Camping with a Toddler: What to Bring

With summer time being here many families enjoy taking small camping vacations to enjoy the warm weather and take part in some fun outdoor activities. If you are bringing along your toddler it can be a bit tricky keeping them entertained and ensuring they stay safe and sound. Here are 5 must-have items to bring along when camping with a toddler.

1. Sunscreen and bug spray. Keeping your little one safe during the summer time means lots of sunscreen and bug spray. Mosquitoes and other bugs love to come out during the summer time and some of those bites can easily become infected which can make for an irritable toddler. OFF provides some great bug spray choices as well as special wipes you can use to help keep the bugs away. Sunscreen is also important when camping with your toddler. Even if you are in the shade it is important to put plenty of sunscreen on your toddler. Protective hats are another good choice to help shade them from the sun.

2. Child Backpack. Although there are many parents that scoff at "leashing" their children, having been one of those parents myself and then seeing all the safety benefits that come with using one, I see how important they can be especially when camping. Toddlers love to explore and with there being all different types of bugs, lizards and other forms of wildlife to look at they can disappear in the blink of an eye. A child backpack is an excellent way to keep them close enough to you while still allowing them their own room to explore. You can find these many different stores including Wal-mart and Target and they are fairly inexpensive with many being under $20.

3. Lots of snacks and drinks!! It is very important to bring along a huge cooler filled with items such as water, ice, juice boxes and plenty of snacks. Toddlers can get over-heated very easily so it is important to keep them hydrated and cool. Snacks such as small baggies filled with pretzels, popcorn or fruit snacks are excellent choices to keep them full till meal times. If you are going hiking you can easily pack many of these in your backpack ahead of time and they are fairly inexpensive and easy to make ahead of time. You will want to avoid snacks that can easily melt or cause a mess and drinks that will spoil in the summer sun.

4. Fun toys! While you may want to avoid bringing along their most favorite items to ensure they do not get lost you will want to bring along lots of fun toys to help keep them occupied. This can include a bucket and pail, small squirt guns, a ball, or anything else that they enjoy playing with outside. Even bringing along a "surprise" bag filled with some of these toys can be fun and keep your toddler busy. You can get many of these items at places like The Dollar Tree.

5. First Aid Kit. The most important item you will want to bring along while camping with a toddler is a well-stocked first aid kit. These come with items such as band-aids, anti-bacterial creams, hydrogen-peroxide and many more items you will need in case of a small emergency. Toddlers are notorious for getting in a hurry and trying to run ahead because they are excited which can result in many bumps, cuts and bruises. Having a good first aid kit can help fix these "boo-boo's" in plenty of time to get back to the fun of camping. They can be purchased at camping supply stores as well as other stores such as K-Mart, Wal-Mart and Target for under $25.