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Old 05-28-2013, 09:54 PM   #1
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Getting back to camping :)

Hi... We just purchased a Salem cruise lite 26bhxl. We camped for many years with a pop-up and loved it, until a family of mice ate the canvas and it would have cost more than the camper was worth to fix it, so we took a few years off and in that time had daughter who will be 2 in July. Any suggestions on how to camp with a toddler??? Our first excursion will be in a few weeks and we keep bringing her in the camper to show her around, she already claimed the bottom bunk as her own LOL. We plan on camping in our backyard this weekend to test the waters but I am nervous about the sleeping.
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Old 05-28-2013, 11:46 PM   #2
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Sounds great! Playing in it and practicing is well worth the time. Let her make her bunk area "home" with toys and games and girly stuff (my daughter at NINE still wants her princess blanket).

At two- You have to be vigilant about dangers as she's still a little young to fully grasp the things that can hurt her (falling out of the door, fire, etc.).

I have a 9 year old and an almost 1 year old. The older one has camper for her third year now. The 1 year old camped since he was 6 weeks!
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Old 05-29-2013, 12:46 AM   #3
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My 8yo SD claimed the top bunk. She has decorated it with glow in the dark planets and stars. Enjoy your new camper.
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Old 05-29-2013, 06:23 AM   #4
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You are a brave woman LOL I was not. After one traumatic trip with my parents when
DD was two I crossed it off my list til she was 6 ~ at 6 & 8 it was awesome and we've camped ever since

I guess my point is, maybe don't give up if it's not what you expected. Don't work yourself to death, do super easy meals with little or no clean up. Don't sweat the small stuff. Oh, and wear tennis shoes LOL, to catch her~~~ I'm betting you'll all be sleeping like babies
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Old 05-29-2013, 09:31 AM   #5
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Our three daughters all started camping as toddlers including our middle daughter who was only three months old on our first trip.

My advice, spend quality time with your kiddos playing games, doing crafts and just hanging out. Let them help with camp chores but give them some slack to enjoy themselves while keeping them safe. Our girls quickly learned the boundaries. Our girls are all in their thirty's now and saw some of their greatest memories were while camping. And, now our grandkids have joined in the camping experience.
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Old 05-29-2013, 10:05 AM   #6
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We have two toddlers who have grown up camping, and they love it. When possible we ask for sites near the playground, so we can watch them play from our site. We normally travel with others who have kids, and they love it. There are a lot of family/kid friendly parks, with water parks etc. So don't sweat it, your camper is your home away from home, so not much changes with the kids. Just watch them on the stairs in and out!
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Old 05-29-2013, 10:10 AM   #7
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Any suggestions on how to camp with a toddler???
Welcome!!

A practical word of advice is to be okay with her getting dirty

Our three girls have camped with us since they were babies. We first took our oldest when she was 4 months old.

Age 2 revolves around safety and boundaries. Campfires, camp ground roads, people walking their dogs, poison ivy, sharp corners on your camper, the list goes on...

Basically, you need to take precautions and be ever watchful when she is outside because she has little understanding of what she cannot touch or where she cannot go. There is little downtime for you until bedtime for her.

Structure her time with you so she begins to enjoy the camping experience - games at the campsite, hikes, swimming, fun meals, etc.

At age 5 or so, things start to become easier as she just understands more and, by first or second grade, its a whole lot easier.

Enjoy the experience!
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Old 05-29-2013, 10:33 AM   #8
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Being especially vigilant is the key. In larger campgrounds you'll find there is constant traffic on the interior roads - from people entering and leaving, to bike traffic from the other kids, and golf carts, etc. Also there is a lot of "backing up" going on at those sites, and children can wander into blind spots in a heartbeat. They need to know territorial boundaries, but there should always be an adult with them when they are outside.

That being said, we raised our two camping from toddlerhood without serious incidents, but not without serious concerns. (Of course, they're now in their 30's and we STILL worry about them).
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Old 05-29-2013, 07:49 PM   #9
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Thanks everyone! I am sure it will go well I am a nervous nelly LOL.. I am super safe with her we are installing outlet covers, door/drawer latches, and pretty much everything else we can. Luckily she is pretty good at listening to directions but I understand the dangers. We may have to wait a bit to go anywhere though the trailer is in th shop the electric stabilizers are not working good thing it happened at home! It sucks though that is the reason we bought a 2013!
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Old 05-29-2013, 07:53 PM   #10
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We take a dinette cushion and place it under the mattress edge to creat a slope our son would have to roll up and over to fall out of the bed.
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Old 05-29-2013, 07:59 PM   #11
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I was wondering how to combat that since a regular bed rail would not work she is pretty mobile during the night and is still in her crib. My husband was thinking of making a bed rail to fit in the area.
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Old 05-29-2013, 08:01 PM   #12
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Being especially vigilant is the key. In larger campgrounds you'll find there is constant traffic on the interior roads - from people entering and leaving, to bike traffic from the other kids, and golf carts, etc. Also there is a lot of "backing up" going on at those sites, and children can wander into blind spots in a heartbeat. They need to know territorial boundaries, but there should always be an adult with them when they are outside.

That being said, we raised our two camping from toddlerhood without serious incidents, but not without serious concerns. (Of course, they're now in their 30's and we STILL worry about them).
X2, well we have 3, two boys and a girl.
Since birth they been boating and camping, now 14, 12 and the little princess 8.
Just try childproofing the camper the best you can, and enjoy it all the time you have with them, they grow so fast! ...And don't forget a door alarm.
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Old 05-29-2013, 08:22 PM   #13
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Have three kids. DD 17, DD 11, and DS 6. They have all camped sence they were young. DS was only 2 weeks old for first trip so he has been a natural. Like everyone has said a watchful eye will stop most of the mishaps.
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Old 05-29-2013, 08:34 PM   #14
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Everyone has had very good advice. Just remember though, even if your first trip doesn't go well, no one's first trip has ever really gone well! Don't give up! Each trip gets exponetially easier, and learn from your mistakes. Take many small trips close to home before venturing out on that long excursion. You'll all be camping pros before you know it!
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Old 05-29-2013, 08:35 PM   #15
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Thumbs up to the great suggestions already provided! I love it when I see small children camping. Doing a couple of nights camping at home should help both of you feel more comfortable.
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Old 05-29-2013, 08:48 PM   #16
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Thumbs up to the great suggestions already provided! I love it when I see small children camping. Doing a couple of nights camping at home should help both of you feel more comfortable.
We love camping we did it for many years before our pop up mishap... We even tried going back to a tent in the time between but we were spoiled with the pop up LOL. We can't wait to take her out. I know it will take a bit for her to get used to but it will be worth it. If we get our camper back from the dealer this weekend we will camp in our backyard.
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Old 05-29-2013, 08:53 PM   #17
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Don't forget to share some pictures if you don't mind. BTW great choice with the Salem Cruise Lite.
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Old 05-29-2013, 09:28 PM   #18
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We love camping we did it for many years before our pop up mishap... We even tried going back to a tent in the time between but we were spoiled with the pop up LOL. We can't wait to take her out. I know it will take a bit for her to get used to but it will be worth it. If we get our camper back from the dealer this weekend we will camp in our backyard.
Dare I ask about the pop up mishap?
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Old 05-29-2013, 09:39 PM   #19
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I was wondering how to combat that since a regular bed rail would not work she is pretty mobile during the night and is still in her crib. My husband was thinking of making a bed rail to fit in the area.
It has worked great for us. He is 6 now and still wiggles all over the place. We used the dinette cushion in the pop up, on the bottom bunk of the TT and now on tge top bunk of the TT. Hasn't failed us yet.
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Old 05-29-2013, 09:42 PM   #20
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Dare I ask about the pop up mishap?
LOL ... It was actually 2 ... The first one I was opening it up for the first time of the season and it was infested with the big black ants and I mean they ate holes in the screens and set up their colonies in both tent areas. It was disgusting they were falling off the ceiling in balls as I opened it and running out the doors. We ended up bombing the camper and patching the screens it took me a bit to be able to comfortably sleep in it without thinking things were crawling on me LOL

The second incident was 3 years ago we opened it up and my husband was looking into the tiny faces of about 5 mice they got in because when it was put away we had help and they did not tuck the tenting all the way in so they found a way in and destroyed the canvas on both ends. The smell of mouse pee was every where as it was soaked into the wood. We priced out replacement canvas and it would have cost more than the camper was worth. So we said we would never own a camper with canvas again. Not that they can't get into a hard sided camper.
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