Help!!! Entire Extended Family Going Camping in 2 Weeks

Search recent entries for camping advice. Two other moms just recently went on their first camping trips with small children and got some great advice.

There isn't much I can add that hasn't been said. Probally the biggy I'd really focus on is the food. Encourage everyone to take a night, that way you get to "visit" everyone's campsites, and share all the honors of the cooking, cleanup etc. I precook everything and freeze alot of it. That way it doubles as 'ice" and makes dinners easy after a long dayof hiking, swimming etc. Keep lunches easy. Often we have cheese and crackers, tuna, pbj, etc. We stay away from the store bought bread it crushes easily and use hoogie rolls for sandwiches. Make cookies etc. ahead of time and they freeze well too. Often I'll make a pie and we'll eat it the first night. Precook the chicken about 98% put in freezer bags, smother with bbq sauce and freeze. Take any steaks and keep them frozen in another bag so juices aren't all over. you can bbq these even when they're frozen and they are so good. I buy or make the pancake mix up with all dry ingredients, so I only need to add water. Zip lock bags in everysize are great. Mega wipes as you can take a "bath" with them if there is no shower available. Baby will do good if you're doing good. Backpack is a must, a good one not a cheapy and you can go about anywhere. I'd skip the motorhome if others are tent camping. For me, it's harder to keep someone else's stuff the way they like it. We have 8 kids, and love to camp, just never take enough time to do what we like :) Make great memories, and you might just find a nice, fun affordable way to vacation. hugs~~K.

Well, we went camping a couple of months ago when our son was 6 months. Before him we camped A LOT, but I was nervous taking him for the first time. We all did just fine! Take more than what you think you will need. Take clothes for all weather conditions (again, more than you think you will need). LOTS of diapers and A TON of wipes! The Little Swimmers are great if you plan on swimming as they don't swell up as big as a regular diaper. Take toys and comfortable, familiar stuff. We co-sleep w/ our son, so bringing something for him to sleep in was not an issue. Suncreen and bug spray, of course and some hand sanitize would be good (especially if there is no "real bathroom" and just an "porta-potty"). As far as food goes- used block ice as it melts slower and lasts longer. You can also freeze some plastic bottles to use as small ice packs for fillers. Our son was eating jar food so there no problem w/ it getting soggy, but my husband and I always used freezer/ zip bags to keep our food from getting wet. I breast feed so I can't give you any advice if you're bottle feeding. We also took a large stroller so we didn't have to carry him everywhere- it was nice because he was content to sit in there and watch everyone and just take in the experience. And that is pretty much it! My words of encouragement: I thought it was going to be a lot harder than it was. It ended up being just like at home, only we slept in a tent and ate outside. Good luck and happy camping!

If this is your first time camping, I agree with the idea of trying to go in an rv of some sort--a small trailer or motorhome can be rented from many locations (maybe you even have a good friend who would let you borrow one).

If you can't do that for a first time camper, again I agree with trying to borrow stuff like tents, etc. You can get away without sleeping bags if you have a good air mattress and lots of blankets.

If you are close to the family, let them help you as much as possible. Offer to pitch in with some money if someone else will buy and pack the food for you and your husband. This strategy will free you up to concentrate on your baby.

My husband and I have been going camping with his family since before we were married. There is a lot of communal living. Since they had most everything in their motorhomes and campers, all we have had to pack was our sleeping stuff, clothes, flashlights and some food and drinks for potluck eating. Now that we have our son, we pack a few extra things for him pack n play, booster chair, toys, diaper accomodations and we're good to go.

Have fun, don't worry about how you look or getting dirty. You'll look as if you are camping and you will get dirty.

Enjoy a long hot bubble bath when you get home.

If you have not bought a tent yet, and you are going to invest in one there is a tent that is a family tent, it has a separate section for the kids so the parents can have their somewhat alone time.

Bring a broom, if there is dirt and it is sneaks into the tent, you can at least sweep it right back out the door. Bring portable chairs, portable play pen. wipes, toliet paper and you can find in the travel section at the drug store travel seat covers (5 in a package), anti bacterial soap and hand sanitizer. Scrub brush to clean the grill.

You can also ask your extended family, what big stuff they are bringing so you are not duplicating.

Plenty of diapers, more than you would use for a normal weekend and the same with wipes, because both you and your husband will used them.

FYI: everytime you go to the restroom at the campsite, always and I do mean always bring your extra toilet paper, you don't want to sit down and realize there is none left. It is a not a good thing. You can even buy the travel toilet paper if you don't want to carry the big roll around.

For the baby, suncscreen, hat and there a swimsuits and clothing that has SPF in it which is good to have. Pack more clothing than you normally do because you have no idea what the weather is going to be like.

Pack plenty of snacks for both you and your husband as well as the baby. You are not at home and you don't have the refrigerator or the pantry to go to. Pack foods that you like to eat. Take Ziploc bags and Ziplock containers. You can even fill the containers with water and freeze them and when it the ice melts you can use the container to put food away. That is called using them for double duty.

If you don't already have an ice chest, get one with wheels, that way you won't need to two people to help you carry it. Your husband can use one hand to pull it and another hand to carry something else.

For the thickness of it a quilt is nice to put on the ground, but put the tarp down first, that way, the quilt or blanket does not get too dirty.

DON'T FORGET THE CAN OPENER, PEOPLE MENTION IT BUT IT IS A MUST HAVE. But try to buy the cans that have the pull top where you won't need the can opener. Paper plates and plastic ware so you don't have to wash a lot of dishes. Plenty of liquids for both parents and use powder milk and bottled water for the baby. Don't buy the milk that is already made, the powder works best when you are camping. Plenty of plastic bags to put the dirty diapers in.

Bring plenty of waterproof matches too.

WORD OF WARNING: DO NOT LEAVE ANY FOOD, AND I DO MEAN ANY FOOD OUT ON THE TABLES WHEN YOU GO TO BED.

Have fun.

Depending on where your camping one of my favorite things is to bring some artificial turf. You know the green grass. If there is dirt around it is nice to have outside the tent door so you have a place to take off shoes and set things not in dirt.It helps keep things clean. Have fun, R. Oh ,I just thought of one more. If it is hot where your going freeze lots of water bottles to take.

When my husband and I go camping, we bring the truck and the dogs, and we are going to bring our new baby this year. I've found it sooo nice to put everything in those big plastic storage tupperware-type containers. Dog stuff-1 container. Adult clothes-another container. Baby stuff-another container. Sleeping Bags and extra blankets- another. Non-perishable food- another. Campfire and bbq stuff- you get the pictures. This way, everything is separate, and stays clean. Also, if it rains (we camp in the high- sierras where it does rain in the summer) everything will stay dry. Bring lots of plastic bags for garbage, dirty clothes, etc. It's nice to have an air mattress. A MUST FOR CAMPING WITH A BABY: a screened in tent- the kind that you can put over a picnic table- you can put baby's playpen inside, and protect baby from sun and bugs, plus it's a nice shady place to play cards, board games, or eat.
To keep your food good, freeze milk jugs and water bottles full of water, and use them for ice. That way when they melt, they are contained. if you're bringing lots of perishables, eat the chicken the first night, and go from there. Also, make as much of your food before you go, to make it easy. have pancake batter made up, tuna mixed up, sandwiches made (add tomatoes later) and casserole dinners made. Do SIMPLE, no-brainer meals. Forget fancy sides- BBQ chicken and watermelon......Burgers and chips, etc. Bring eggs and bacon for a treat the first morning. Hope that helps!

Hi, A few years back I went camping with my just starting to walk daughter and another family had one the same age.
I am an avid camper but with an infant it is tricky.
The lifesaver was : we brought a pack n play -like a play pen- truly the best idea yet.
To be able to stick them in there when it was getting dark, during meal prep and a million other times-right in the middle of all the action-it was the best idea.
ALso a jog stroller and a Kelty back pack for hiking her around is a must. The jog stroller is good only if there are trails that are easy but it was also good for just getting her to nap and then leaving her in there if you need to go to the bathroom or walk around the camp ground.
I know there is already alot of equiptment but these help A LOT .
ALso just except that the baby will be getting very dirty-a good pair of overalls or sturdy jeans so that she can crawl around in the dirt is smart. And feet pjs with the plastic bottomed feet.
As for food-you can freeze things like meat or baby friendly foods for the first night and they will be fine till that night or even the next day. Just keep the ice in the bag and it wont get all over everything. Tupperware is helpful to store food so it wont get soggy.
I always bring very basic food or pre-prepared meals that are easy to set up-dont get fancy, Like PB&J for lunch and spagetti for the second night of dinner is easy.
Pancakes & bacon is a must for breakfast-just keep it simple and basic-things that wont spoil-instant coffee, instant hot chocolate, water and lemonade mix-stuff like that.
Also paper plates and plastic make for easy clean up. Baby food in jars would be perfect for camping-or those toddler finger foods-even if you make your own just splurge on the prepackaged stuff.
In the tent just cuddle up all together at the same time after a busy day of living outside.
A baby moniter might help for naptime.
Bring warm clothes for at night and have sunblock and bug stuff. And a flashlight is a must. Also a box of wood.
And just have fun-Everyone usually shares stuff and there might be a camp ground store with essentials.
Just go light with only what you need. Which always ends up to be alot.
But dont forget the smore-makings.
Have fun nd just enjoy nature.
From, L.
Mom of a 5 and 10 year old
(prepping for 2 nights at Lake Tahoe as we speak)

You poor girl! I remember my first camping experience as an
adult. It was like what on earth are these people thinking
about! Who on earth actually choose to sleep flat and hard
inside a tent with no real bathroom only steps away! You
really have to love nature enough to leave the comfort of
your home to camp instead of being in a hotel room. After
that, it still took several campings for me to begin
tolerating it well enough to then marry my husband who's
always camped as a child. But he owes me a hotel trip every camping trip we go. You need to let everyone in your extended
family know you have a 8 months old and never camped before.
If they are regular yearly campers, they might have an
extra 3-person tent, extra sleeping pads, sleeping bags for
you. They can buy some extra food for you while you bring
what you need for your baby. If not, see if they can go
shopping with you at REI. If you don't have anything, it'll
cost you more than two nights of resort purchasing the tent,
the pads, the sleeping bags, the cooking equipment, the
lighting equipment, etc. Go to www.rei.com and study
everything about camping. You'll need a thermal water
canister for your baby if you are supplementing breast milk
with formula if not breastfeeding at this point. You want
to bring your baby gears in addition to camping gears, like
a playpen so you can put her down in a safe place. You want
a baby back carrier. It works better than a Bjorn or front
carriers for hikes. If you are near water, you'll have bugs. You'll be dirty. If you are prepared, you'll have fun. If not, you'll be miserable.

It's not that bad!! I've been car camping my entire life. My daughter has been camping since she was 8 months young. Our philosophy "If it fits, it goes!" We pack two ice chests. one for food and one for drinks (water, soda, beer etc). It also helps if you pre ice the chest a day BEFORE you leave. Block ice works just fine for the food chest and the bag of crushed ice for the bevs. The extreme coolers by coleman are excellent!! At your destination, make sure you keep the chest in a shaddy spot or cover with a beach towel. We also use 20 gallon/ large rubbermaid containers. One for dry food and one for kitchen supplies (pots, pans, plates, utencils, cutting board,one good knife etc).
As for foods to take. Take what you enjoy eating!! We find cooking food before you leave makes it easier to prepare in the elements. A popular dish for us is spaghetti,salad, steamed vegis and garlic toast. Make the spaghetti before you leave store in zip lock bags. Spaghetti only gets better the next day. Zip lock bags are the best, better than tupperware. As you use the food, you create more space.
For baby, nothing changes!! Try to stay as close to your routine as possible. Pack n Play is good for night time and hanging around outside. Warm clothes/pajamas for evenings and mornings. Blankets, favorite toy(s),books A booster chair for the table is handy, but if you don't have one or space is limted, use the stroller for meals. Pack foods you know your daughter will eat. Bananas are great, but don't travel very well.

I could go on and on. Sounds like you will have lots of people and hands to help you out. Just think of it as a long picnic and have fun.

Put all your food in ziploc baggies in lots of ice in the coolers.Sleeping bag, blanket, pillow, maybe a mat or air mattress to sleep on. Sunglasses.
Must have sunscreen, a natural bug spray..the rest..well depends how hard core camping you are doing and where and what others are bringing. I'd bring whatever u need for the baby and to clean bottles, baby soap, etc. Hats. Something to keep her out of the sun as much as possible. Food really depends on what you eat. If its a weekend then you can get away with bringing a few things for dinner to grill..maybe some meat & veges, easy. Breakfast...bagels, cereal, oatmeal, fruit...doesnt have to be complicated. Talk to the people you're going with. Sometimes making a costco food run together for the menu can really help! Good luck & have fun. Camping is fun!

My husband and I went tent camping last year with our three kids(14, 5,and 4). Its easiest at a KOA or a lake or something like that where this something to do. KOA's are great, most have little markets, playgrounds, and pools. Try to get a site that has power so you can have a few comforts of home. We bought a travel trailer this year and when camping with a big group with two infants. They used their snugglies alot. They put an exersaucer in the back of the truck with the tail gate up.
What to bring: www.koa.com they have a check list of what to bring, saved my but last year. Ideas of what to do and see. Recipes, because cooking is a little different with just a fire or camp stove, if you don't have one get one, Walmart, Target, and outdoors store-don't forget a long lighter. One big thing is: don't worry out getting dirty, everybody is dirty. If there is showers great,but take flip-flops. Hope this helps and try to find some fun in it, H.

Hi L..

First of all, take a deep breath and relax. You will be o.k. Read through the suggestions here, make a list and get things together. You gave yourself two weeks and that should be plenty of time to get this done. You can do it hon!

We loved to camp when our kids were little and I can tell you that a play pen or what you call a pack n play is a must! Now days you can use them for double duty for naps, bedtime and playtime. I think they are great. (I am a grand-ma to a now 2-year-old grand-daughter who makes my life shine)!

Back to camping... we used a tent for ourselves and also used it in the daytime for our son to play in when he was a baby. We would open all the windows and door flaps, close the screen, put his toys inside and let him play on all the sleeping bags with them. It was soft for him to play and a nice change from the playpen as long as it was'nt too hot. Since you have your entire extended family going I would think you will have lots of folks to help watch your baby girl too. We would also bring a tarp and put a sleeping bag on it with toys so he could play outside under some shade if he was tired of the other two places. I think that is the most important thing first. Where to accomodate the baby.

Then it's onto packing all the baby items and you know what they are. Plus, get a good sun screen and a hat for baby. Lots of towels if you are swimming and also just for bathing. And a safety item for baby too if swimming is involved.

Food items - keep it easy but bring what you like to eat. We usually bring the usual camping staples.. ie.. hot dogs, cheese, hamburgers, lunchmeat, eggs and bacon for breakfast, fruit like grapes.. (don't bring banana's in the ice chest - they turn brown).. apples, lettuce, and stuff for sandwiches and burgers. But I have seen people bring all kinds of things. It is really your preference as to what you like to eat. Milk, juice, soda to drink. If formula, bring powder and bottled water. Foil! don't forget foil. It comes in handy for many things. Especially if you end up cooking on one of the parks outdoor grills.

As far as keeping your food from getting soggy, their is a drain to run the melted ice water out of the chest usually located on the side near the bottom. Just check it once or twice a day. Also, packing things in tupperware type packages helps too. That way they won't get ruined. Put all the dry staples in bags or seperate boxes. I like boxes better. Things like cereal and chips, bread and donuts. It's really up to you what you want to bring. But camping so far sounds like a junk fest doesn't it??? I am sure someone else may offer suggestions on how to do it healthier than I.

Also, if you are going to barbeque, you need charcoal and lighter fluid. Some people bring camp-stoves to cook with as well.

A nice to have (which I think is a must) is always some kind of air mattress, foam mattress, or something soft to sleep on. I have slept many nights on rocky ground and it is not fun.

And depending on where you are going... (meaning if it's not too hot at night) sweats to relax in. They are great to stay warm in and great for comfort. Oh and did I say sunscreen??? Yup, I know I did, but I will say it again, for everybody. I have spent too many trips burned to a crisp and suffering, especially at night, so I would say it is a must.

Marshmellows if you like them, are for fun. Chocolate and graham crackers with them to make smores are great too! Melt the marshmellows over the fire and make them toasty brown then place them onto your already prepared graham cracker with a piece of hershey's chocolate bar on it, about the same size of the half of cracker.. then place the other cracker on top and eat it like a sandwich. mmmmmmmm, I want smore. :)

So let's see... Tent, pac n play, baby items; including toys, sunscreen, hat, bathing suit - a t-shirt works too, something for swimming safety, blankets, wipees, diapers, formula and bottled water.. a walker if you have one is nice too (for feeding baby), all the usual, plus a good sleeper for night time or baby sweats and socks; sleeping bags, pillows, air mattress, sweats, appropriate clothing, towels, toiletries (don't forget the extra toilet paper... you never know...) flashlight, Sunscreen, oh... Camera! Food; easy stuff that you like that is not difficult to cook like, dinner would be: hot dogs, sausage, hamburgers etc.., lunch: lunchmeat, cheese, peanut butter and jelly, fruit, Breakfast: eggs, bacon, instant pancakes, cereal, milk, or even easier, donuts and junk with instant coffee. (or some people bring their coffee pots and coffee from home).

All the dry items like bread, crackers, chips, baby food jars, canned goods like beans, veges of choice, FOIL, CAN OPENER, plastic silverware, cooking utensils and pans, cups, plates - (paper of course, but up to you), dish soap for washing your pans, can go in boxes.

Boy, the more I write, the more expensive this sounds. I sure hope you can borrow this stuff. Get the boxes to pack in from wal-mart or something. I always ask for them when I see them un-packing things if I need them. They are great about it.

I said it before, but the best thing to do is make a list, which I tried to do for you. At least give you a start. I am sure others will think of things I didn't. Just keep your baby girl safe, fed, warm, comfortable, give her things to do, keep the bugs off of her, avon skin so soft lotion works good and no chemicals, and give her a nice place to sleep. Just like you would at home. You just have to be creative about it.

As for yourselves, bring what you like. If the whole family is going I am sure there will be plenty to do, lots of laughs and fun. Card games are fun, sitting around the camp fire is fun in itself. Relax and have a good time and remember, what you forgot someone else probably has. You will do fine.

I apologize for the long message. I couldn't figure out how to tell a first time camper how to do this stuff any other way. I pray you have a wonderful time and I look forward to hearing how it all turned out. Take lots of pictures!

God Bless,

B.~

buy organic jarred baby food and bananas and cherrioes cereal. Bring extra wipes, and outdoor blanket and an umbrella and set up an outdoor space. have a pack and play to put into the tent to sleep in. Bring extra blankets and warm sleeping clothes even if it is warm during the day it may be cold at night, and most of all be flexible- you may not sleep that well, although some babies sleep better outside, and have fun, let your baby get dirty and let the extended family help play and take care of her so you have a vacation too

Camping is a blast! One thing I recommend is taking extra baby wipes. Do not allow shoes in your tent. If wearing flip flops take the extra baby wipes and clean your feet before going to bed. Enjoy!

Hi--Camping has its pros and cons and I've been on both sides! We camped pre kids--backpacks only and enjoyed it. After kids it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. Fast forward to when the kids were 13, 9, 7, and 2 and we were living overseas and everyone was crazy for camping. I reluctantly went along moaning all the way and ended up having a fabulous time! The key is bringing the right stuff and good food. Eating seemed to be a major consideration. You want it to be delicious and easy or it will make the whole thing seem depressing because you feel deprived. We used to camp with 4 families and we'd make communal meals. Our favorite first night meal was, believe it or not, spaghetti! We would each cook a pound of pasta at home, drain it and put in a large zip lock and put in the cooler. Add a jar of the best sauce you can find, a loaf of Italian bread, some parmesan and a bagged salad and you are set. At the camp, just boil some water, drop in the precooked pasta briefly to warm it. You can use one of those pasta fork/spoons to pull out a serving, or just drain the whole pot. Take whatever you need for comfort and I thoroughly recommend an air mattress. Even those Air beds if you don't need an outlet to get them blown up, or have the adapter for the car. We tried the dense foam pads because we were told they were as good as an air mattress, but don't believe it! Babies make good campers and the playpen idea is great. go with the attitude that it is going to be a fun time and it will be! Enjoy! Let us know how it all went!

Camping is very fun, indeed. It doesn't sound like you're totally "up for it", though :o)

You can always check into renting a small Motorhome, to be a little more "comfy".

One thing I would definitely take for your 8 month old, is a "Snap on" High Chair. One that can be attached to the top of a chair, or one that slips/hooks on the end of a table. This will give you at least one, clean place to put your daughter :o)

Have Fun!!!

Lannette,
Oh, I can talk to you extentively about camping....forced into it (with a 9 month too!)yet managed to survive. My number one bit of advice...look into a KOA campground. They have areas to wash dishes(a plus), hot showers(!), clean bathrooms(!!) and usually something for the kids (swimming pool, fishing pond, etc.). This is a good place to "break" one in on camping too because some places even have little cabins. Imagine-no tent to put up, sometimes with kitchenettes, it's an enclosed area that your daughter can crawl cleanly around and you can still have the "outdoors" at night. Check KOA asap!! If you like please feel free to call me.
Good luck,
J.
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I cant help with the infant part as my son is now 8 and we havent been camping with him yet. But for an adult some things not to forget.....long sleeves for evening, easy to slip on sandals when having to make potty trips in the middle of the night, flashlight for same reason, a roll of toilet paper, bug spray for evening, air mattress, favorite pillow in older pillowcase as you might as well be somewhat comfortable. Dont overpack on the clothes you bring for yourself (which is quite easy to do as everything is just going to get filthy anyway), dont bring your white tennis shoes if you want them to stay white. Bring plenty of various sizes of ziploc/glad bags to keep items in the ice chest somewhat dry once they have been opened. We have a couple of pretty big coolers that have a tray that sits on top. I use tupperware/gladware for lunchmeats/cheeses and keep them in there. You didnt mention how long you are going but hopefully it's a place where they have ice near by. Bring a couple of 2 1/2 gallon jugs of water which can easily be used for drinking, brushing your teeth, washing hands or rinsing off your face without having to go to the bathroom. Dont forget your favorite book and try to have fun!!!

If you're camping in a tent, be sure to take an air mattress with some way to blow it up. It's miserable just sleeping in a sleeping bag on the ground! So worth it to have the air mattress!

Also, bring a lantern--it gets pretty dark away from the city. :) But be careful about the lantern placement in the tent when you are changing--it makes silhouettes on the tent walls visible from the outside.

When we went camping with the baby, we took a small feeding chair. It was the kind that you strap on to a chair and it has a removeable tray--all plastic except for a little pad for the seat an back. It was invaluable! We just set it up on the picnic table, and it made a place for the baby to sit and watch us all, and it was fully washable. (Things seem to get so dirty while camping!)

And take food that doesn't need much refrigeration, because you're right--the ice in the chest is just going to melt. If you will need milk, consider getting powdered milk and taking water to mix it with. I know powdered milk doesn't taste that great, but it's better than spoiled milk. For food, we've taken a camping stove, pot and cooking spoon, and dinner mixes like Pasta Roni, which just needs margarine, water, and milk (powdered milk worked fine). It really depends on how long you will be gone for and where, but be sure to plan the meals in advance so you can pack well and not have to go looking for a store. (We've camped in the redwoods and Yosemite, and it would have definitely been a nightmare to have to find a store nearby.)

Don't forget towels--the bathrooms may not even have paper towels.

Bring your camera too, of course. :) And have fun!

Hi, L..
I've gone camping all my life and we started taking my daughter when she was just about 3 months old. It's hard to answer some of your questions without knowing how long you'll be gone, where you're going, and if you're going to coordinate with other family members but let's see if I can try...
- A big yes on the air mattress but just make sure there is a way to blow it up and take down the air. Not all are that easy. Make sure it's blown up all the way or you'll have sore back from it saging a bit.
- For my daughter (she's now 10yrs old so my memory is stretched) we had one of those portable cribs or the kind with just the stiff foam pads that go around, to keep her in one place. There may be an adjustment to get your daughter to go to sleep at first because it "not home", so be prepared. You may have to lay down with her or have her fall asleep in your arms around the campfire and then take her to bed.
- Depending on where you are going and for how long, make sure you take enough clothes for your daughter. She WILL get dirty, so just get used to it now. Bring darker colors if you can and plan on doing a little hand washing and line drying too. We used to (even up to a few years ago) give our daughter a "bath" in a rubbermaid tub that we had used to haul stuff with us in. Just heat some water in a tea kettle or pot and then add cooler water and you'll now have a bath tub. Our daughter loved it!
- Food...hard to say without knowing how long and where you'll be going. When we go with family, which we do quite often, we usually coordinate what we'll bring for meals. An example might be steak one night, so everyone brings their own steak but then you each decide what side you'll make. The easier the better and anything you can pre-prepare at home the better. For storing the food, buy block ice, not ice cubes, they'll last longer. I started making my own ice, in an extra freezer, and it lasts 3x longer than what I could buy. I also bought a small tall plastic container that fit into my ice chest. I put all the frozen meat in it. This way if it starts to thaw a bit, and it will, I don't have meat juice running into the water of the ice chest. Also, find out what the first meal will be so that meat is not frozen and then each day find out what the next meal will be so you can rotate that meat to the top of the container to start thawing the day before. For milk, only buy it in plastic containers. Don't use the cardboard box, it will start to get soggy and fall apart. Also, it's better to buy 2 half gallons than one big gallon of milk. We also used two ice chests. One for food and one for drinks. The one for drinks gets opened more often so this way your food ice chest stays cooler longer and the ice lasts longer. I used to put prefrozen water bottles in both ice chests to help keep everything cold longer too.

I could help in alot of other ways but not without knowing the specifics of your trip. Our family just returned, 2 days ago, from a 2 week camping trip to Yellowstone.....but we've moved up in the world to a travel trailer (you can also look into renting these too...I know a place in the Bay Area) and we had a great time. Best of luck!
M.

Go to REI, they not only have great equipment, but great resources in their sales staff who can answer questions. They also carry some pretty tasty freeze-dried grub. Believe it or not, this stuff is in some cases delicious. Pack more stuff that doesn't need to be cooled, because ice runs out and is messy. Cheese is good because it is actually ok not to chill it, it just looks a little oily. Tuna cans without mayo on crackers with avocado are good, just bring a salt and pepper set. Bring lots of fresh whole fruit, apple, bananas, melons, but not so much the soft stuff like peaches. Nuts and berries are great also. Bring some pre-cut celery and carrots to munch. Ask at REI for more advice, but as for the baby, there's probably better advice here. Have a blast!

Skin So Soft by Avon is a freat natural insect repellent. They also have something called Bug Guard that has an SPF of 15 and is made of the same stuff.

-Make sure your tent is big enough to set up a Pak N' Play for the baby. also, an air matress is key for your own comfort- at least a Queen size... A baby shade structure is key. a portable diaper changing pad...lots of sunscreen...swim outfiot that is shirt and short to protect from sun w/built in swim diaper...(a good web site for this kind of gear is www.onestepahead.com and click on the travel link)...if there's water, a swim ring from Toy's R' Us is the best, so you can put the baby in it and just keep a hand on the ring instead of having to HOLD the baby the whole time...a good sunhat for all...
For food, get a cooler that has a raised level for stuff to not get wet, although Zip Lock bags are the best- bring a whold box of the big gallon size ones to have on hand. Pasta/pesto is a good meal and easy. Burritos/beans/rice/cheese/salsa(if you eat chicken, King of the sea makes cooked chicken pieces in a foil like packet in the canned tuna section that is good to add to the burritos). Um, box juices/beer/water/choslate...there's usally a store somewhat close...
Flip Flops are the shoes to have. Oh and earplugs:)
Have a great time- we are a big camping family, with a 1year old and an 8 year old,
-Wendy

I too am an inside girl. Get a good thich styrofoam ice chest and use dry ice. Serious campers take the entire kitchen but I would just take stuff for sandwiches. A friend of mine goes with herv extended family and each family is responsible for a couple meals for everyone or they are assigned a portion of the dinners like salads or meat or bread.

It's so hard to say what you should do because you don't give a lot of info as to where you are going. I am a resort kind of gal as well, but let me tell you.....I grew up camping and my kids have been camping since they were infants. They would much rather be in a tent and listening to the river rush by at night than in a hotel. I have a girl and a boy, born 10 years apart, and they both love camping. It's not a bad thing. Do it once, and you'll know exactly how to be organized for the next time. Sunscreen, hats, long sleeves and pants so the baby can play and get dirty without getting scraped up. Your bed pillows and familiar smelling blankets from home. A comfortable chair you can sit in to feed and hold your baby, (the ones that fold up kind of like a camera tri-pod are great). Pre-freeze jugs of juice and water for the ice chest. As they thaw, they will help keep other things cold. Fresh watermelon, peaches, grapes. Jarred applesauce if your baby eats it is a good thing to have. It's just hard to say. We have gone camping so much that we basically have everything ready except our pillows and groceries. A few years ago, we actually got a camping kit. It all zips into one rolly bag. Tent, camp chairs, sleeping bags, air mattress, air pump. Then you need a cooler. Camping is kind of freeing, because you don't have to worry about looking perfect. Hopefully there will be showers or a river to rinse in. Just have fun! Camping really can be great and I hope you will want to do it again.

Let us know!

If you bring juice or milk freeze a little at the bottom of the container and then pour the rest in. Helps to stay colder for longer. One time we decided to all have tacos while camping. Each family was assigned something to bring. One person brough cheese, one brough tortillas, one brough hamburger meat etc. See if you can coordinate one or two meals. You end up bringing so many items. Have a list going. You hate to forget something like your camera or baby's favorite toy.

Girlfriend, I am SO there with you on being a resort and room service kind of girl! Somehow I got talked into taking the kids camping last year. I was all excited, read all these websites about advice on camping, etc. it all sounded very adventurous! OMG, it was a living hell. I don't want to scare you or anything, but my girls (then 23 months and 4 years) are prissy little things just like I am, so although I went to Target and bought this giant 20x15 tent (people at the campground referred to it as the Taj Mahal, LOL), and my parents brought along all this crazy camping equipment, bottom line was, I was all bug bitten and sunburned and DIRTY (despite the showers, which were gross and gave me athletes foot, EEEEEW!). We kept the food in a cooler with dry ice, which worked great and kept everything FROZEN solid. Although it's impossible to prepare food with any kind of cleanliness while camping. So... try for dishes that are mostly prepared already (I brought Dream Dinners and that worked out great).

I guess my advice is, maybe you'll go and discover you're a really outdoorsy kind of gal and just never knew it before. If that's the case, great!! If not, have an exit strategy (read: a hotel). After 2 days of camping, I made my husband check us into a hotel and we were sooooo much happier. We went to the campground to hang out with everyone during the day, and then at night we went to our hotel with its nice, hot showers, chlorinated swimming pool, real beds, and blessed lack of insects, raccoons, or squirrels.

With regard to equipment, my advice is to either borrow what you can, or go on eBay. If you want to borrow my Taj Mahal tent, it's all yours. I won't be using it anytime soon. LOL!

How long you will be gone, and where you are going will greatly affect what you need to bring. How rustic will it be? Will meals be communal or will individual families be doing their own thing? Just how much togetherness is planned for? Can you ask them to help you plan for meal logistics?

My first thought is that you are going with the entire family (his side or yours?), it was their idea, so I would recommend using them for as much as you can get away with. Maybe figure out what kind of tasks you are most comfortable with and propose a sharing of chores.

I agree with the tip to check out REI - great resource for info, and they rent some stuff if you don't have it already or want to invest in gear. (And I hear that Sports Basement has good outdoor gear for low $$)

Keeping your daughter happy and yourselves rested is a big factor in the success of the trip. Has your daughter slept away from home yet? Does she know other family members well? Bring things to help her feel comfortable away from home (my kids slept on lambie pads which made it easy to help far away places feel like home at bedtime), and then whatever you need to bring for a good sleep for yourselves.

In my own experience, I can handle most any food if I am rested, don't have blisters, and am NOT sunburned, NOT frozen and NOT eaten alive by biting insects, so I lean towards planning for all kinds of weather, bugs and sleep.

Have fun!

I can't imagine camping with an infant. I've seen it done, but would not do it myself. Since I've never done itwith an infant, but did it extensively as a child , I can only guess, but I would pack: a couple of hats with brims, lots of sunscreen; something for the baby to sit in, i.e., a swing, something to sleep in, a sling for you to carry baby if you should decide to go for a walk. If you are taking jars of baby food, put them in zip-loc bags so they won't get water from the ice chest, LOTS of baby wipes (your baby will be a dirt magnet) and a large tub of some sort you can use to bathe the baby in. Good luck and have fun!

Hi L.,

First I must say I am not the "Camping type" But in the times that I have traveled, these are the musts for me :

Sheets from baby's bed so they have something familiar with them to sleep and any toys/blankets that are special
Pack and play for sleeping
Baby carrier or baby bjorn
1 bag of age appropriate toys for baby to play with
Pacifier!
Take foods that you can keep pretty easy: veggies,fruit, nutritional bars like luna/cliff bars, cheerios for baby, baby food jars, baby food grinder if you do your own food, waters 12 pack or more--- if your daughter is formula fed, get those huge gallon waters to make formula with.

Bug repellant, SUN screen, baby hats, extra diapers and a huge thing of wipes-- you will all probably be using them.

I hope this helps you- I wish I could tell you more.

Molly