Hi,
We try to camp regularly with our now 18 month old son. We went last year and have been twice so far this year. We leave tonight for another trip - 4 days, 3 nights! He has always done great.... except for the sleeping thing. Sleep has always been an issue for him and when we are camping, as soon as the sun comes up, so does he!
I am looking for an inexpensive way to help him sleep past sun-up which has typically been about 4:30am. I can get him to lie quietly in bed for another 30-45 minutes, but even still, 5:30 is still on the early side to get a noisy boy out of bed in a public campground. Is there any way to darken the tent or the area around his bed? (We take his pack and play for him to sleep in)
Ideas??
Thanks so much for the answers! I only got the first 3 before we had to leave, so snacks it was! My husband was afraid that we might inhibit airflow by draping things over the pack and play or even over the tent... hes a little anal about this, but thats ok =)
My son did great, actually. The first night was hell - he woke up in terror and was awake for 1.5 hours while I rocked him and sang quietly. Don't know what was wrong, couldn't find the tylenol. He finally asked to go back to bed and he woke 3 more times and just fussed. Next night was better and by the third night/morning, I was thinking about staying an extra day!
What time do you put him to bed? My kids always stay up later when camping...I let them sit at the campfire until it dies out or they are tired. They sleep in better that way. What about a portable dvd player with whatever show he likes? Would that help him stay quiet? What about some juice and breakfast type snacks? Maybe you can put a dark tarp over the tent to keep the light out? Aim for more secluded campgrounds? Get a motorhome rv?
I don't know what to tell you. When we go camping its the only time our 3 year old actually sleeps. Look at a camping/tent store and see if they have anything that can help darken a tent.
If it were me, I'd buy the largest tarp you can find and tie it to trees around your tent so that it makes a canopy or shade--you could even let some of it drape down on the eastern side of your tent. (This is of course if you have trees at your site!) Have fun and good luck!
Not sure if it will work in a tent, but we use it in our travel trailer. Camping world and I think Wal-mart sell a large roll of silver insulated stuff, looks like foil with bubbles, some truck front window sun protectors are made of it. We put it in the trailer windows to help darken and reduce heat when camping. My only concern about wrapping it around pack and play vs tent would be air flow if its still hot, otherwise you should be able to cut it out and place in window spots of tent to make the tent darker.
Oh I hear you! Our son was exactly the same! I hung towels over the sides of the pack-n-play to darken it a bit, but never came up with a really good solution, unfortunately. Plus it didn't matter if we kept him up later, he'd still be up at the crack of dawn! Now he's 3.5 and we have a clock for him that glows green when it's "morning time" (i.e. 7 a.m., which in my opinion is early enough for morning!), but I'm not sure that would work for an 18-month-old. (It's called the OK to Wake Alarm Clock). For us it wasn't even the darkness so much, but the birds around would signal morning to our son - and those you can't stop, of course! Sorry I can't offer much more than moral support, but I can tell you he'll likely get better with age ... just as my son did.
I feel your pain. Our daughter is the same way...luckly for us the sun doesn't really lighten up through the trees until 5:30, by then our earlier rising adults have already brewed coffee. :)
I was thinking though, maybe a thick wool blanket hung on the sunny-side fo the tent or near the pack-n-play might help...I also thought about the mini-tent inside the big tent, but not sure how much light it would spare...maybe a tent with the wool blanket (or one of those light blocking curtains) on top with the pack-n-play (or maybe just a sleeping bag) inside?
CHECK THIS OUT:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sunncamp-Blackout-2-Person-Tent_W0Q...
It's usually cold enough in the morning, I cover our heads with the sleeping bag to keep out the sun. If I don't, my son likes to wake us up @ 4:30 as well. If I cover our heads, he stays asleep til about 7. We have pretty heavy sleeping bags I can keep propped up a little so they're not laying on our face. We can breathe just fine. My son is now 4 though, not 1 1/2. You can also try putting a canopy over the tent, so the sun doesn't come in full strength. I can't think of anything else at the moment, but I know how you feel.
Get a big blanket or dark sheets and throw it over the tent, tape it if you can so he doesn't see the sun come out. Also try putting the tent facing the opposite way the sun comes out.
Blessings
It might be a little clostraphobic, but you could try to put a dark sheet over the top of the Pack n Play (I am assuming that the sides are mesh and would allow for air to move okay! - basically create a little tent over it that is dark enough to keep the sun out of his small space...
Briefly: probably not. Even at home in the summer both my kids and I have this habit of waking up early during the summer. Perhaps you can get a computer that will play a video that will last 30 or so minutes and keep him quiet. But a child of that age is all go.
I might try sleep shades slipped on once he is asleep.
Good luck and please let us know what worked.
I would suggest a play tent of his own, one that will be the size of his pack and play, but zips shut like a pack and play and fits inside the tent. My son used one, and it was dark blue with a mesh bottom, and it was PLENTY dark enough when used inside the tent to make him think it was still dark outside.
My sister gave us ours, so I didn't buy mine... let's see.... I just looked up tents, and found one like it:
http://www.outdoorfuntime.net/play-tents/play-tent.asp?pID=8
Hope that helps! Good luck!
Get a dark blue or green tarp to throw over the tent. Keep all your vents open or you'll sweat bullets! Also, keep a little container with some cheerios in it and a sippy cup with water or juice by where he's sleeping, along with some books or toys, so he can entertain himself a little longer. I'd say try keeping him up longer at night... works for some kids, never worked for any of mine. Good luck and keep on with the camping!!
