Little ones and camping

[W5CI]

No way would I consider taking a kid with me camping. My dog is enough trouble for me.

[aeblank]

Originally Posted by W5CI

No way would I consider taking a kid with me camping. My dog is enough trouble for me.

You sound like fun....

My 6yo son picks camping over a friend's birthday party. I think kids are a huge reason to go in the first place.

[265bhx]

Kids and camping are awesome you just have to build a jail cell to contain them at times

[W5CI]

Originally Posted by aeblank

You sound like fun....

My 6yo son picks camping over a friend's birthday party. I think kids are a huge reason to go in the first place.

I am 73 years old and have very little tolerance for screaming kids and kids running thru my campsite at all hours of the day and night

[howellma]

We gave one 7 year old grandson that has been going with us since he was 1. Loves it and gets really upset when he sees the camper gone without him. He has seen deer, bears, turkeys, gators, eagles, coyote and a zillion rabbits with a flashlight. It's work but rewarding.

[aeblank]

Originally Posted by W5CI

I am 73 years old and have very little tolerance for screaming kids and kids running thru my campsite at all hours of the day and night

I hope your outlook was different....40?.... years ago.

Funny, other kids' screaming gives me a headache..... but mine usually don't.

[Wobbles]

Originally Posted by W5CI

I am 73 years old and have very little tolerance for screaming kids and kids running thru my campsite at all hours of the day and night

This thread is all about the joy found by those that have the near and dear young kids and like to share the found enjoyment of camping with them.
Thank you for sharing the bad parts of children. You Sir, have been done wrong by children.
I have never considered that I may be doing a disservice to my fellow campers by having them.

[Orlando bull]

Originally Posted by 265bhx

Kids and camping are awesome you just have to build a jail cell to contain them at times

This is where I am heading. My daughter will be 21 months old on our next trip... we have bunks with a 45 degree angle at the opening, so, I am wrestling with how to build something like this to keep her from falling (climbing) out.

My weekend also consists of installing cabinet locks, stove knob covers, and a gate at the entry door to keep our little busy bee occupied with war-game style strategy to take down the defenses.

[jayrodoh]

We've been tent camping with our three boys since they were 6 months old. Got our first TT last year and managed 30 nights last summer camping. Oldest is 14 and still enjoys it.

[ronheater70]

Always had kids with us camping. I mean they are portable why not? If the alternative is staying home in front of the TV< then no way.
We have only recently took up camping with a trailer, we were always primitive campers with tents. Dang I mean we took on of our daughters to Portsmouth island on a ferry with nothing but a cooler,a Polaris Ranger and a tent and camped on the beach for a weekend. she was 2 months old..we had a blast!

[Shanks12]

We bought our first camper when my little one was 6 months old. Have been camping ever since with our now 4 and 2 year old kids. For us, its time away from the tv, hiking, and spending time with family. Not only among-st ourselves, but we often camp with family that lives a couple hours away.

I'm always connected to a mobile/computer/internet for work. Its when were camping that I leave my phone in the camper and get out and enjoy the outdoors.

Sometimes I get in trouble when I don't have my phone and can't take a picture of the kids doing something silly ha.

[larryo]

This thread should merge with the cute kids camping thread in the forrest river lifestyle forum.

[PenJoe]

Originally Posted by Orlando bull

This is where I am heading. My daughter will be 21 months old on our next trip... we have bunks with a 45 degree angle at the opening, so, I am wrestling with how to build something like this to keep her from falling (climbing) out.

My weekend also consists of installing cabinet locks, stove knob covers, and a gate at the entry door to keep our little busy bee occupied with war-game style strategy to take down the defenses.

We found some heavy webbing as is used for cargo containment. The bottom was attached to the edge of the bed under the mattress and we used eye hooks to keep it up so the kids didn't fall out. As I recall, we wove a 3/8" strand of poly rope across the top. It was a cheap, great solution.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by Orlando bull

This is where I am heading. My daughter will be 21 months old on our next trip... we have bunks with a 45 degree angle at the opening, so, I am wrestling with how to build something like this to keep her from falling (climbing) out.

My weekend also consists of installing cabinet locks, stove knob covers, and a gate at the entry door to keep our little busy bee occupied with war-game style strategy to take down the defenses.

Just make sure that whatever you do can quickly, easily, and safely be undone in the event of a fire. These things go up quick- there isn't time for thinking.

[265bhx]

The one i installed is built for angled situations and works well. Easy to remove when not required as well
Pretty sure it is a safety first metal stair gate

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

I was a late bloomer... I didn't start camping until I was 12 via the Boy Scouts. My family was not a camping family when I was growing up. I changed that with my two. They had their first weekend camping trip when they were 4 and 6, they are now in their 30's, DD lives in a log cabin in the MA woods, no running water, it is a 100 yard hike to the bath house!



We don't have any grand children but I do have twin niece and nephew that will be turning 5 this year, we have done a couple of overnights in their driveway with the RV and a few day trips, this year we will be doing some a weekend or two.



Either they love new experiences or they don't.



Aaron

I was the exact opposite growing up. Dad was the local scout master, mom was the Akela for the local cub pack, with the rest of the leaders mostly consisting of my aunts and uncles. Camping was ingrained to us at a pretty young age around here. Some of my earliest memories are of road trips first with a big ol’ canvas tent, then a pop up, followed by a succession of trailers.

When the kids came along, I wanted to give them some of the same experiences, so around the time they were 1&2 DW and I started discussing camping. However I also knew the way my job went I really didn’t want to start out with the tent route. Too much setup and tear down when I’m only home on weekends. So we figured we’d start with a trailer. Something that can be fairly stocked and ready to go in short order.

It took until they were 2&3 to find the perfect rig, and they’ve been happily camping with us since. They’ve even made it to 4 FROG rallies with us so far. One year, I believe they were the only kids there, but thankfully the last few years I’ve been seeing more and more of them around.

The next stop on the agenda is to work the ‘road trip’ part into the experience. I’m thinking I got DW convinced to try it out this year, but I’ve got so many places I want to bring them, it’s hard picking a destination.