Trailer Camping with Toddlers and Babies
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In our family, we are always on the go. We love to explore new places often and we really love the great outdoors! A few years ago, we decided to buy a travel trailer. Its only 16 ft long and houses all the necessities for our family and holds some of our most valuable memories! We like to go as often as we can, to destinations that are within 3-4 hours. Luckily, we live in New Jersey and are within close reach of the Appalachian Mountains, the Catskills, the Adirondacks, the Poconos and endless shoreline! We have even gone as far as New Hampshire and Vermont, by splitting up the drive, all with a baby (and usually a dog) in tow! Here are some tips on how to make camping and traveling with a little one easier!
First of all, consider where the baby will sleep. For us, there is no place big enough to fit a pack n’ play or anything of that nature. As a baby, each night we would get him to fall asleep in the stroller, so we could continue to sit by the fire, then transition him into the trailer a little later. We have a queen bed and a dinette that converts to a twin. Neither has the proper layout for a bedrail, so one of us would co-sleep and the other would sleep on the dinette. Its not always a perfect system, but when you have limited supplies, you have to adapt and be flexible! Now that our son is a bit bigger, we were able to purchase a bumper that goes under the sheet on the edge of the bed to keep him from rolling out! Just don’t forget to think it through and consider your sleeping situation before you go!
Pack extra blankets! When you go camping, you essentially live outside, other than sleep! Sometimes the evenings and mornings can get cool! In our family, we really love camping in Spring and Fall when it’s a little less buggy and you can enjoy the campfire at night. If you have a sleeping baby, you want them to stay nice and warm, so extra blankets are always essential. Sometimes, you may even consider an old sheet from home, to use for playtimes on the grass or on the beach by the lake. I’ve seen many people put out a playpen with a blanket in the bottom to keep little ones contained to one area. Don’t forget, everything is bound to get dirty while camping, so pack extra and basically just accept the dirt!
Never leave home without sunblock and bug spray. Personally, I bought these items and designated them to my camper, so that I can never forget them. These seem like they should be a no brainer, but if you forget them, you will definitely regret it! Although your campground will typically have a camp store, they don’t usually provide many options. Personally, I go for a more natural brands for my son, and that’s not usually something they offer in a campground general store.
I learned on our very first trip, the importance of stroller covers. I have two types and I leave them in the trunk of my car, since we are outdoors often! The netted ones are cheap and amazing for keeping those nasty bugs off your precious baby’s skin! My son tends to take his naps in the stroller when we are away and this is such a simple solution to keep those unwanted bugs away! Additionally, consider a rain cover! You never know what the weather is going to do, so keep it in the bottom of the stroller. Not only will it keep your little one dry, but it may help keep other valuables, like and phone, dry as well!
That brings me to my next favorite, essential items to bring, rainboots! They are so versatile as your child gets older! I even have a pair for myself, and again, these are items I just leave in the camper. My son loves his boots and he now knows, that if his boots are on, he’s allowed to stomp in some puddles! Most camp sites are not paved, they are dirt. Maybe gravel, but even the gravel tends to gets ditches in it over time. I am not one to let the rain ruin my trip. I just try to embrace it and make the most of it. Not only are the boots good water protection, but they’re easy to slip on and off when going in and out of the camper. They’re also good for playing by the lake or by a stream! For added convenience, get a boot tray! Leave it just outside your camper door and slide it under the camper at night to help keep them dry and keep the mud off the trailer floor!
Toys are a must! Have a toy box, just for camping. Try to pick items that will hold up outside. Choose things that can get dirty and can be easily cleaned off. Consider camping themed toys, like flashlights, bug nets, campers, toy animals and maybe some outdoor activities, like a plastic golf set. Try to only bring things that you can fit in the designated toy box, or in our case, a Rubbermaid container. When towing a trailer don’t forget about your weight limit, so nothing too heavy! The fact that these toys are only used while camping, makes them more special and your little one will be more excited to use them each time. We even got our son his very own marshmallow roasting stick and I usually go to the dollar store for glowsticks for nighttime fun while we’re away!
Don’t forget to stock the car with toys and entertainment as well. We quickly learned, that for every 3 hours’ worth of driving, you can add an additional hour, when towing the trailer. It weighs you down and slows you down, so a long trip gets even longer! My son is a bit of a book worm, so I always put a stash of books in the car. I even try to stick with the theme and bring his camping books! If you don’t have any, look for The Brave Little Camper books or A Camping Spree with Mr. Mcgee! We also have a portable DVD player. I’m not a huge fan of throwing on the TV and letting my kid space out watching it, but in this situation, it can be a life saver! In the past, I’ve always tried to use it as a last resort, when he’d start to get cranky, then let him fall asleep to the sweet whale calls of Dory in Finding Nemo! (his favorite) He doesn’t know it yet, but this year we are getting him a tablet as well. I plan to download some education games and videos for him to use during our car rides!
Snacks galore. Stock the car, stock the camper, stock your purse! I feel like this more of a basic life lesson, once you have kids! Not only is it essential for kids, but I have found its essential for my husband! Towing the trailer adds a lot more anxiety to your road trip, not to mention doing all the hook ups and the packing and preparations. No one wants to be hangry, while hooking up a sewer line! Don’t forget to plan easy foods! We have no oven in our camper, only a gas range and to be honest, it sets off the smoke alarm every time we use it! We tend to eat a lot of sandwiches or foods that were prepared ahead of time and kept in the mini fridge! We also bring our Mickey waffle maker and prepare a magical breakfast for our little guy!
I also recommend bringing the good stroller. I don’t know about you, but we have two strollers. A heavy duty Graco one and then a smaller umbrella stroller. You may think at a time like this, when you are lugging so many things, that it will save on room and weight to bring the smaller stroller. I find it is worth it to bring the big one. The smaller strollers tend to be more difficult to steer and difficult to push on dirt and grass. Our Graco stroller easily rolls over any terrain! Some campgrounds don’t even have paved roads, just dirt! As I mentioned earlier, the stroller is usually my son’s napping quarters when we’re away. It is definitely roomier and cozier for him in the bigger stroller. It has always been well worth toting along with us!
Lastly, you can not forget wipes! Even if your little one is out of diapers, bring extra wipes anyway. They come in handy when your little one has dirty hands and its time to eat. Sometimes you may even use them for wiping down the stroller or their spot at the table (providing you have a water resistant table cloth). You will probably find yourself using them on your own hands as well!
I hope you find these tips helpful. I had to learn some of these things the hard way and I’m sure I will learn more in the upcoming years of camping with my family. Maybe this blog will save you some grief on your next camping adventure! Remember to be open minded and just go with the flow while camping. You never know what the weather will be like, so plans may change! Always try to make the best of it! Even if things go south, you will probably look back on it and laugh someday!
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