Daniel is eating and he is a super active eater so having something sturdy was important. We use this portable high chair at my mom’s house and it seats right on a chair. For camping, she bought him this awesome collapsible high chair. We were able to feed him inside and outside and now she uses it at her house as well. It is also a good idea for restaurants if they will accommodate you (since you wouldn’t have to put your baby in something you have to extra sanitize and wipe down).

3. Creature comforts

• Daniel is at that age where he is developing “favorites.” I made sure I packed a couple of his favorite things to play with. He loves this simple rainbow stacker, his o-ball, and some select infantino balls and blocks (especially the “moon ball”). I also tossed in a couple extra of his favorite pacifiers, sound machine, and cozy sleep bag.

4. Entertainment

• I swore I was going to be a mom who limited screen time or just didn’t allow any screen time whatsoever. Let’s be honest though, sometimes you just have to pop that Moana on and let her serenade your baby for a minute just to take a drink of water. We road tripped for a our first camping trip so I made sure I downloaded Dan’s favorite movies (Moana and Frozen II) on my iPad just in case he did not nap long enough in the car (spoiler, he did not nap long enough in the car). We also like to watch to wind down for the day or if we need some of our favorite tunes.

5. Outside Toys

• This is camping, after all. I made sure we invested in some toys specific for the outside. Things like buckets, shovels, and sand toys were important since we were going to the beach. They are perfect for any other camping experience as well. In the summer, I would definitely recommend a small splash pool for your little to play in. We also had dish bins and basins to fill with water and play with toys.

6. Restraints

• Daniel cannot be contained. He is pretty hell bent on combat crawling anywhere once he has his eyes set on a target. He can also stand up next to anything he can reach. My mom invested in this playpen which was perfect for him (and our small dog!). He could stand at it without toppling it over and it kept him corralled while were cooking and wilting in the scalding Carolina sun (I mean, enjoying the great outdoors…).

7. Umbrella stroller

• Less is more when it comes to traveling with a baby, especially when you are staying in close quarters. We rarely drag the stroller that came with our travel system when we are going somewhere for an extended period of time. I love that stroller, but the ease and portability of our umbrella stroller is perfect for longer trips. We splurged on a higher end model that will last us longer and it is still comfortable enough to nap in for a walk for Daniel.

8. Aquaphor, always 

• Don’t forget the basics. I would remiss not to mention the fact that you need diapers, wipes, and Aquaphor. Any type of extreme exposure to heat increases the likelihood of diaper rash so I am always loading Danny up with Aquaphor. Camping is an outside adventure so be sure to pack hats, sunscreen, and shade as well! I also tossed in our baby monitor. I love ours because it does not need wifi or bluetooth so it was easy to just plug in closest to him and keep an eye while he napped during the day. It can be loud outside so I was happy to be able to see when he woke up.

Lo and behold, Daniel loves camping. He loved crawling around outside, playing with outside toys, and enjoying time with his family. Camping wore him out. I was afraid he was going to sleep poorly (he’s a notoriously crap sleeper), but alas he slept so good during the day and at night. If you’re worried about disrupting their schedule, don’t be! You’re camping with a baby! Kick back, relax, and make some memories (and s’mores, definitely s’mores).