What's your must-have item(s) for camping with toddlers?

[luckymamaoftwo]

We're a camping couple, but have only camped a few times with DD (3) and once with DS (1). We're looking forward to a trip in a few weeks, 3 nights at an alpine lake. I have all the usual things on my packing list (buckets/shovels/bubbles/plenty of food/warm clothes/sunscreen, etc.) but I wondered what other experienced camping mamas regularly packed for several nights away?  

Please share and no restrictions (i.e. don't just think along the lines of food or toys, but anything at all that you've found to be great)!

Oh, and in addition to our first aid kit, I am taking along a non-sting wound wash, extra band aids, ice packs. 

thanks!

[springmum]

Are you tent camping or in a cabin?

I've only camped a couple of times with DS last summer (when he was 2) and only at campgrounds, so I may not have really helpful suggestions.

Extra flashlights/light for the tent. For some reason DS loved the flashlights and kept losing them.

Extra snacks. I found he wasn't big on sitting for the big meals and preferred snacking much more.

Rubber boots/splash pants - the mornings are often wet with dew and cool, so good to keep dry.

Bug catcher/container - b/c there won't be a lack of those!

Glow in the dark bracelets/sticks - a tent neighbour had extra's when we went camping - DS loved them (and it kept him away from the fire when it was dark)

Extra warm stuff for sleeping (blankets) - I forgot how cool it gets at night, even when the days are really hot.

Extra plastic bags - for some reason there were lot's of strange reasons a plastic bag came in handy (wet stuff, garbage etc)

Potty for the tent & extra toilet paper (again plastic bag for garbage)

I'll be interested in other suggestions too :)

[MadiMamacita]

we just got back from our first camping trip of this season. We have camped with DS every summer since he was born ETA: my avatar is a camping picture

BABY WIPES. like a huge, industrial sized bag of them. I rarely use them at home, but they are awesome for camping. I cant stand getting into bed with dirty feet so i use them for that.. great for washing hands and faces.. i even wipe down the dishes before we wash them to cut down on nasty dishwater

I second the "lots of snacks" suggestion. chips and hummus, mandarin oranges, and string cheese are all big around here.

This one I never thought I needed, but my mom got me one of those headlamp flashlights for reading books to ds in the tent. It was so awesome.

I always hit up a cheap thrift store on 50% off day to get DS a camping wardrobe. Know that pretty much everything you take camping will be totally ruined.

Bring more warm clothes than you would imagine you will need. around here, it doesn't ever get very hot in the mountains.

[luckymamaoftwo]

Originally Posted by springmum 

Are you tent camping or in a cabin?

I've only camped a couple of times with DS last summer (when he was 2) and only at campgrounds, so I may not have really helpful suggestions.

Extra flashlights/light for the tent. For some reason DS loved the flashlights and kept losing them.

Extra snacks. I found he wasn't big on sitting for the big meals and preferred snacking much more.

Rubber boots/splash pants - the mornings are often wet with dew and cool, so good to keep dry.

Bug catcher/container - b/c there won't be a lack of those!

Glow in the dark bracelets/sticks - a tent neighbour had extra's when we went camping - DS loved them (and it kept him away from the fire when it was dark)

Extra warm stuff for sleeping (blankets) - I forgot how cool it gets at night, even when the days are really hot.

Extra plastic bags - for some reason there were lot's of strange reasons a plastic bag came in handy (wet stuff, garbage etc)

Potty for the tent & extra toilet paper (again plastic bag for garbage)

I'll be interested in other suggestions too :)

Oooh, thanks! This is exactly what I was looking for! The potty in the tent, extra plastic bags, rubber boots suggestions are awesome and I hadn't thought of them. I'm curious..where does one find glow in the dark sticks? Dollar store?

Thank you, thank you!
 

[luckymamaoftwo]

Originally Posted by MadiMamacita 

 BABY WIPES. like a huge, industrial sized bag of them. I rarely use them at home, but they are awesome for camping. I cant stand getting into bed with dirty feet so i use them for that.. great for washing hands and faces.. i even wipe down the dishes before we wash them to cut down on nasty dishwater


I always hit up a cheap thrift store on 50% off day to get DS a camping wardrobe. Know that pretty much everything you take camping will be totally ruined.
 

 

Great ideas, too! Totally helps to get tips from other camping mamas! thank you!

[LaughingHyena]

The kids love their wind up torches, they don;t stay on that long with the amount the kids wind them but we don't eat through the batteries and have a dark night and the end of the holiday. We also have a wind up lantern, it's not very bright but it is left on all night so the kids feel they can find their torches.

Fleece blankets, we each have one for wrapping up on cold nights, adding over a sleeping bag or whatever. The fleece also drys pretty quickly if they get wet.

When they were smaller we used to take a booster seat with a tray (the sort of thing you attach to a dinning chair) It was great for keeping them in one place to eat. We tried once with just our usual picnic blanket and it was a nightmare trying to stop DD crawling though our dinner! It was also handy for keeping her in one place when we were putting the tent up and so on.

[cwtmommy]

baby wipes and extra healthy snacks

[tjjazzy]

if i took little ones camping (DS1 we did when he was little but DS2 NO WAY), i'd take stroller/carrier/playpen (something to keep them out of the way or from running off when you need some downtime or time to make food or whatever.)

[Honey693]

Extra socks

coloring books and crayons.  DD actually sat at the table and colored while we set up the tent.

[carmel23]

We always pack our little potty--like the little bjorn potty... it comes in handy in the middle of the night! 

And it is nice to have a stroller to strap the little one into when you are setting stuff up--if you have an umbrella stroller or whatever. 

Skip the camp fire if you can--it can be horrible for children's lungs.  If you want to have a fire, have a very small one.  and then put it out....

Have fun :)