Tent Camping With Toddlers & What To Pack- Crater of Diamonds State Park
My and David’s first overnight trip together when we were dating was a week long camping trip into the wilderness of East Tennessee without cell phone service or showers. To say we jumped feet first is an understatement… I don’t know many people that would agree to a week in the woods with someone they’ve just met. And live to tell the tale, or end up marrying each other.
Combined we have an obscene amount of camping gear, with some die hard relics heralding from our high school and college years. I think we would consider ourselves professional campers, but for some reason we are just now taking the twins tent camping for the first time at 4 years old. I think time just got away from us during previous summers and now the boys are begging to go. So without hesitation I hauled the camping bins down from the attic and we set to work planning a June weekend in Arkansas.
Camping Location Criteria
My sister’s family and my parents came up with the idea of camping at Crater of Diamond State Park. It’s easily accessible for all of us, within driving distance, and seemed convenient for an overnight trip. It also has built-in activities: digging for diamonds and a water park. My advice when planning a camping adventure would be to start small- somewhere close to home in case shit hits the fan and you need an exit or to cut the trip short. I don’t think hiring an outfitting company, getting on a plane, and schlepping it all the way to the Colorado Rockies is a smart move for a first-time experience… Choose somewhere far enough of a drive that you feel like you’ve “gone somewhere” but close enough that you can activate a ditching plan in case someone is having a miserable time or accidentally rolls in poison ivy.
When looking for an exact campsite chose a site that is close to the bath house, has a tent pad, picnic table, and even possible electric and water hookups. (Our site at Crater of Diamonds was mixed use for tents or RVs and had all of these things!) Being close to the bath house will prevent frustration of walking your toddler cross country every time they need to potty. Having a tent pad will help keep things dry, cleaner, and cut down on bugs and poison ivy. Having electric hookups was nice to be able to run fans, plug in a few lights, and charge phones. I also prefer shaded sites during the summer to help with the temperatures and trying to stay cool.
Others things you may want to look for in a campground-
Proximity to body of water (lake, river, pond) and your level of water safety.
Proximity to camp playground, pool, or amenities (like a community kitchen).
If the park/ camp has peak weekends or crowds you’d like to avoid.
Park/ camp rules about pets.
If the park/ camp has quiet hours or if it’s known to be a party spot.
What kind of wildlife is in the area and how to prepare for them.
After you’ve booked the perfect spot, let’s talk about what you need to take, specifically for the kids.
Things I Packed & Didn’t Need
Books. Our bedtime routine at home is to read 2 books and then lights out. I’d checked out library books about gemstones, camping, and excavation to tie into our trip. The boys were so tired at the end of the day they fell into their beds and I spent the trip worrying about the library books getting wet.
Sound machine. Another part of our bedtime routine that was obsolete. Hello nature’s sound machine with 5am songbirds…
Sleeping bags. Honestly for the time of year and location, sleeping bags were overkill and too hot. Luckily our bags aren’t bulky but we would have been fine with a blanket or something less aggressive. We all slept on TOP of them rather than IN them.
Raincoats. We had rain off and on the entire time. No raincoat is going to protect you from summer showers when you’re outside for extended days. It just turned into another piece of clothing that needed to dry out…
Things I Packed That Were Lifesavers
Air mattress for the twins. I knew if they didn’t get a good night of sleep we’d be operating in a deficit. This, a blanket, and pillow would have been all they needed, but comfort is key. David and I are used to sleeping on the ground, they aren’t.
Bug spray. And not just the essential oils, organic one. I’m talking deep woods knock-em-down kind. We avoided ticks and mosquitoes, but still ended up with chiggers.
Slip-on shoes for hanging around the tent. We have a rule “No shoes in the tent,” to keep things from getting dirty and stepped on. If you have a shoe battle with your kid every time you leave the house try multiplying that to every 5 minutes as they enter/exit the tent. Bring some crocs or flip flops. Save the tennis shoes and hiking boots for exploring time.
Day pack filled with snacks, water bottles, sunscreen, bug spray, camera, wallet. I used this instead of a purse, and it became our catch all for trail maps, binoculars, nature trinkets, and trash.
Ready to eat foods. Specifically things that didn’t need to be cooked, warmed up, or refrigerated. Tuna packets, trail mix, protein bars, PB&J sandwiches, fruit, muffins. My parents brought their travel trailer so we had access to a kitchen for hot dinners, but I still recommend bringing pantry or shelf stable foods when you can.
Battery hanging lantern. Most people don’t realize how dark the woods are because they’re used to light pollution. Imaginations can go wild in the woods and a hanging lantern for the tent helped keep all that at bay for the boys. They never once mentioned being afraid of the dark.
Things I Forgot & Will Bring Next Time
I didn’t forget this, but I should have brought MORE. Trash bags. We had torrential downpours and soaking wet clothes, we had muddy digging clothes, we had swim clothes and beach towels. I wish I packed more trash bags to throw everything in, toss it in the trunk of the car, and deal with it at home. It’s senseless to try and keep all that dry and organized, so toss it in a trash bag and wait until you are reunited with your washing machine.
Cortisone cream for bug bites. The boys didn’t complain but I know the chiggers were itchy and uncomfortable.
Fan. Tents get hot and stuffy. Being able to move the air around makes a huge difference when you’re sleeping. (Don’t forget the extension cords.)
Games for downtime. A frisbee, a ball, a few board games would have been smart so the boys could play while we prepped dinner or took turns at the shower block.
Shade canopy tent. It may seem like double tents but my parents brought one and it was a huge help. During the day it gives you a place to get out of the sun and keep temps down. During the night it can be moved over your sleeping tent to double up on rain protection and keep your area dry.
Thoughts for the Next Camping Trip
I think having built-in activities like the diamond dig and water park were great for the littles. It kept them from saying “I’m bored” sitting at the campsite, it was an easy way to burn off energy, it was something new and different from home activities, and people could participate at whatever level they wanted. It did require us to pack extra things (digging clothes, buckets, shovels, wagon, etc.) but it was worth it. I would suggest looking into built-in activities when you’re looking for a campground too- fishing, kayaking, tennis courts, bike rentals, junior ranger program, caving, landmark or historical tour.
I think having a small town nearby can also be helpful or give some reprieve. Even if it’s to go grab an ice cream from the gas station during the hot afternoon, or ditch cooking dinner and go eat pizza to get out of the rain for an hour. There can be little “run to town” moments to help if a person is getting weary of camping. A modern nicety can reset a person’s tough moment when maybe they’re saying “I want to go home” (for me it’s a cold beer and a hot meal, that I didn’t cook, at the local dive. Then I’m ready to head back to the woods).
Prior to this trip I didn’t think much about NEVER going camping with the boys. It didn’t seem like a possibility. I’ve been camping with family since I was 6 or 7, went to summer camp every year for weeks at a time, went to college in Montana, and married an outdoorsman who also camps and backpacks. I’ve been doing it for so long that I forgot what it looked like to a first-timer. And here’s what I discovered about taking my boys for the first time- kids are more capable than we give them credit for. They were adaptable, helpful, wanted to be hands on, and adventurous. The things I thought might scare them never got brought up (darkness, sounds, vastness, animals). I forgot what sleeping in fresh air does to your body until I saw them sprawled out on the air mattress. And I forgot how camping and being that immersed in nature hooks you. I don’t want my boys to be inside iPad kids. I want them to have scabbed knees, bug bites, dirt under their nails, and sun kissed freckles on their noses. So, until they are old enough for sleep-away camp I know where we’ll be- planning more family weekends like this.
