How to Camp with a Baby

Learning to camp with a young child or baby in tow often feels daunting to new parents, especially when it comes to sleep. Here are a few tips our crew of moms has picked up along the way!

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Safe sleep when camping with babies and toddlers can seem overwhelming and arguably, may be the number one factor that holds parents back from sleeping under the stars with a little one. Every baby and toddler prefers different sleeping setups. But, with these tips and tools, we are confident you can tackle this big step to camping confidently and safely with your family.

What defines Safe Sleep?

As parents – especially new ones – we are very familiar with the safe sleeping guidelines that are laid out for us by the American Academy of Pediatrics:

• Be sure that your infant sleeps on their back

• Keep them warm but don’t over-layer 

• Keep them close in their own sleep space, on a firm surface, with no loose objects or bedding 

Everyone interprets these a little differently based on their individual needs but we will stick with these as our foundation for safe sleep while camping with a baby.

Sleeping Set Ups

Sleep set ups at camp for our littlest ones can be based on a variety of different factors; tent size, location, age, etc... Here are a few things that can help make your baby feel right at home and will help you sleep more soundly as well.

If your baby sleeps in their own crib/bassinet at home, you will likely want to replicate that at camp. If your tent is big enough, bringing a portable crib is a great option. We found this Baby Bjorn portable crib on the marketplace and is our favorite for car camping – it’s as easy as setting up a camp chair. If you’re still up for night feedings or frequent check-ins, this Guava Lotus Travel Crib has a side zipper that gives you access at ground level - perfect for a tent set up.

Another option for a firm sleep surface is a travel bassinet/bed. These are light and compact yet also provide a firm and protected space to sleep. A couple of examples of these are the Munchkin Brica Travel Pod (great for infants up to 6 months) or the PeaPod Travel Bed, which is appropriate for babies from 6 months to 3 years old.

Say your adventure isn’t conducive for hauling a portable crib into camp, or you’re trying to cut down on space. A closed-cell sleeping pad can offer a safe, firm, and warm sleep surface while camping with a baby. Some of our favorites at WildKind are the Therm-a-Rest Z-lite Sol Sleeping Pad or the NEMO Switchback Sleeping Pad. At this age, it is less about comfort and more about providing a firm surface for sleep, so you will want to avoid your air pads or air mattresses that you may enjoy until they are older. Some other good options are a yoga mat, or these alphabet foam tiles from Amazon - not only a great sleeping surface but doubles as a play area during the day!

While it is not recommended by the AAP, co-sleeping is also something that is common at camp, especially if you are backpacking. Co-sleeping can provide you and your baby comfort in a new situation and you will know exactly how warm or cold they are. If this is your best option, be sure your sleeping surface is safe for an infant and the blankets or sleeping bag are able to be kept away from their face.

Layering for Sleep

Finding the right layers for the night can be tricky, but not at all impossible. Babies are not able to regulate their temperature as well as adults, or even bigger kids, so we need to help them when the temperatures drop (or stay hot!) with some smart layering.

For a baselayer, you want to look for fabrics that helps your baby manage the temperatures outside without getting chilled. Synthetic or wool layers are a great option for this. Both wool and synthetic retain warmth when they get wet. The difference is that synthetic tends to dry faster than wool and is usually more affordable but can be stinky since they hold onto body odor. Wool will feel warmer in the winter and their breathability prevents bacteria from growing (read, less stink). Wool is also usually more expensive. Some of our favorites at WildKind are from Iksplor, Reima (such cute prints!) and these synthetic layers from REI.

Fleece is a great second layer when the temps are really dropping. Fleece is an awesome synthetic insulator that was modeled after wool properties. Many fleece buntings come with enclosed feet, fold over mitts for hands, which are helpful if you’re layering with a sleep sack to keep those arms warm (more on that in a minute!).

Now let’s address cotton. We have been trained to think that cotton is a bad choice in the outdoors, when that is actually not the case. “Cotton Kills” is based on using cotton in very cold conditions when it has the chance of getting wet, usually from sweat or the environment. Cotton absorbs and retains moisture, which can lower your body temperature after sitting on your skin for too long. In cold temperatures when you want to stay warm and dry, this can be dangerous and lead to hypothermia. (Hence the terrifying adage, cotton kills!) There are times that this can be a good thing, though. For example, the hot desert sun is a great environment for cotton since it will hold onto cool moisture longer, preventing you from overheating. For sleep, cotton isn’t a bad choice if you are sleeping in hot temps and you’re worried about your baby overheating. However, most camping locations see the temperatures drop at night, so you may want to save those cotton layers for the daytime. A great hot-weather pajama we love are these bamboo onesies from Kyte. Breathable and lightweight, they’re a great alternative (plus they stretch and last wayyy past their size range!)

Finally, a snug hat and mittens are always great to keep on hand if it’s dipping into the 40’s or 30’s at night.

PC: Morrison Outdoors

Morrison sleeping bags

A recent addition to the camping-with-baby market are these Morrison Outdoors sleeping bags. These were created when the founders became parents and wanted a better option for safe, warm, sleep at camp. Their sleeping bags are packable, durable, and meet the AAP guidelines for safe sleep!

At WildKind, we love their sleeping bags for the following reasons:

• They have a soft, snug collar that prevents infants from slipping inside the sack

• An inverted zipper on infant models makes diaper changes easy in the middle of the night

• A two-way zipper on toddler models gives you a leg up with potty training in the wild

• They have fully enclosed footboxes for warm toes

• Open and close cuffs allow for s’more roasting before bed, self-soothing at night and keep fingers toasty.

Morrison offers two sizes of sleep sacks: the Little Mo (6-24 months) and the Big Mo (2-4 years). Both sizes come in two temperature options: synthetic bags (rated to 40˚F) and down bags (rated to 20˚F).

If you aren’t in the market to buy a sleeping bag for your little one, a sleep sack or winter snow suit are great options as well. Sleep sacks often have temperature ratings as well, so check those out as you’re considering night time temperatures.

Extra helpful tools

Now that you know you have a safe sleep set up, it sometimes is worth going the extra mile to bring some creature comforts to camp for your baby to feel more at home and, actually sleep. For us, that is a sound machine, a stuffed animal (or two), and his blanket. Here are some useful tools our team has found helpful:

• Portable Sounds Machine (or we have even borrowed a Goal Zero to plug in his night light/sound machine from home!) 

• Ditch the sound machine and download a white noise song to use on your phone, even when you don’t have service.

• Snooze Shade or Slumber-Pod. This can help your baby sleep longer when the sun rises early and limit distractions when you are moving around in the tent.

Final tip for sleep – try not to force it. I’ve found that camping with a baby is for staying up past bedtime, napping in the kid carrier, and snuggling together early in the morning. Routines may be thrown out the door, but isn’t that what camping is all about anyway?

For more helpful tips to help you get out the door and in the wild, check out our Summit Membership! 

Written by Amanda Baseler.

In addition to acting as WildKind's Community Manager, Amanda is raising her little adventure buddy in the mountains of Colorado. She loves to ski and mountain bike, and works and volunteers with several different organizations to help other folks develop their own love for the outdoors.