Shannon

I'm jumping the gun a little, considering I'm pregnant and won't even meet our bundle of joy for another 5.5 months, but I figured now was as good a time as any to start the thread.

Justin and I, as you well know, have always been avid outdoors enthusiasts. Time and resources have affected how often we camp over the past nearly 18 years together (8 years married as of Dec. '06), but with a little one on the way, we're both looking forward with newfound interest to bringing that back into our lives and sharing it with a new soul who hasn't experienced the joys of the outdoors yet.

Obviously, we won't be camping with a newborn who's just a couple months old, but I was wondering when the parents out there started introducing your children to camping, hiking, etc. I already know that a good baby carrier front/backpack and some preparation makes it absolutely possible to take a 5 month old on a dayhike, since we have gone on short (3 mile or less) hikes with our various nieces and nephews when they were that young.

How did you introduce your wee ones to camping, hiking, the outdoors, and do you have any tips for two clueless but loving and excited future new parents?

We don't have any baby gear yet, it's too soon for that, but if you have any product recommendations those are welcome as well. We're looking at one of the light-colored Baby Bjorn carriers for short hikes and such, but other than that I haven't done any research/reading.

P.S. We find out one week from today whether our little one is a Baby Girl Moore or a Baby Boy Moore. I have a suspicion (Mother's intuition? Wishful thinking? I don't know... it's fun to guess.), but I can't wait to "meet" him or her during next week's ultrasound. It'll have been 10 weeks since we last saw our tot via ultrasound, and it sounds weird but we miss 'em already!

__________________
- Shannon Moore
Your Host @ WildTexas.com
http://www.twitter.com/ageekgal

rockhill

I believe our's were about 6 months old when the first spent the nite in a tent. We did not have any special gear, probably because back then it did not exist or we could not afford it. We tried to expose them to the outdoors and make it fun. Guess we did not succeed because they are now grown and do not camp out. No matter what, just cherish the memories you make as that wide eyed youngster takes in all the surroundings. Of course you will have a difficult time "packing lite" with all the gear a little one requires!

HappyCamper

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.

PaulR

I've got two boys...one is almost 3 and one just turned 1. I'm taking the older one out on our first overnight camping trip this weekend. I'm only taking him for a couple of reasons.

One, my wife has prior obligations and I'm not brave/crazy enough to take both of them on by myself. But two, and probably more importantly, with the temperatures getting down into the 50s this weekend, I don't think it would be a good idea for the younger. He still sleeps in a crib, without a sheet. So I don't think he's ready for a sleeping bag. If it was warmer, and my wife was going, maybe. But due to the cold temperatures we're going to hold off on him for a while.

My older son and I went camping in the backyard for two nights last spring. I wanted to see how he would fare before going out into the wild. I didn't want to be packing a tent up at 1 a.m. and driving home in the middle of our first night. He really liked it and is really looking forward to our trip this weekend.

I think a big part of it, like anything else a child may be apprehensive about is to really build it up and get them excited and looking forward to it. We did that when my wife was expecting our second and we haven't had any issues with any resentment of him no longer being the only child. He absolutely loves his younger brother.

So he's got his own sleeping bag and backpack, has been with me numerous times to REI to help me pick up supplies, and I've got a few new books and a new toy that I know he'll love ready for when we hit the campsite. He's got his fishing rod ready and can't wait to get out there. I know he doesn't fully understand what we'll be doing, but I know he's going to have a great time.

So to answer your question, I think it's one of those things where you can't answer the question, but you'll know it when you see it. Every child is different. Our first had acid reflux issues, so he didn't sleep through the night until he was 9 months old. So I wouldn't even have considered taking him out overnight before then. Not only for our own convenience, but for that of those around us. And with the two of you handling one child, it would be a lot easier than two handling two children...or one handling two. The analogy I've heard is that with one, you can play zone defense, but with two, you have to shift to man-to-man. Definitely a different ballgame each time you add another.

And while every day is something new and exciting, I think...for me...18 months was a period when things really started getting fun and we starting having a lot more fun with each other. Sliding towards a friend relationship and not just a father/son. They're able to get around on their own, understand things a little better, and communicate on a basic level.

But while my wife and I weren't quite the outdoor enthusiasts you were, we have always enjoyed it. And we hit a lull between college and now due to jobs and children. But now that they're starting to get old enough to enjoy it, we're all ready to get back out there. Assuming my son takes to it (which is a good chance seeing how much he already likes fishing) we plan on half a dozen trips or so per year.

Congratulations.

agjwatson

I would have to say the #1 thing is that the child be sleeping through the night. We just took our son on his second trip at 21 months and things went very well. The trip was 6 nights and while he was gung ho during the day, he was starting to ask to go home and watch Spongebob when he was winding down for the night.

His first trip was a 2 nighter when he was 16 months and he had just started sleeping through the night because he had gotten tubes in his ears. I was so worried he was going to wake up in the middle of the night and not recognize his surroundings and us not be able to settle him down. It ended up that he slept better and longer than he ever had.

We simply put him in his pack and play and he was fine.

Although I didn't do it myself (and got lucky) I would suggest the backyard trip, and then a trip to a nearby park in case you have to up and leave.

One think that I noticed was that he was having such a good time digging in the dirt and throwing rocks and everything else that he wore himself out and slept really well. So if you have trouble with a backyard trip, a trip to a nearby park shouldn't be out of the question since they will have a chance to get rid of some of that extra energy.

toejam

I took both of my kids from birth tent camping. They hated it as babies but loved it once they became curious toddlers. They continued to camp with me until age 15 when they decided it was not conducive to their social lives.

Toddlers and little kids love playing in dirt and creeks, and they sleep good after a day of that. My kids were picky eaters though. They didn't like my normal backpacking food, but I let them shop with me for food and that helped a lot.

campermom

We never camped when I was little. But it just seemed like so much fun, I worked up the courage to do it and off we went. My son was 5 when we went this past year for the first time. He already knows how to "go" in the woods, he loves to climb trees, play/swim in the water, scramble up rocks, and see the wildlife. Sleeping thru the night is never an issue. Only after 9 days on the road did he want to watch cartoons. Without those distractions, your kids can focus on what is available, they will soak up everything they see and hear when your out there. You get to teach your kids about what you think is important. My son has already earned his wildlife conservation belt loop and academic pin for cub scouts. He will be earning the Leave no Trace Award in the spring with any luck. I do have some hints for when you take a kiddo camping.

Keep a routine.
We try to eat a hearty meal, so we have the energy to stay longer and play longer, leaving the snacks behind.
Have him carry his own pack. Along with snacks, he can put his "collection" things (leaves, rocks, feathers) in there. Also, have a whistle, rain poncho, flashlight, tissues, ziploc, and a toy in there. You just never know.
Bring paper and crayons for pre-bedtime activity. He has made books about the parks we've visited.
Bring toys which relate to the specific park you are going to. We brought plastic alligators to Brazos Bend, Armadillos to Perdernales Falls, Owl to Inks Lake, etc. That way you don't have to shell out the extra cash at the gift shop and they can have a toy to play with that helps reinforce what they've seen and learned.
Bring extra underwear and bottoms. Sometimes they sleep to sound. For the same reason, bring a seperate sleeping bag/air mattress for them, something which dries quickly. A cotton blanket from home won't do if bedwetting could be an issue.
River shoes double as shower shoes, they are handy to have.

When the kids are still much younger, theres more to bring. Just have fun showing them around the great outdoors.