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HappyCamper · 10-19-2006, 01:50 PM

Congrats! With our daughters the piece of equipment that we got the most use from was the baby backpack. Once they were old enough to sit upright we did tons of hiking. The nice thing about the backpack was that it was lightweight and when the kids got old enough to walk, they could hike until they got tired and then hop back in. Strollers were too bulky and cumbersome for hikes.

As for camping, we didn't do too much tent camping while they were less than 2 years old. Just a few overnights at local campgrounds and if we ventured further away then we'd mostly stay at hotels. When the girls were 4 and 6 years old, we got much more interested in camping and started tent camping more often and for longer periods of time. The girls loved our camping trips so much that we made the investment in a travel trailer. While I enjoy roughing it, I found that the kids enjoyed the ability to have the best of both worlds -- exploring the great outdoors and the comforts of A/C and Sponge Bob videos. With the girls now 8 and 11, they get psyched up for camping trips and enjoy the familiy time. Hopefully, when they get in their teens and beyond they'll still enjoy camping.

My suggestion, expose your kids to the outdoors early and often. Just keep reasonable expectations as far as how long you're hiking or camping because of the little one's tolerance to heat, physical activity, pests, etc. Also, keep vigilant when outdoors with the little ones.

Happy Camping.

10-19-2006, 01:50 PM	#3
HappyCamper Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 16	Re: Camping with Kiddos Congrats! With our daughters the piece of equipment that we got the most use from was the baby backpack. Once they were old enough to sit upright we did tons of hiking. The nice thing about the backpack was that it was lightweight and when the kids got old enough to walk, they could hike until they got tired and then hop back in. Strollers were too bulky and cumbersome for hikes. As for camping, we didn't do too much tent camping while they were less than 2 years old. Just a few overnights at local campgrounds and if we ventured further away then we'd mostly stay at hotels. When the girls were 4 and 6 years old, we got much more interested in camping and started tent camping more often and for longer periods of time. The girls loved our camping trips so much that we made the investment in a travel trailer. While I enjoy roughing it, I found that the kids enjoyed the ability to have the best of both worlds -- exploring the great outdoors and the comforts of A/C and Sponge Bob videos. With the girls now 8 and 11, they get psyched up for camping trips and enjoy the familiy time. Hopefully, when they get in their teens and beyond they'll still enjoy camping. My suggestion, expose your kids to the outdoors early and often. Just keep reasonable expectations as far as how long you're hiking or camping because of the little one's tolerance to heat, physical activity, pests, etc. Also, keep vigilant when outdoors with the little ones. Happy Camping.