The Baby Sleeping Bag That Made Camping Possible

Morrison Outdoors Little Mo Sleeping Bag

Keeping Parker warm overnight was one of our biggest concerns before camping with a baby. The Little Mo gave him the warmth of a proper sleeping bag while still allowing us to place him in his own safe sleep space.

We dressed him in a base layer underneath and used the Little Mo inside his playpen. It worked extremely well and took much of the guesswork out of keeping him comfortable as the temperature dropped overnight.

Why we love it:

• Designed specifically for babies and young children

• Much warmer and more practical outdoors than a regular sleep sack

• Allows arms to remain free

• Packs down smaller than trying to layer multiple bulky blankets

• Made our first camping trips feel far more manageable

The honest downside: It is a specialized product, so you may not use it every week. But if you plan to camp or spend cool evenings outdoors with a baby, it solves a problem that ordinary baby sleepwear does not.

Best for: Camping, cabins, cool-weather travel and outdoor families.

SEE THE LITTLE MO

Parker’s Sleep Space From Campsites to Trips Away

Silver Cross Slumber Travel Crib

We wanted Parker to have a consistent, contained sleep space while travelling - and one that could also fit inside our tent.

The Silver Cross Slumber has come with us as Parker’s travel playpen and safe sleep surface. It is certainly not the smallest item we pack, but having a familiar place for him to sleep has been worth the space for us.

Why we love it:

• Gives Parker a dedicated sleep space away from home

• Works as both a travel crib and playpen

• Familiarity helps make new sleeping environments feel less different

• Fits inside our tall camping tent

• Useful well beyond the newborn stage

The honest downside: It is bulkier than ultra-light travel cribs. We are willing to make room for it, but families travelling with very limited luggage may prefer something smaller.

Best for: Road trips, camping, cottages and longer stays where you want a dependable sleep setup.

SEE THE SILVER CROSS SLUMBER

The Carrier That Lets Us Take Parker Beyond the Stroller

Osprey Poco Plus Hiking Carrier

This has been one of our most-used pieces of outdoor gear.

A stroller is wonderful until the trail becomes rocky, muddy, narrow or full of stairs. The Osprey Poco Plus allows us to keep hiking and exploring places that simply aren’t stroller-friendly, while giving Parker a comfortable place to ride and see everything around him.

Why we love it:

• Much more supportive than carrying Parker in our arms

• Adjustable so we can switch between parents

• Built-in storage for diapers, snacks and other essentials

• Gives Parker a great view

• Opens up trails and outdoor experiences that would otherwise be difficult

The honest downside: It is a substantial piece of equipment and takes up considerable room in the car. It makes the most sense for families who genuinely plan to hike or explore outdoors regularly.

Best for: Hiking, scenic walks, uneven attractions and outdoor adventures.

SEE THE OSPREY POCO PLUS

The Swimsuit That Means Much Less Sunscreen Wrestling

Honeysuckle Full-Body UV Swimwear

Applying sunscreen to a squirming baby is nobody’s favourite travel activity.

Full-body UV swimwear gives Parker considerably more coverage than a standard swimsuit, which means less exposed skin for us to manage throughout a beach or pool day. It has become one of those deceptively simple products that makes outings noticeably easier.

Why we love it:

• Covers far more skin than traditional baby swimwear

• Reduces the amount of sunscreen we need to apply

• Useful for beaches, pools, splash pads and boat days

• Makes it easier to move between water and other activities

• Comfortable enough for long days outside

The honest downside: You still need sunscreen and appropriate sun protection for exposed skin. This makes sun protection easier; it doesn’t replace it.

Best for: Beach vacations, swimming, splash pads and sunny destinations.

SEE THE UV SWIMWEAR

Beach Trips With a Baby

These are the products that help us manage sun, swimming, wet clothing and long days beside the water.

Reusable Swim Diapers

La Petite Ourse

Reusable swim diapers are simple, compact and far cuter than most disposable alternatives. We keep one in our swim bag and pack a spare for longer outings.

They are designed to contain solids rather than absorb pool or ocean water, so they won’t swell up like an ordinary diaper.

Best for: Pools, beaches, splash pads and hotel swimming.

SHOP REUSABLE SWIM DIAPERS

Baby Sunglasses

KamQen

A pair of baby sunglasses is easy to toss into the diaper bag and useful on bright beaches, boat trips and sunny walks.

Whether Parker agrees to keep them on is sometimes another matter—but we like having them available when the glare is strong.

Best for: Beaches, boats, snow, sunny walks and bright destinations.

SEE THE BABY SUNGLASSES

Wet/Dry Bags

Loulou Lollipop

Wet/dry bags are useful for much more than swimming.

We use them to separate wet swimsuits, dirty clothing and diaper-related messes from everything else in the bag. They take up almost no space when empty and prevent one small mess from affecting everything we packed.

Best for: Wet swimsuits, reusable diapers, blowouts and dirty travel clothing.

SHOP WET/DRY BAGS

Baby Sunscreen

Sky & Sol

Even with full-coverage swimwear, hats and shade, we still need sunscreen for Parker’s exposed skin.

We prefer pairing sunscreen with physical protection rather than relying on sunscreen alone, especially during long days outside.

Best for: Any sunny trip or outdoor activity.

SEE THE SUNSCREEN

Wide-Brim Sunhat

Parker’s wide-brim hat was homemade, so unfortunately we can’t link the exact one. We love the extra coverage around his face, ears and neck and would choose a similar shape again.

If you are shopping for one, look for a comfortable chin strap, a brim that provides genuine coverage and a material that dries quickly.

Camping With a Baby

These are the products that helped us create a comfortable, practical campsite without trying to bring the entire nursery.

The Tent We Chose to Fit a Playpen

The North Face Wawona 3 Tent

Our tent decision was heavily influenced by one important question: could we fit Parker’s playpen inside?

The Wawona’s height and interior space gave us room for Parker’s sleep setup while still allowing us to move around. A taller tent felt especially valuable during nighttime feeds and diaper changes.

Why we love it:

• Tall enough to make baby care inside the tent easier

• Room for Parker’s playpen

• More comfortable for a family setup than a tiny backpacking tent

• Gives us protected space when the weather isn’t cooperating

The honest downside: This is not an ultra-light backpacking setup. We prioritize space and practicality because we are primarily car camping with Parker.

Best for: Family car camping.

SEE THE NORTH FACE WAWONA 3

Parker’s Tiny Campsite Chair

Bright Starts Infant Camping Chair

This was a simple addition that gave Parker his own place to sit while we cooked, ate or relaxed around the campsite.

It doesn’t look like a dramatic travel innovation, but small conveniences matter when you’re trying to keep a baby comfortable outdoors.

Why we love it:

• Lightweight and portable

• Gives Parker a dedicated place at the campsite

• Useful during meals and relaxed mornings

• Easier than continually moving a larger baby seat outdoors

Best for: Camping, cottages, picnics and outdoor gatherings.

SEE THE INFANT CAMPING CHAIR

Also in Our Camping Setup

For sleep, we combine the Silver Cross Slumber travel crib, a fitted crib sheet, Parker’s base layers and the Morrison Outdoors Little Mo sleeping bag.

We also bring a double sleeping pad for ourselves. The extra space makes night time feeds and diaper changes considerably easier than trying to manage everything from two narrow single pads.

READ WHAT OUR BABY SLEEPS IN WHILE CAMPING

GET OUR BABY CAMPING PACKING LIST

Winter Travel With a Baby

Cold-weather trips require more clothing, but we still try to choose layers that can be adjusted as Parker moves between the car, stroller and outdoors.

Infant Long Underwear

Crazy Gotend

A warm base layer gives us more flexibility than relying on one very heavy outer layer. We can add or remove insulation depending on the weather and activity.

Best for: Camping, winter walks and cold-weather travel.

SHOP INFANT BASE LAYERS

Fleece Bunting Suit

Columbia

A fleece bunting is one of our favourite transitional layers. It adds warmth without the bulk of a full snowsuit and is easy to layer over Parker’s regular clothing.

Best for: Cool fall days, mild winter outings and layering.

SEE THE COLUMBIA FLEECE BUNTING

Baby Snowsuit

Columbia

For genuinely cold outdoor days, we use a warmer snowsuit rather than trying to build endless light layers.

We choose outerwear based on the temperature and activity and remove bulky layers before placing Parker in his car seat.

Best for: Snowy walks and sustained time outdoors in cold weather.

SEE THE COLUMBIA SNOWSUIT

Sleep Away From Home

We don’t expect travel sleep to look exactly like sleep at home. Our goal is to give Parker a safe setup and retain a few familiar bedtime cues while staying flexible.

Travel Bassinet

Soobaby

A travel bassinet can be helpful during the early months when you want a smaller sleep space than a full travel crib.

Its usefulness depends heavily on your baby’s age, size and developmental stage, so always confirm the manufacturer’s limits before travelling.

Best for: Younger babies and trips where a full-sized playpen is unnecessary.

SEE THE TRAVEL BASSINET

Muslin Sleep Sacks

Loulou Lollipop

Lightweight muslin sleep sacks are easy to pack and useful in warm destinations or air-conditioned rooms.

They give Parker a familiar wearable layer without adding the warmth of his outdoor sleeping bag.

Best for: Warm destinations, hotels and summer travel.

SHOP MUSLIN SLEEP SACKS

A Familiar Bedtime Cue That Fits in the Diaper Bag

Momcozy Nightlight and Sound Machine

Travel means unfamiliar rooms, different noises and frequent changes to bedtime.

A portable sound machine gives us one consistent cue we can bring from place to place. The nightlight is also helpful when we need to feed or change Parker without turning on every light in the room.

Why we love it:

• Combines two functions in one compact product

• Easy to move between home, hotels and cottages

• Provides a familiar sound in unfamiliar rooms

• Gives us enough light for night time baby care

Best for: Hotels, cottages, shared rooms and overnight travel.

SEE THE MOMCOZY SOUND MACHINE

Everyday Travel Essentials

These aren’t necessarily the most exciting things we pack, but they solve the small problems that appear on almost every trip.

The Diaper Bag We Actually Carry

Quincy Mae Diaper Bag

A good travel diaper bag needs to hold more than diapers.

Ours regularly carries spare clothing, feeding supplies, toys, snacks and the miscellaneous objects that accumulate when travelling with a baby. We prefer something that is functional without looking overly bulky or clinical.

Best for: Flights, day trips and everyday exploring.

SEE THE QUINCY MAE DIAPER BAG

Our Travel Blanket

Our travel blanket was homemade, so there isn’t an exact product for us to link.

We use it as an extra layer in the stroller, a clean surface during stops and something familiar for Parker while we’re away. A lightweight, washable blanket is one of the simplest multipurpose items you can pack.