Adventure

Camping With a Toddler Isn't Easy, But I Promise It's Worth It

What one single mother learned from a first camping trip with her young son.
Enjoying morning view from camping tent
Getty

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I opened the new children’s-sized camping chair that I knew Isaac, my two-year-old son, would love, handed him a bag of his favorite gummy bunnies, and began to set up the tent.

I grew up camping with my family, but I hadn't done it in years. So for this first trip with Isaac, I borrowed all my supplies, tent included—I had even practiced setting it up at home before we set off for the western shores of Lake Superior. I stretched out the metal rods, which clicked magically into place, then lifted and attached the canvas. The roof arced up, I pushed the stakes into the ground, and voila: I'd completed the task I was fearing most. We had shelter. The water, stretched out before us across the wide horizon, seemed ready to provide a respite from this summer of COVID stress.

“Lake!” Isaac shouted. He hopped off the chair and dashed for the fence that stood between us and the twenty-foot sandy slope down to the beach. Just like that, my moment of satisfaction gave way to the sort of heart pounding that happens a few times each day with an active toddler.

A few weeks earlier, I had decided it was time to go camping with Isaac. Even if it meant going alone. When I told a friend about my plan on a video call, she'd stared back at me, eyebrows raised. “Alone?” she asked.

I reassured her that I knew another single mom who had just gone camping with kids—and with two little ones, no less. I was sure I could do it with one. I wasn’t expecting it to be the best trip of my life, sure, but it would be a chance to get out of town with Isaac and to introduce him to a new sort of vacation. And we needed a vacation.

Since quarantine began, I’ve barely been able to get my kitchen cleaned and my laundry done; the pile of clean clothes on my couch has become an art installation, the colors and shapes changing with each new load. Like many single moms right now, my only options to work are during Isaac’s naps and after his bedtime; when he’s awake, we hike, play, and take his tricycle around the neighborhood. And, like all parents of young children these days, I’m exhausted. A two-year-old and a tent might not sound like a chance to unwind to most, but Isaac enjoys the outdoors—and with most other travel possibilities halted for the summer, this seemed like the time to give it a try.

I’d initially planned an epic week-long vacation on the remote northern shores of Lake Superior, in the far reaches of Minnesota. I’ve traveled on my own, but I’ve never camped alone; I’d certainly never done it with a toddler. In asking other moms for advice, they all offered the same feedback: Baby steps. I listened. The trip was quickly reigned in to a one-night stay at a site with electrical outlets (which meant I could bring small appliances that Isaac and I rely on), on a part of Lake Superior just 160 miles from our home in Marquette, Michigan. It was also a convenient 45-minute drive from a friend’s house in case of emergency. When thunderstorms showed up in the forecast, I pushed the trip back a day.

Importantly, I ultimately elected to link up with another family. Other single moms I spoke to said it was more fun, and safer, for new campers to go with friends. By sharing a campsite together, we could help with one another’s kids, and we’d inevitably bring whatever the other forgot. My friends Jason and Stacey joined me with their clan, ages nine, eight, three and one and a half.

From the moment we were all set up at the campsite, I knew I'd made the right choice—in both the location and itinerary of the trip, and the choice to go with others. It didn't take long before everyone was in the water, the babies naked and splashing at the edge, while the big kids stacked large rocks in an underwater pile. It was blissful to watch Isaac play with the others, entertained by their games. But for once, I wasn’t on constant alert; I could share the load. I sat on a cushion of lake pebbles and stretched my legs into the cool water, for the first time in a while, relieved.

The author's son, Isaac, playing by the water with a friend's daughter

Rachel May

We kept things simple over the course of the short trip, and it flew by. Dinner was hot dogs and s’mores roasted on sticks. (This wasn't the time for picky eating.) By nine thirty, when the sky lit up hot pink and orange, it was already time to start Isaac’s bedtime routine. An initial fear with camping was that he might have trouble sleeping; but, exhausted from the day outdoors, it was shocking how easily he knocked out. (A little gentle rocking beside the campfire also helped—I made a mental note to bring the hammock next time.)

One of the other joys, though, was finding time for my own respite. After the big kids tucked into their sleeping bags, Jason and I stayed up late by the fire. We reminisced about grad school and talked about raising kids—the type of chat that's best beside a campfire. It was also one of the rare times I’ve gotten to talk with another adult, in person, during COVID without needing to frequently divert attention to Isaac. All my body wanted by then was sleep, but I held out, taking just a little more time with an old friend after these lonely months at home. In the morning, my back would sing with pain from a night on a camping pad, but Isaac slept through most of the night, and miraculously didn't wake the entire campground at dawn.

This journey was, by all accounts, an uneventful first camping trip. But it was glorious in its simplicity. I drove the three hours home exhausted and happy, grateful for every aching muscle in my body and for my sweet son fast asleep in the backseat. I mentally planned our next camping trip as I drove—perhaps the greatest takeaway from our one-nighter was the confidence it gave me. Next time, I knew, we would go completely on our own; we were ready.

Tips for single parents camping with young children

The best advice I have was given to me by other single moms—I contacted 17 single mothers around the United States and Canada before taking my trip. Here are their tried-and-tested tips for camping with kids, should you choose to venture out there.

  • Make sure you have access to power, ideally at a site with an outlet (a power bank is better than nothing). It allows you to keep your phone charged, to use air pumps for inflating water toys and air mattresses, and to plug in small appliances.
  • Pack a box fan for white noise and tent ventilation, and don't forget mosquito netting to cover the Pack and Play if you're traveling with a baby.
  • It's still camping if you're comfortable. Splurge on a good camping mattress, and pick a site with easy access to amenities like a store.
  • Bring food that doesn't need cooking, like peanut butter and jelly or protein bars.
  • Make a back-up plan in case of rain: toys, games, puzzles, and books that the kids can play with inside the tent. There’s no shame in downloading a movie on your phone for a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency situation.
  • A portable toilet—don't laugh—can be useful for middle-of-the-night needs. Check out the Luggable Loo and Doodie Bags.
  • Always remember a good basic medical kit, including: Benadryl, Tylenol, Motrin, a couple of instant ice packs, band-aids, disinfectant for cuts, and calamine lotion for bug bites or poison ivy.

All products featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.