Camping with Toddlers Checklist: Must-Haves and Pro Tips!

_{By Brianna Leonhard • June 4, 2022 • Updated January 2023}

Camping with toddlers can be the most exciting thing you do this year, assuming that you are the slightest bit prepared for this trip. If you are used to camping by yourself (or with adults only) then the addition of toddlers can definitely be a game changer. However, our “Camping with Toddlers Checklist”, must-have items, and pro tips can get you ready in no time!

Preparing for Camping with Toddlers

There are a few things you should do before going camping with toddlers. These same tips apply to camping trips with kids who are a little older if this is their first time camping.

Pro Tip #1: Go camping before you go camping

Toddlers are creatures of habit. Well, let’s be honest, most adults are too. A toddler’s habits tend to be simpler than an adult’s though. They revolve around sleeping, eating, and playing. That’s pretty much all they do and they usually have routines or familiar places that they do these in.

So, get them ready for a new place with new routines by going camping in your backyard. When I say that, I mean actually eat dinner outside, play outside, change a diaper outside, put pjs on outside, and sleep outside. It sounds nothing like an enjoyable camping trip and you’re not wrong. But, it gives you concrete ideas of things you need to plan for, or adjust, before you really head out into the wilderness.

Pro Tip #2: Go camping close by before you head out to the ultimate destination

So after a close by trip you’ve now gone camping twice but you haven’t actually gone to the spot that’s on your list. Trust me when I say the more prep you’ve done, the better. Find a local campsite (I can assure you there is one within an hour or two of your house) and try out a one night camping trip.

Again, take note of all of the things you would do differently and plan ahead for the big trip. For example, it turns out we have a child afraid of the owl hoots in our backyard. Our sound machine accompanied us the next time around.

Camping with Toddlers: Tent, Camper, or RV?

Some people have very strong opinions on the best way to camp with a toddler. We are extremely light packers and minimalists when it comes to travel reservations. So, know that before reading the rest of this section.

You can camp with a toddler anywhere in anything. There, I said it. Guys it really doesn’t matter. If you happen to have an RV lying around then by all means, use that bad boy. If you only have a 4 person tent then that will work just the same.

Toddlers are not impressed by creature comforts so you do not NEED an enclosed, climate controlled space. Like I said, if you already have one then obviously go for it (and we are all a little jealous). If you don’t, please know that they will be fine unless you’ve planned a tent camping trip to the Arctic Circle.

What do you need when camping with toddlers?

As in, what do you have to have to survive in the forest with small humans? If you are looking for the list of fun things you can buy to make your trip as easy as possible then you should head down to the “Fun Haves but not Must Haves.”

Something to sleep in and something to sleep on

You will need something to sleep in (tent, RV, camper, your car) and something to sleep on, just as you would if toddlers were not present. The tricky part comes with selecting these things.

Tent

There are way too many tent choices out there right now. We personally prefer a 2 room cabin tent that has a built in room divider. That gives us the option of sleeping separate from our kids (if all the stars align). We recommend this one:

You absolutely do not need two rooms to sleep in though. A basic alternative that will work just as well is this one (see picture below). This is your basic, under $100 tent that easily sleeps 4 full-sized people. We travel with two toddlers and have borrowed one of these – its’ definitely doable.

Pro tip #3: An easy way to cool off a tent during the summer is to drape a blanket over it (I’m thinking for daytime naps for little ones). The thicker the blanket the better as it absorbs more of the light and heat. Not too heavy though because you don’t want to weigh down your tent and possibly bend your frame.

Sleeping Bags, Sleeping Mats, and Air Mattresses

Here’s another good debate topic: what do they need to sleep in? Ultimately, toddlers need to be relatively comfortable and warm/cool, depending on the season. We sleep in sleeping bags or on sleeping mats. We also know quite a few people who bring air mattresses so it’s really a mater of personal preference.

We use these sleeping bags because we normally only camp when the weather cools off. I do not enjoy summertime temperatures or summertime mosquitos. However, if you do, then you would want to invest in a cooler sleeping bag that is not as insulated. I would recommend this one for warmer temps (or a lightweight camping blanket).

I have found it difficult to find a toddler-sized sleeping bag that actually holds up to chilly nighttime temperatures (if you have one you love please link in the comments). Most of them are great for sleepovers but not very weather sturdy. I can fit our tiniest toddler in my sleeping bag (she is almost 2) but our almost 4 year old needed his own.

We ended up buying him an adult-sized sleeping bag that was warmer and more insulated than the kid versions.

Pro tip #4: Rubber band or tie off the extra sleeping bag below your toddler’s feet. This will keep all of that extra air out and keep it warmer inside the sleeping bag.

We use these camping pads because we already had two of them before children so we just grabbed a couple more.

I will say that it is difficult to keep the edges up against each other at night when everyone is moving. Many mamas have a snuggly toddler who like to straddle the line between her pad and mama’s pad. That toddler may end up on the ground because she “fell through” the two mats. If that sounds like your family then you might want to explore an air mattress!

I have a couple of friends who have this exact mattress and use it for their family of four (two of which are under the age of 4) inside their tent. Just make sure that you get a mattress that either has a built in battery pump or a built in foot pump. It comes in different sizes and with different types of pumps so you should be able to get what you want.

_{Hint: If the mattress is super cheap then that probably means you will end up blowing it up yourself unless you buy a separate pump (but we’re packing lightly, remember?)}

Sleep Sack (if cold weather camping)

I relate sleep sacks to sleeping bags which is why I included them here instead of in the clothing list. A sleep sack can give your little one a little extra warmth if you are camping outside in temperatures below 50 degrees. You’d be surprised how chilly 47 degrees feels after you’ve been outside in it all night!

There are a few different options to choose from. The first one is a thick, quilted sleeping bag with legs that is super warm and super soft. The second option is more of a wearable blanket that is fleece. The third option is also a wearable blanket but made of very soft (and warm) muslin.

If you are looking for more of a traditional sleeping bag for babies or younger toddlers, then you should check this one out:

It feels just like a sleeping bag and zips up in the front. It allows movement of the feet while also keeping arms and legs warm!

Other camping with toddler sleeping tips

For us, it is really important to think about our bedtime routine at home and try to replicate that while camping. Our kiddos use a sound machine at home so we make sure we bring one when camping. We have this one and love it!

It clips easily to pack and plays, cribs, beds, and even the support rods for tents. We love that this one is small and can hang anywhere. It is not sonic boom loud but definitely loud enough to get the job done!

Looking for the best baby monitor for camping? Check out our post here!

In addition to a sound machine, we make sure we have a favorite stuffed animal, their blankets from their beds, and some books to read at night. If you are looking for a way to make the tent darker (especially during summer months when it stay light for longer) we recommend a moving blanket. It’s not too heavy but also thick enough to block out light. We use this one:

Pro tip #5: we also bring a couple of these to sit on at our campsite, rather than bringing a bunch of chairs. They are huge and work well for playing on, eating on, or just relaxing!

Food, Snacks, & Drinks

I cannot stress this enough: keep meals simple. All of them. Keep all meals simple. There is truly no need to pack up half of your pantry and half of your dishes to be able to cook 4-6 meals outside. To do this, we pack simple foods to eat while on a camping trip.

Our list usually includes: oatmeal (made with boiling water over a fire), bananas and apples for snacks, peanut butter sandwiches and chips for lunch, and other boxed meals for dinner that use boiling water. It really makes such a huge difference when you pack lightly for meals. It also virtually eliminates clean-up!

A few things we do bring with us are a Coleman camping stove, a pot for boiling water, and some coking utensils. A very low-cost option for a camping stove is this one. It is a single burner stove that packs up so easily! You will also need to purchase butane fuel to use the stove.

We also bring large jugs of water or bottled water (not the most eco-friendly option but its easy) to make sure we have enough fresh water for the trip.

Clothing for all occasions

This will depend on your children, the forecasted weather, and their tolerance for changes in temperature. We typically pack a seasonally appropriate outfit for each day we will be gone. So, if it is summer, we pack three summer outfits for a 3-day trip. We also add a couple of extra opposite season outfits because they seem to always be needed. We always bring a rain jacket and rain boots, as well as closed-toed shoes for tromping through the woods.

A general rule is to pack a few more pieces than you think you’ll need in case someone falls in the mud or loses a sock.

Pro-tip #5: Two must-haves for this trip are lights and bug spray. We thought camping lights for toddlers should be fun so we bought these for our last trip and they loved them. For bug spray, we have used regular Off! as well as Badger (organic and deet-free). Both worked really well!

Bathing, Toileting, and Storage

If you are at a campsite that has a shower station and toilets then this section won’t be necessary for you. However, if you are “roughing it” like we have done a couple of times, then you need a plan in place for washing and for using the bathroom. For young toddlers who need some assistance with using the bathroom outside, we recommend bringing a travel potty with you.

The OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty is a perfect travel potty for toddlers. It folds up, easily wipes clean, and can be used with disposable bags. Another awesome feature about the OXO travel potty is that the legs fold out so that it can be used on a standard toilet as well. It really is the perfect travel potty!

Bathing and storage go together for us because we use our storage containers as small bathtubs! Seriously! First of all, we bought these storage totes that are clear and waterproof. Clear because we can easily see what is in each tote and waterproof because we leave them out at the campsite for easy access.

These totes also double as amazing tiny tubs for out toddlers! We often pack an extra empty one and stack it with another one for easy transport.

Camping Toys

If you are taking toddlers camping, then you really do not need anything else. The dirt, leaves, rocks, water, etc. are all way more exciting to them than any toy you could bring. In fact, we used to bring a bag of travel toys with us when we went camping but they never got used (which we are 100% okay with). Now, we bring a dump truck, a few books, a couple of shovels, and an explorer kit. That’s it!

We recommend this explorer kit:

It comes with a lot of explorer tools (most of which have duplicates which is great for more than one kiddo) and it has no unnecessary things like vests, hats, etc.

How do I entertain my 2 year old for camping?

Easy. You let them explore. The best way to entertain a 2 year old for camping is to let them entertain themselves. You’d be surprised at how easily that is done in nature. Let them investigate bugs, dirt, rocks, etc. Show them how to build with sticks. The possibilities are endless!

Fun haves but not must haves when camping with toddlers

I think I made a new phrase and I like it. There are plenty of things that you could buy to make your trip a little easier if that is in your budget. It usually isn’t in ours so I don’t personally own any of these things. However, I used recommendations from friends and family who do own these things so I can feel good about recommending them to you!

Toddler Camping Chair

These are great for younger toddlers who need a steady shelf to eat on or play on. They are small and only sit a few inches off of the ground. This would be a great investment if you have new walkers or busy toddlers who have trouble sitting and eating on the ground.

Toddler Snack Holders

These are perfect for busy bees who are prone to snack spillage. They are lightweight, easy for little hands to hold, and super affordable. These toddler snack holders by Munchkin are also eco-friendly and prevent the need for individually packaged snacks!

Kids Inflatable Airbed

If you are going the air mattress route and your kids have their own “room” in the tent, then you should check out these inflatable mattresses for kids! They are about 3′ x 5′ so the perfect size for most kiddos!

Kids Lanterns

These are a really fun addition to a campsite because they add a pop of color, some extra light, and something for the kids to turn on and off.

Toddler Binoculars/Kids Binoculars

Binoculars make exploring so much more fun! These also present a great opportunity to go on a scavenger hunt, play I Spy, or view some animal habitats up close.