Anonymous wrote:We tent camped with my children from infancy. 1.5 is one of the roughest ages. They can move quickly on their own, and you’re close to the road (through the campsites, speed limit is super low, but some people are careless) and a campfire. I don’t mean to sound rude, I know this is a dog training term, but I can’t think of the human equivalent - you need to have them under voice control. If you yell no! they need to stop. My youngest was a bolter that didn’t listen and we took that summer off.

+1

Car camping is so much fun at that age. I’ve been taking my kids camping since the oldest was six months old.

The only caution is around weather- obviously kids are much more sensitive to weather and I watch the forecast closely- if it’s too hot or too cold, we stay home. My friends daughter got heatstroke (mild, thankfully) from a camping trip when she was 2.

We tent camped with my children from infancy. 1.5 is one of the roughest ages. They can move quickly on their own, and you’re close to the road (through the campsites, speed limit is super low, but some people are careless) and a campfire. I don’t mean to sound rude, I know this is a dog training term, but I can’t think of the human equivalent - you need to have them under voice control. If you yell no! they need to stop. My youngest was a bolter that didn’t listen and we took that summer off.

Do it. My parents did it with me and my siblings and I’m doing it with my kids.

I mean it depends how your 1.5 yo is, but our kids are the same ages and we are sticking to cabins one more year. I just think that age is tough because they can’t communicate effectively yet and I can’t imagine trying to get them both to sleep in the tent together.

FWIW we took older DC a couple times before #2 came along, but not at that age. Easy at 8 months, then went when he was 2.5. He loved it at that age but did freak out when he woke up in the middle of the night. None of us really slept.

I did a lot of camping when my kids were little, starting at around 2 or 2.5 for the youngest. How is your 1.5 year old? Will he/she wander out of the tent at night? I would be concerned with that.

NO

Do it. I started with my children before they were 1. They are 3 & 5 now and absolutely love camping. Just know that they won't go to bed until the sun is down and they wake up once the sun is up.

Do it.

It depends of your 1yo is a good sleeper. Mine would sleep anywhere at that age ( and now too , and she is 8) as long as she had her lovey with her.
If my kid had only ever slept in their own crib at home I would not try it.

I would do it. We camped with my youngest from the time he was a baby. He always slept well outside. He is now 4 And we have a 6 month old. We have a few camping trips planned this summer. Think about where the kids will sleep. When my oldest was a baby we car camped and brought a pack and play.

Sounds horrible.

We camped from the time mine were really little. We car camped so we weren't lugging gear. I even took my kids by myself starting when my youngest was about 19 months old. I highly recommend it. There is nothing like being outside all day and sleeping in a tent. It is so great.

Considerations are the right gear - make sure you are going to be warm enough for the area that you are camping. If you are in the mountains it can get really cold at night. Make sure you have a sleeping arrangement. I slept with mine on air mattresses and for naps, my kids typically slept in their strollers. Make sure you take fun stuff for them to do.

If you want lists, just post and I know a lot of us can help you.

I wouldn't with the 1.5 year old. Are you tent camping? Prepare for them not to sleep. Will they leave the fire alone?

We are thinking of taking a camping trip with a 1.5 year old and almost 4 year old. I’m not as much worried about the 4 year old, but will it work out with the 1.5 year old? Has anyone done this before? What should we consider? Any thoughts on what we could do to make it work?