Top Camping Products
I don’t know about you but with kid #1 I easily could have packed the whole house (and then some) to go camping for the weekend. Toy mat? Need it. Exersaucer? Mmhm. Diaper Genie? Duh…
And then came along kid #2… Diapers? Check. Snacks? Obviously. Wipes? Forgot them…
I definitely learned what was necessary, and my husband was very thankful that I learned what was NOT necessary! So let me help you out here. I have come up with a list of my favourite camping items for babies/toddlers:
Jolly Jumper. I get it, jolly jumper’s aren’t exactly the most compact item to pack around but trust me they are so worth it. My oldest son used to spend hours upon hours jumping outside the camper. We even took it to the lake with us and let him jump with his toes in the water which he loved!
Sit Me Up Chair. This was hands down one of THE BEST purchases I made with my first child. They fold up flat so they are compact and perfect for travelling. And a bonus: they come apart easily so you can just throw it in the wash once you get home. We used it as a chair to feed the babies in, and also brought it with us to the beach, to picnics, etc.
My oldest hanging out in his Sit Me Up chair.
Portable Sun Tent or Umbrella. Babies shouldn’t spend time in direct sunlight, and even for toddlers you want to create as much shade for them as possible. That’s why umbrella’s are so useful. They don’t have to be fancy - I think mine was $20 from Walmart! But it folds up into a bag and is easy to pull out wherever and whenever you need it. Another option is a portable sun tent. This is actually a new purchase for me in 2021 and I cannot wait to use it. I was with a couple of friends who had them last year and they are a game changer for babies. Not sure what I’m talking about? Check out the picture below!
Lounging in the shade at the beach last year.
Noise Machine & Fan. Noise machines are a necessity, especially when you’re stuck in a little aluminum box with walls so thin you can hear a leaf drop outside. For best noise coverage, place the noise machine between your child’s bed and whatever area you are trying to block noise from (ex. the doorway).
Funny story: when my son was about 1.5 we woke up in the morning to him yelling “NO SQUEAKY SQUEAKY!” Turns out the birds were chirping away outside his window and woke him up!
A fan is also useful to not only block noise, but to create some air flow. RV’s can get warm so having a fan is a really great way to add some ventilation to your child’s sleep space.
Monitor. I don’t know about you but when my child is sleeping I am most definitely not sitting in the camper waiting to hear him wake up. This is prime relaxation time! Video monitors don’t have a very far range, and can sometimes have trouble even reaching as far as the campfire, so I suggest a basic audio only monitor for camping. Personally, I have a video monitor at home, and an inexpensive audio monitor that stays in the camper - one less thing that I need to remember when packing!
Travel High Chair. This isn’t really a necessity until your baby is starting to eat solids, but they are so helpful! My biggest suggestion is to get one with a hard tray. I have found the fabric trays tend to sag once any weight is put on the seat (aka your child..) and all of the food ends up falling down onto their lap. I have a Summer Infant travel chair (pictured below), but have seen many people use a basic folding high chair from Walmart.
Enjoying a snack in her travel high chair.
Blankets. I have a whole stack of blankets in the camper that I don’t mind if they get wrecked (think: dirt, sand, burn holes from the campfire). I pull them out for the beach, for cuddling up around the campfire, and for a play space on the ground wherever you might need.
Sun Safety Items. It is not recommended to use any sunscreen products on babies under 6 months, so you need to be very careful that they are not in the direct sun. Once they hit that 6 month mark it is important to use products to keep them safe. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends using a sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, choosing one that protects against both UVA & UVB rays, and is water-resistant. For best protection: limit your sun exposure between 10am - 4 pm, wear hats and light clothing to cover up, and reapply sunscreen often!
Toys. Don’t stress about bringing a whole bunch of toys. Think about a couple bigger items that will keep them entertained, and then foster their imagination with things they can find outdoors. I have found that having specific toys that stay in the camper all year creates a bit of excitement and anticipation to play with them, which means they are far less likely to get bored of them. The most used toys we have are a bin of Duplo LEGO pieces, and a water table!
Parenting hack: put the LEGO out on a blanket or outdoor mat and once the kids are done playing with it grab the sides of the mat, create a tunnel, and dump them back into the bin! No more picking up individual LEGO pieces.
A water table is guaranteed to keep them busy for hours on end!
Snacks. This might be a given but I cannot say it enough. Never run out of snacks. Kids get hungry (or hangry) so just keep an unlimited supply of snacks to avoid that! Beach snacks, unpacking/setting up the camper snacks, going for a walk snacks… Just all the snacks!
And last but definitely not least:
Slumber Pod. Another tent style recommendation, except this one is for sleep! I ordered the Slumber Pod with my second child because we had a couple trips planned and I was panicking about how it might affect my daughters sleep. This thing did not disappoint! It got some funny looks and eye rolls from my parents generation (“we didn’t have things like that when you guys were little…”) but my daughter slept AMAZING! Not only did we use it for camping, but we have used it in hotels, at friends houses, and have even taken it to Mexico & Phoenix.
Our Slumber Pod setup in Mexico. Even with the blinds open and sun shining through, it is completely dark in their sleep space!
Do you have any other camping must haves? Leave your suggestions in the comments below!
