Campers: Give this non-camper your best advice for an enjoyable time

[artvandalay]

I have never slept in a tent. I've only done cabins. We are getting ready for a camping trip this month in a state park.

Gear-wise we have a large 6 person tent and a screen room. I have a one year old, I will be bringing a pack n play for her to sleep in. All 4 of us have sleeping bags, but they are pretty warm ones... it's getting quite warm here, wondering if they will be too hot? I also have an air mattress.... should I bother bringing it? We have a few lanterns and a headlamp. Our site has a hook up. We have a large cooler so we should be ok foodwise.

Anything special I should bring? I don't know what to expect with the shower situation. I"m looking forward to this trip because I think it will be fun, but because I've never done it not sure what to expect. I hope I enjoy myself. I kind of hate insects so I hope it's not too buggy. DH has camped many times and comes from a family of hard-core campers.

[ellies mom]

Air mattress. And make sure your air pump can inflate it enough to make it comfy. Ours just doesn't have enough omph to fill it up quite enough. You definitely want a warm blanket or unzipped sleeping bag between you and the air mattress. We sometimes just use sheets and blankets rather than sleeping bags because inevitably the kids end up joining us.

Showers- quarters and flip flops you don't mind getting wet. Travel size stuff comes in handy. Other than that it depends on the camp ground. Some have nice mirrors and outlets. Some don't. Some have dry areas near the showers for your stuff, some don't. It can be pretty hit or miss. Most of the time that we camp these days, we are fairly close to the house (my parents come up here and we camp local to us) so I usually find some excuse to shower at home.

[kdeunc]

I agree with taking the air mattress. Sleeping on a rock is no fun! For me, unless it is a long trip (which thankfully doesn't occur often :wink2:) I just "spot clean" and shower at home. Most of my recent camping has been overnight Cub Scout related. If I were going to shower I would definitely take flip flops. Can you tell that I am a slightly unenthusiastic tent camper? :) I hope that you have a great time!

[larig]

I have never slept in a tent. I've only done cabins. We are getting ready for a camping trip this month in a state park.

Gear-wise we have a large 6 person tent and a screen room. I have a one year old, I will be bringing a pack n play for her to sleep in. All 4 of us have sleeping bags, but they are pretty warm ones... it's getting quite warm here, wondering if they will be too hot? I also have an air mattress.... should I bother bringing it? We have a few lanterns and a headlamp. Our site has a hook up. We have a large cooler so we should be ok foodwise.

Anything special I should bring? I don't know what to expect with the shower situation. I"m looking forward to this trip because I think it will be fun, but because I've never done it not sure what to expect. I hope I enjoy myself. I kind of hate insects so I hope it's not too buggy. DH has camped many times and comes from a family of hard-core campers.

1. I think your sleeping bags may be okay, depending on how cold it gets at night. I'd take a sheet for each too, then you can cover with a sheet if it's too hot.
2. definitely take the air mattress, IMO, but I am a bit of a princess when I camp--either I sleep on a mattress or in the car, which I don't mind at all.
3. with the hook up bring a long heavy-duty extension cord. I've seen hook ups a ridiculous distance from where you'll set your tents.
-also think about how you will wash dishes. A dish tub or something you can fill with water. Dr. Bronners is good camp soap.
-I take spices, salt & pepper.
4. shower will likely be in a common bathroom--possibly coin-operated. Take some change.

[Pear]

As a non-camper who has been roped into camping more than I like

Definitely bring the air mattress
Plan meals for as little actual cooking and cleanup as possible. I find doing dishes while camping to be a special kind of torture. Frozen stews are good. Mix up dumplings in a baggie and drop them in the pot to cook.
Mat to try to keep dirt and sand from tracking into tent

[artvandalay]

3. with the hook up bring a long heavy-duty extension cord. I've seen hook ups a ridiculous distance from when you'll set your tents.
.

oh wow.. i'm glad you mentioned this... putting on my list right now!

[LearningAsWeGo]

Ingredients for Smores! They are the key to a successful camping trip for me :)

[ThreeofUs]

-A small, dim light for those wake ups with the baby.
-Mosquito netting and baby-friendly bug deterrant.
-A couple of diaper-changing "stations" - in toolboxes or other easily portable packages (because critters love baby stuff).
-some type of fairly thick blankets for the little one to crawl on, for wet/dirty/buggy ground
-a comb for checking for ticks, with tweezers and alcohol
-a first aid kit; make sure you have *everything* you need - benadryl included

Where are you going to be? Call the rangers there and ask them what they suggest for the area and for your family.

Oh, one last thing: know beforehand how to get to the nearest
-hospital ER
-drug store
-ranger station
just in case.

ETA: Food storage.
-I always cook ahead and freeze (usually in individual portions, in wax or parchment paper, or aluminum foil if they're going on the grill to warm up). Can't stand the slave work of dishes while tent camping.
-Coolers. I usually have a daily cooler (food and snacks for the day, some defrosting and keeping the other stuff cold), a drinks cooler - these are soft-sided - and a hard-sided "trip duration" cooler.
-Anything food smelly should be in a plastic or metal box. Animals and insects will do anything they can to get to your food, if they can smell it. Even at night, kwim?

[weech]

We just took our 1 year old camping for the first time last weekend and the one thing I would definitely take again is the Superyard. DS wanted to explore and be on the ground and whatnot so the superyard was perfect. Also kept him away from the campfire.

Enjoy!

[7pages]

Bring antibacterial hand cleaner b/c they usually don't have soap in the bathrooms. Yuck!
If you have electric at the site, bring a small fan, it'll provide white noise and some air if it's hot!
A baby carrier or baby backpack would be handy too so if you want to go for a hike, your arms can get a break!
Good luck and have fun!

[elephantmeg]

take the air matress, take the air matress, take the air matress! And get twin ones for the older kids. OK. And sheets. And small battery fans. And lots of mosquito repellant.

For baths for the 1 year old we loved that inflatable ducky bathtub (I think I got it at target). We bathed DS in that until we had a camper with a bathtub.

A water cooler for water and maybe one with handwashing water (not sure how far away the bathrooms are-should be pretty close if you have hookups.

We use christmas lights strung in or on the tents for light.

Some clothesline can be pretty useful too-to dry out stuff

Plastic bags for dirty clothes

Lots of trash bags

Tin foil to make packet meals if desired

Travel size toiletries in those dorm style baskets work best. If you can find those soap holders on a rope they are awesome (your in-laws might have some you can steal). I generally plan on 1 towel per person per day plus a couple. I generally have a couple left over but that's all. It's generally a challenge to get stuff both dry and still clean. Either someone knocks it off the line, a surprise shower gets it or someone drags it in the mud on the way back from the shower...

a small charcoal grill or propane grill if you have it. Cooking is almost another whole post. lol.

[ljackson]

Slip-on shoes are easiest for not tracking dirt into the tent and middle of the night bathroom runs.

[ThreeofUs]

And small battery fans.


Oh, yeah. Get as many of these as you can!

[artvandalay]

Oh, yeah. Get as many of these as you can!

So these are better than tent fans? DH went out to see if he could find a tent fan (that hangs from the cord inside the tent). I have seen a few online that included a small light... I think one was from Coleman. Reviews were mixed.

Where do you put these small fans in your tent if they don't hang?

ETA : something like this is what I was thinking of getting but reviews are not great

http://www.amazon.com/Deluxe-Camping-Combo-LED-Lantern/dp/B003SXLW7Q/ref=sr_1_4?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1307324010&sr=1-4

[ladysoapmaker]

Bring the air mattress. Nothing is worse then trying to sleep when you have that rock or twig, you didn't get removed from underneath the tent, digging into you.

I have a set of cheap towels we use for camping, they double as floor rugs, ground cloth, and general wiping the kids down cloths. And it doesn't matter if they get stained.

Depending on how old the kids are or how active your bladder is, bring a potty chair and some kitty litter. THis way you don't have to hike all the way to the restroom/out house/port-a-potty in the middle of the night. I do know they sell "adult" sized ones. They are essentially a toilet seat on a 5 gallon bucket. The kitty litter is so no one realizes/hears you potty in the middle of the night.

If there is a beach/swimming pool near by bring rope to string a drying line. and get a few clothes pins. The kids swim suits stay up so much better that way.

Have fun and good luck,
Jen

P.S. I probably could think of some more but I need to go to bed.

[artvandalay]

I want to thank everyone for all these ideas! I am writing down all of your suggestions! Thank you...

[hannah]

Hammocks and camp chairs
Marshmallow roasting sticks
citronella candle

[alexmommy]

Air mattress is a must. Haven't been camping with kids, but keep it simple with food. We eat oats for breakfast anyway, so put pre-measured amounts in ziploc bags. pre-measured is good. Also, roasted potatoes (with onions, carrots, and other stuff you like) with aluminum foil is good. Be sure you bring displosable plates/napkins/bowls/plasticware or camping-quality stuff. We just use a bowl for each person and cheap metalware. We also like the 'just add water' pasta or rice side dishes that don't require milk (or bring along powdered milk). Be sure you have enough blanket layers for either hot or cool nights or in between. And, above all, expect to get dirty, bug-bitten, and for your food to taste/smell like smoke, but do have a good time and enjoy each other. For inspiration, check out humorous short stories by Patrick McManus (one of my all-time favorite authors).

[larig]

Hammocks and camp chairs
Marshmallow roasting sticks
citronella candle

Yeah, the marshmallow roasting stick SEEMS like a frivolous thing (i.e., why not just use a stick?), but there are many places where you are not allowed to use fallen material to burn.

[maestramommy]

If you have an air mattress, I would bring it. Whatever can make you more comfortable when sleeping, yknow? Dh and I only have down bags, so in a warm weather situation we'd sleep in our bag liners on top of the sleeping bags. A bag liner is like a sleeping bag, but it's made out of a sheet.

If your entire camping hasn't been camping, and you don't cosleep, keep your expectations low re: your DC going to sleep as normal. BTDT and it can be so frustrating if you kids think it's party time :tongue5:

[ThreeofUs]

So these are better than tent fans? DH went out to see if he could find a tent fan (that hangs from the cord inside the tent). I have seen a few online that included a small light... I think one was from Coleman. Reviews were mixed.

Where do you put these small fans in your tent if they don't hang?



These small fans are finger-safe - if they aren't, don't buy them! - and they can go anywhere. Say, like blowing a little breeze over hot bodies trying to sleep in a tent. :)

We always take a few to create air movement in the tent, cause our kids (and I) just. don't. sleep. if it's stuffy.