Here’s a list of tips for parents on how to make their camping trips with toddlers more enjoyable.
“Camping with a 1 year old” is a topic that many parents are interested in. There are 11 tips for sleeping safe and sound when camping with toddlers. Read more in detail here: camping with a 1 year old.
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When you’re at home, it’s challenging enough to get your kid to sleep soundly. Another issue is getting her to sleep at all when camping. Don’t let this deter you from going camping with your family and enjoying valuable time together.
Let’s have a look at some of the things you can do to ensure a good night’s sleep for everyone while camping with toddlers.
1 – Inspire Them to Want to Sleep in a Tent
Build up the anticipation of sleeping in a tent before your camping vacation. Set up your tent in the backyard a week or so before your intended vacation if feasible.
Allow your child to sleep with you for a few days, beginning with naps and gradually increasing to at least a couple of nights. Make it a joyful experience for your youngster, and tell him or her that you’ll be doing the same thing on your vacation shortly.
2 – Take Regular Naps
If your toddler is napping at home, she will sleep better at night if she continues to nap while camping. Napping may interfere with your camping plans, causing you to miss out on hiking and swimming in the lake. If at all feasible, though, enforce the sleep rule.
When it comes to getting your kid to sleep at night, consistency is crucial. Make naps a time for you to unwind, whether it’s with a nice book or a snooze in the shade.
3 – Exhaust Them
Wearing your toddler out throughout the day is one of the greatest ways to boost your chances of getting her to fall asleep and remain asleep through the night.
Playing, swimming, and running about the campground will keep her as busy as possible. Your kid will sleep better if she is exhausted.
4 – Darken the Tent’s Interior
Even if your kid goes to sleep easily at home, camping and sleeping in a tent may be more challenging. One of the initial challenges of camping is that the sun rises early and sets late, unless you camp in the early spring or late autumn. Your tent has a lot of light in it.
If your kid is accustomed to sleeping in the dark, she may struggle to close her eyes if the light outside is too bright. Bring a huge blanket to throw over the tent where your youngster is sleeping outdoors.
5 – Stick to Your Bedtime Routine
Try to replicate what you do at home on your camping vacation. Bring your toddler’s favorite sleeping objects, such as her security blanket and stuffed animal. You don’t need to pack everything; just one or two objects that your youngster is accustomed to sleeping with.
Telling a tale or singing to your kid before sleep is something you should do when camping. A nightlight is the same way. You’ll want to carry a nightlight with you if your youngster is accustomed to falling asleep with her small nightlight burning at home.
You may get battery-operated lights that will provide your youngster with a new evening ritual.
These ones from Lumipets are cool since they’re battery driven and available in a variety of animal designs. Otherwise, your youngster will likely be out of sorts and unable to sleep comfortably if your evening routine is different in the tent.
Hopefully, your child will sleep through the night. But be ready if it does occur. Your kid may wake up at home, but she will be in familiar circumstances and will be able to go back down.
She could be scared when she wakes up in a tent, even though you’re right next her. Sing, fetch her a drink, and snuggle her the same way you would at home to get her to sleep again.
6 – Follow Your Bedtime Routine
If you go to bed at 8 p.m. at home, keep the same schedule while camping. It may be tempting to let your child remain up late with the rest of the family, toasting marshmallows by the fire. However, staying up late does not ensure that your kid will sleep in longer the following day, so don’t count on it.
Toddlers seem to have a biological clock that wakes them up at the same time every day. So, no matter what time you put your toddler to bed, she’ll most likely wake you up early, like she does every day, eager to begin another day of fun.
Allowing toddlers to remain up late generally results in a grouchy youngster the following day.
7 – Assist Them in Falling Asleep
How do you keep your child in the tent so she falls asleep now that she’s in it and ready to sleep? If anything is odd about where she’s sleeping, children typically don’t sleep well, and it may take a long for her to feel comfortable enough to sleep alone.
Place your kid in her sleeping sack and snuggle up to her. Before exiting the tent, make sure she’s sound sleeping. If you leave before your child has fallen asleep, she may believe it is OK to resume playing.
If you don’t want to remain in the tent with your child until she falls asleep, bring some fresh books or small toys. Tell her you’ll leave her alone to read or play quietly, but she’ll have to go to bed.
This might backfire, and your child may conclude that this is a chance to remain up all night.
8 – Check to See If They’re Warm Enough
When you’re camping, the weather is always changing. Your toddler’s sleep will be disrupted if she is excessively hot or chilly. And if your kid isn’t sleeping well, no one else is either. Before going on your camping vacation, check the weather forecast and prepare appropriately.
Bring plenty of blankets and clothes. You can always remove layers if your kid feels too warm at night, but adding a blanket or sweater is hard if you didn’t bring any extras.
The following are some warm clothing alternatives for your toddler:
- flannel pajamas with feet
- Long-sleeved underwear
- For children under the age of 18 months, a bunting bag is available.
- Socks, hats, and mittens
Bring extra Socks, hats, and mittens so you’re not without if you misplace the one hat you packed.
If you’re going camping in the winter, invest in an insulated sleeping bag to keep your child warm at night. Bring a couple of tiny warm blankets with you.
These are perfect for placing in your toddler’s sleeping bag, and they’re simple to remove if she becomes too hot while sleeping.
9 – On hotter days, keep the tent cool.
It’s just as difficult to keep your kid cool in a hot tent as it is to keep him warm. The first step is to place the tent in a location that will provide shade during the warmest portion of the day. If this isn’t feasible, keep the tent door and windows shut to keep the heat out.
During the day, try to keep the tent as dark as possible so it’s cooler inside when it’s time to put your child to sleep. When the temperature begins to drop, open the tent door and windows to allow a breeze of cooler air to flow through the tent.
Reduce or eliminate nighttime camping noise.
Children get used to sleeping with the same sounds or no noise at all around them. The noises of a campground at night may keep your youngster awake if she normally falls asleep in a quiet room.
Choose a campsite distant from the campground’s entrance, restrooms, and picnic spots. Also, if possible, choose a location without loud neighbors, however this may not be possible.
If you don’t have a choice about where you live, you may purchase a white noise machine to help your child sleep better at night. These machines are tiny and portable, making them simple to take with your camping gear. A campsite’s boisterous activities will be drowned out by white noise.
White noise machines are quite affordable, but if you plan on using one at home, it’s worth investing in a beautiful one, such as this sound machine from Hatch Baby, which also functions as a night light and can be controlled from your phone.
If your kid has trouble sleeping with a white noise machine at home, try it for at least a week at home to get her used to it.
Keep Them in the Tent, No. 11
Plan on checking in on your kid a number of times after she’s sleeping, even if you’re right there on the other side of the tent. At least the first night, simply to make sure she’s safe and comfortable.
You probably won’t wake your kid if you look into the tent; most toddlers will sleep through everything once they’re asleep.
The most common worry while camping with a toddler is that she may wake up in the middle of the night and leave the tent.
Even if you’re a light sleeper, a day spent outside may leave you feeling more weary than at home. If your kid wakes up at 3 a.m. and chooses to leave the campground, you may not hear her.
You may connect a bell to the bottom of the tent door zipper after everyone is inside for the night. If your youngster tries to unzip the door, the bell will serve as an alert to wake you up.
You may also position up your sleeping bag in front of the tent entrance. You’ll notice your child crawling up and over you if she attempts to flee.
Good Night!
You and your child are ready to take on the vast outdoors now that you have all of this sleep knowledge. When it comes to sleeping in a tent with your kid, expect the unexpected.
Whatever happens, have fun and build some wonderful memories with your family.
The “camping with 2 year old” is a helpful guide for parents who are camping with their toddlers. The article includes tips on what to do, and how to keep your child safe.
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