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How young to take children??

nwbearcat1998
Explorer
Explorer
What's the youngest you've taken your baby camping before??

We have a brand new Forest River Cherokee and can't wait to go camping again
We have a two year old toddler and a two week old baby. We plan on going over labor day weekend with our new baby girl when she'll be 7 weeks old.

We really want to go once before then though so I'd love to hear some others that have taken babies camping.
31 REPLIES 31

doxiemom11
Explorer II
Explorer II
I think you can take them whenever you are comfortable with it. If the baby is comfortable and warm enough and sleeps you should be okay to go. I have been around a cranky crying day and night child one weekend - please don't do that to other campers.

cbshoestring
Explorer
Explorer
I was born in December...somewhere in this house is a pic of me, the VW bus and an old Army tent enjoying a Memorial weekend (6 months old).

I think it depends on your comfort level...I was the 4th of 6 kids...my parents set me in the dirt after breakfast and washed me off at bed time.

Merrykalia
Explorer
Explorer
Both of our girls were about 2 1/2 to 3 months old when we took them on their first camping trip, which was a week long Thanksgiving trip to the beach. They bathed in a large pot, slept in a cardboard box that fit on our couch (the pack n play was too huge) in our popup and had a marvelous time. They still enjoy camping as much as we do although we now have a large fifth wheel and spend about 90-100 nights a year in it.
2017 Ford F350 Crew Cab 6.7L 4x4 DRW

QFamCA
Explorer
Explorer
We tent camped with our second child at 5 weeks without a second thought. Now in an RV with 3 of them.
2015 Coleman Expedition LT CTS15BH
2017 Chevy Colorado LT V6 3.6L

Crowe
Explorer
Explorer
Whatever age YOU are comfortable with. I didn't camp with my son until he was 8 months old but that was only because he was born in December and we couldn't take a vacation until August. He also went canoeing for the first time at that age. If you can physically and emotionally handle babies and all that go with them go whenever you want. As far as MarkTwain's advice-the same should hold true for anyone, young or old.

I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be

Douglas Adams

[purple]RV-less for now but our spirits are still on the open road. [/purple]

Rustycamperpant
Explorer
Explorer
My DW and I took a three month old girl, her one year old brother and two and a half year old eldest brother to Mount Rushmore in a pop up in 2008. Looking back, we so not know how we survived....
2009 Ford Expedition EB, 3.73, Equal-i-zer
2015 KZ Sportsman Showstopper 301BH

MarkTwain
Explorer
Explorer
Taking babies RVing---
1.Be prepared to handle any medical conditions your infant might have. Have all the information, map, phone numbers of the nearest hospital/Emergency Care center before you stat your trip.

2. Buy an expensive child/toddler back pack with a shade umbrella attached to cover your infant. Have a rain cover and down like jump suit for the infant if you are going to be in cold weather.

gbopp
Explorer
Explorer
I'm guessing many were conceived while camping, does that count? :B

rv2go
Explorer
Explorer
I took my granddaughter(and her parents) to Myrtle Beach, SC. when she was 4 days old. We all had a great time.
Winnebago Journey
TN Lic. RV 2 GO
Jeep Cherokee 4x4
I'm here #4335
Blog

ependydad
Explorer
Explorer
My frog-legged little guy was 6 or 7 weeks when we bought our camper and took our first trip. We were out for 2-3 weeks that time.

2017 Spartan 1245 by Prime Time
2018 Ram 3500 Crew Cab DRW w/ 4.10 gears and 8' bed
FW Hitch: TrailerSaver TS3
Learn to RV- learn about RVing - Towing Planner Calculators - Family Fulltiming FB page

Artum_Snowbird
Explorer
Explorer
My son was three weeks when we headed out in a 1974 Westie. That was the first year they put a flat bed up top and we slept up there while he was in the back behind the fold down seat. Later, when his sister was born, he slept on the front hammock across the front seat, and she was confined to the back. It was a fun rig.
Mike
2012 Winnebago Impulse Silver 26QP
2005 16.6 Double Eagle
2018 Jeep Wrangler JK
previously Snowbird Campers,
Triple E Motorhome and Fifth Wheel

gregirish1954
Explorer
Explorer
I was 2 months old (Yep, back in 1954) when my folks took me on my first camping trip in a borrowed tent. I'm still camping today. . .

KD4UPL
Explorer
Explorer
We first took our oldest when he was about 6 weeks. He was born in July so we kept our normal schedule of summer camping. The second child was born in late October so he didn't go until the following spring. Our youngest was born this past Feb. She will go camping for the first time this weekend.

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
For what it's worth, when my son was born (1985), my wife was in the hospital about 60 hours (she went into labor in the night), so 2 and 1/2 (days) after the baby was born she and baby was released from the hospital. Two days after that, we were all out Christmas Shopping a the mall. I carried the baby in an open gym bag slung over my shoulder. His little feet were sticking out of the bag. Everyone passing though it was a baby doll until they looked inside.

It wasn't camping, but if we had a camper at that time, we probably would have gone. It was about 6 months later we went camping to Ocracoke Island (Outer Banks of North Carolina when I was in the Army Stationed at Fort, Belvoir, VA - near Washington D.C) (in the back of our pick-up truck).

It's hard to believe this little baby is now 31 years old and has a 4 1/2 year old little boy himself. These were taken (1986) when we went on a camping trip (tent and the back of the pick-up truck), when he was about 6 months old.







Yup! That's me in 1985 when in the Army. I still had hair then and could still get into a size 32 pair of jeans! (no longer)

There is nothing wrong with take your new baby camping, even days after birth, as long as everyone is healthy and up to it.

We've been taking our 4 year old grandson camping with us, almost since he was born too, when Dad let us.

kerrlakeRoo
Explorer
Explorer
I dont think it's the answer you want, but ours were at least six months before we went, and that was an September and a December baby.