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Some of my absolute earliest memories are of camping trips with my family. These also happen to be my fondest memories. With that in mind, my husband and I have made a point of taking Evie (and now Indie too!) camping early and often. We started Evie at 6 weeks old, with a summer camping trip at Shaver Lake. By just 13 months, she’d been camping well over 5 times: on trips ranging from warm August days and nights at Shaver Lake to a brisk October night at Big Basin in the Santa Cruz Mountains. We’ve done Big Sur, car camped on a farm, beach camped in Santa Barbara, and snuggled in a tent in someone’s yard in San Luis Obispo. And without fail, our Evie Wilder lights up, gets dirty, smiles big, and sleeps better every single time. She’s never happier than in nature, and every time we sleep under the stars, this becomes more apparent.

Many of you know that when Evie turned 18 months, we moved into a converted van full-time for about a year and a half. Three+ years later, we had another baby (welcome, Indie Bo!), sold our beloved Homer (converted van), and have officially returned to tent camping.

See all of our favorite adventure spots on my adventure page!

I’ve shared a lot of our experiences camping as a family on Instagram, and the response has been so positive. I’ve gotten tons of requests for a “how to” post, so here you have it, newly updated now that we have Indie (and continually updated as we continue to camp and learn). Please note that I am not necessarily an expert, and we are learning what works and what doesn’t as we go, but I can say that we’ve had overwhelmingly positive experiences so far, and I am glad to be able to share them with you!

If this post helps even just one family get outside, let their kids get dirty, and have under the stars, that’s a win. There’s an indescribable magic in camping, and I hope we all get to experience it in our own way. Cheers! ♡

Note: I’ve recently partnered with two AWESOME camping/outdoor companies that I truly respect and love. Check out Barebones for all of your outdoor fire, garden, and cooking needs and Stanley to keep it all cool, hot, and ready for your adventures!

*note: there are some affiliate links throughout this post. I genuinely am only sharing things that worked great for us, so if you click my link it’s because I’ve tried and trued the thing you’re clicking. Your support means the world!

A Mama’s Guide to Camping

SETTING UP CAMP:

• TENT: When we just had Evie, we started in a Extra long 2-person backpacking tent (worked just fine for the three of us, and we’ll still use it when we backpack with Evie at our feet and Indie between us); however, after one trip with Indie added to the mix, we realized this would no longer work for our family longterm, and we upgraded! We now have two options, depending on the trip:
  • Whiteduck canvas tent: this is a much larger tent that’s great for car camping, when you’ll set up camp for multiple days. There is plenty of room to walk around inside, there’s a bit of insulation, and it’s more like a glamping experience. All that considered, it’s actually super simple (though a little time intensive) to set up. Save 10% at Whiteduck with code: RADICALROOTS10
  • Nemo Wagontop tent: this lightweight, super simple to set up, and awesome for families. Thanks to a unique pole structure, it has plenty of interior space and room to stand up and stretch. It also has awesome windows and doors to provide both views and ventilation, but they close tight when needed for privacy and protection from the elements.
  • I am also currently doing more research on top flame retardant free tents, so stay tuned!
• Camping mattress: After trial and error, we landed on this Kelty Kush queen air mattress. It packs up small, is shockingly comfortable, and has enough room for Indie to sleep between us. (Evie is still using one of our single backpacking mats that Rusty has had since college (we’ll upgrade in time).
• Sleeping bag: The first few times we camped, we brought a comforter and sheets and set up our tent like a bed. We’ve found that sleeping bags are easier and take up far less space. We’ve settled on the Kelty True Comfort Double Wide, and LOVE it. It has individual attached “blankets” on each side, so we can stay warm while Indie sleeps safely between us in her Woolino sleep sack with no sleeping bag near her face.  On that note, yes, we “bed” share when we camp and it works really well for us for easy side lying nursing, extra warmth, and family cuddles. 
• Guava Lotus Travel Crib: LOVE LOVE LOVE. Did I mention that I love this thing? It packs up small and conveniently, it’s durable, it’s easy to clean (literally just hose down the mattress), and the easy open zip side makes it simple to let Evie explore when it’s safe or to keep her in when it’s not (usually once the fire is going). She can be in the mix but contained when needed. We then put it between our two camping mats (when we had two) for a little more evening out. I love this thing. *Note: we plan to work in naps in the Lotus too when we’re not out on hikes! Stay tuned. (We’ll continue to bed share in the tent for the foreseeable future)
• Picnic blanket: It’s great to have a hearty blanket, ideally with a plastic or similar bottom, to lay out for play time, diaper changes, and lounging.
• Hammock: If you get a site with trees suitable for setting up a hammock, do! Evie loves rocking back and forth, and if you have a kid who enjoys rocking to sleep, it’s a nice way to keep some normalcy to bedtime routine. We love the double wide so we can all lay in it together. I look forward to nights under the stars soon.
• Headlamps: necessary for late night diaper changes, exploring after dark, and enjoying the stars without big obnoxious lamps.
• Baby Monitor: We finally bought one (never use one at home) because it’s great to be able to hear her in the van (yes, that is the new setup, shhhh more to come) when she goes down before us. We chose this one because both ends are battery operated (hard to find). So far, so good!
• Nook Lilypad: We love this for the babes before they’re crawling. It’s a perfect place to lay them down, you can move it anywhere, and it’s easy to clean when you get home.

WEAR/PROTECT:

• We each use 1-2 packing cubes for our clothes (they were also so awesome since our van living experience), and then we fit them in our big duffle (Use THIS link for $20 off your first order).
• How we bundle for cold camping: onesie, sweatshirt with hood, easy zip snow pants, and then we use a woolino sleep sack (or once or twice we’ve used my vest) as a sleeping bag around her body (layers are key – we’ve had some nights where she got way too hot and we had to strip her down in the middle of the night).
• Bring plenty of changes of clothes because babe WILL get dirty, and that’s what makes it all so fun. Stick with outfits that you’re not especially fond of or that are durable as all hell. We LOVE Cotopaxi and Patagonia.
• We also love having our Ergo 360 on hand for if Evie wants to be held or to keep her (and me) warm in the evenings. It’s also GREAT for hikes. And it’s super easy to just throw in the wash when you get home to get the campfire smell out.
• Beautycounter Countersun SPF is our go to for sun protection if we will be out in the sun longer than 20-30 minutes (less than that and we let the sun do its thing for Vitamin D). I’ve felt comfortable putting this on Evie since 4 months, but I believe the recommendation is 6.
• To keep the pesky bugs away, we use THIS bug spray. So far, so good, but this is California camping. I’d love suggestions if you guys know of anything strong and safe!

FIRE:

• Most important: DON’T RUN OUT OF WOOD. Buy more than you think you’ll need. At least 3 bundles for night and 2 for morning (because morning fires are magic). Make sure you have a lighter and some paper too – we grab newspaper or tear up paper bags.
• We love THIS babe camping chair / high chair combo. We often use it at home, and just have her on the dining table with us.
• We also LOVE these chairs for sitting around the fire or taking to the beach. Our friends have a set, and while they can be a challenge to put away, I love how compact they get, and I actually find them to be very comfortable.
• More recently, I’ve been loving the Thermaseat D-Wedge camping chair. It folds up small, is super comfy and insulated, and is great for nursing too. Save 20% with code: LAURARADICALROOTS20

PLAY: 

• Standup paddle: I have parenting summer solo since Rusty started wildland firefighting and this board has been a game changer. It’s something fun for the girls and me to do, it’s the space where I clear my head, it’s movement, it’s zen.
• Keeping this one simple: we do not feel the need to bring toys or things to entertain the girls when we camp. The opportunities for them to use their imagination, explore, get dirty, and create her own games are endless in nature. Watching Evie do this make my heart happy.
• Someday we’ll get her a balance bike and then a real bike because there’s something incredibly nostalgic about riding bikes around a campsite (edited 4 years later: we did and she loved it and is now onto her own pedal bike!). That’s where I learned as a kid!
• Beach time: We love our Outdoor Research kids’ hats, Little Green Radicals swim and sun protection, and Beautycounter SPF.

CLEAN UP:

• Mama: Beautycounter face wipes to clean of grime and then Cleansing Balm to keep moisture in (great easy combo, especially with no running water)
• Babe: Balm for All for all things (scrapes, rash, cuts, etc) + Countersun spray SPF for the sunshine protection.
• Everything: Dr. Bronner’s soap is magic for dishes, body, even hair. And it won’t leave any toxic residue in the water! We also do body wipes with Water Wipes if we don’t have access to a shower. By far my favorite wipes.

EAT:

• S’mores! No campout is complete without campfire s’mores, and we’re here for the sourdough graham crackers. Have you tried making them yet? So simple, so delicious, so nourishing. Enjoy!
• We always have our camping stovetop on hand. It’s super easy to use and very convenient for boiling water, frying eggs, cooking meat, and reheating sourdough pancakes. Just make sure you get a small kettle to boil water (though we have used a glass bottle in a pinch), and a lightweight cast iron griddle for cooking!
• Lunch/snacks: We love making sourdough sandwiches at the campsite, so keep deli meat, homemade hummus, cheese, pink pickled onions, and kraut on hand for those. We also have other things that travel easy, have plenty of high quality fat and protein, and aren’t loaded with sugar to keep us satiated longer for the adventures of the day: Paleovalley beef sticks (15% off with code: RADICALROOTS), Serenity Kids Pouches (15% off code: RADICALROOTS), Skout Organics Bars (15% off code: RADICALROOTS), more cheese (to make things even easier, buy pre-sliced), and always berries and apples!
• Dinner: We usually keep it simple with grass fed burgers over the fire (ideally look for a site with a grill top on the fire pit or a separate grill). It’s best to season and form the patties ahead of time so you make less of a mess. We’ll pack guac, more cheese, and kraut for easy bun-less cheese burgers. I’ve also loved making a big pot of bone broth rice ahead of time to bring and reheat for nourishing bowls. Most recently, I cooked up ground beef in our camping pot, added a can of diced tomatoes, cream, parm, and the rice, and it was delicious and so easy. OR sometimes if it’s a late night getting into the site, we’ll just sit by the fire, and eat a charcuterie spread of salami, prosciutto, cheese, and sourdough while sipping some Dry Farm wine or Scout and Cellar in our camping wine tumblers.
• Breakfast is always a favorite. I am always up first, so I’ll start by making a fire and then boiling water either on the fire or on our camping stove, and then throw together boosted coffee (it’s super easy to pack some collagen, mushroom elixirs, and cream). Once everyone is up, we’ll cook up bacon, fry eggs in said bacon grease, pan toast some sourdough, and enjoy with berries!
• Keeping it cold: We have this ice chest, and it fits between the front and back seats under where we have Indie’s carseat. It’s good for keeping cold 2 days/nights worth of campsite food for our family. We also grabbed this soft cooler for longer trips; it holds more and fits in between Indie’s seat and mine in front of her.

Did I miss anything?? Leave me a comment with any questions you might still have. I hope this helps. Sending you love and joy on your next adventure! 

♡ Laura