3 Tricks for Camping with Infants
Camping with infants involves a little more trunk space and lot more patience
Do you want to give mom a real run for her money? Offer to bring your infant along for Dads & Kids Camping Weekend with the other kids. Sure, it may detract from the activities you’ll be able to participate in, but when your kid is 12 and he can claim he’s been going to Dads & Kids Camping Weekends since he was an infant … those are just serious bragging rights.
Even more, there are things you might want to remind your dads if they are considering bringing infants on their camping trip. You have to take serious precautions when camping with infants (and they may make you reconsider):
Keep baby clean with a Rubbermaid Baby Bathtub – Listen, you’ve got to bring a big ‘ol Rubbermaid tote box with you no matter what, so why not let it double as a baby bathtub? On the camping forums, this is pretty much standard when camping with infants and it keeps baby clean from all the dirt brought up from the older kids running around.
Keep the bugs and sun away with bug spray and sunscreen – You’ve got to take extra good care of your infant when you’re in the woods. This means dressing them in clothes that cover them from head to toe and using a little bug spray to keep them from getting bitten. Nobody likes an itchy baby. Since you’ll be outdoors all day, make sure to load up on the sunscreen as well.
Keep baby happy with clean toys and a pack-n-play – Camping with infants means they’re going to need a lot of attention, but they also can take a lot of naps. Make sure you’ve got a pack-n-play with you if you’re even considering bringing baby along. This will give your arms a rest, and a place for baby to feel comfortable. Bring as many toys as you can pile in there because just like at home, you’ve got to tucker baby out before he’ll fall asleep.
Now let’s go back to this whole group camping thing. Remember that camping with infants isn’t easy, in fact most families skip camping for a few years after they’ve had a baby. If you have older kids, it’s OK to leave baby home with mom for the weekend, because your infant really won’t get as much out of camping as your older kids will.
In many cases, most dads won’t be bringing infants to your Dads & Kids Camping Weekend, but if you or one of your dads are feeling up to it, bring baby along and let the weekend ensue.
Need more information about how to prepare your dads for Dads & Kids Camping Weekend? Download my 45-page Dads & Kids Camping Handbook.