Camping With a Baby: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide
We recently did a camping trip with Parker, and before going I did what most parents probably do - I tried to plan for every possible scenario.
In reality, what ended up mattering most wasn’t the “perfect checklist,” but a few key pieces of gear that actually made life easier.
Here’s exactly what we used, what worked really well, and what we’d change next time.
If you're still deciding whether camping is the right fit for your family, you may also enjoy Road Tripping With a Baby, where we compare another family-friendly way to travel. If you won't be camping often, consider Renting Baby Gear When You Travel instead of buying everything.
Sleep Setup: Keeping Things Simple (and Familiar)
Sleep was something I was a little nervous about beforehand, but it ended up being more straightforward than expected.
We used:
Little Mo infant sleeping bag (this worked really well for us)
Parker slept in a base layer + sleeping bag
A Silver Cross playpen as his safe sleep space
The combination of a familiar sleep routine and a consistent sleep setup made a huge difference. Once he was down, he actually slept better than we expected for being in a tent.
We also made sure to bring a taller tent specifically so the playpen would fit comfortably inside. That extra space made the whole setup feel less cramped and more functional.
Comfort at Night: The Sleeping Pad Setup
One thing that really helped more than we anticipated was our sleeping setup.
We used:
A double sleeping pad
This made night time feeds and diaper changes much easier and more comfortable. It also meant I wasn’t freezing on the tent floor while trying to sort things out in the middle of the night.
Night Feeds & Diaper Changes
For sleeping, we brought:
Two single sleeping bags for us
But honestly, after this trip, we think we’d switch things up next time.
What we’d change:
We’re considering upgrading to a double sleeping bag so we can share one space. The idea is that it would make night time feeds easier, especially for side-lying feeds, without needing to fully get out of our sleeping bags.
That small change would probably make nights feel a lot smoother.
We dive deeper into keeping babies comfortable overnight in Diaper Changes While Camping in Cold Weather, including how we handled night time changes without exposing Parker to the cold.
Lighting for Night Changes
We packed a headlamp for diaper changes, expecting we’d use it often.
In reality, we didn’t need it most of the time.
But we’re still glad we brought it.
We only had one situation where a brighter light would’ve helped (a messy diaper in the middle of the night), so it’s one of those things we’d still bring again, just in case.
Daytime Setup: Bug-Free Play Space
One of the best things we brought was an outdoor enclosed playpen for Parker.
It ended up being:
A safe place for him to play
Protected from bugs
A way for us to relax by the fire without constantly hovering
This was honestly one of the most useful items of the whole trip. It gave him freedom and gave us a bit of breathing room.
What We’d Add Next Time
After doing this trip once, there are a couple of things we’d definitely change or add:
A baby camping chair
We’d bring a small baby camping chair next time so Parker can sit with us at the fire more easily. It just would’ve made evenings a bit more comfortable and social.
More diaper garbage bags
This one surprised us.
We brought some, but not enough. Next time, we’d bring lots of small garbage bags so we can use a fresh one for each diaper change. It just makes everything cleaner and easier to manage at a campsite.
Final Thoughts
Camping with a baby feels like it should be complicated, but once you’re actually out there, it becomes a rhythm.
You figure out what works. You adjust things on the fly. And you quickly realize you don’t need as much gear as you think… just the right pieces.
For us, the biggest wins were:
A solid sleep setup (sleep bag + playpen)
A comfortable sleeping pad for nighttime feeds
A safe, bug-free space for daytime play
And the biggest lesson?
You’ll always tweak things after your first trip. And that’s part of the fun.
We already have a list of small changes for next time, but overall, it was way more doable than we expected.
And honestly… pretty special too.
