Keeping toddler warm when camping

[kweetech]

Have some fall camping planned near lake Superior...temps are likely to dip fairly low.

Any advice to keep an active sleeping toddler warm at night? He's 15months, flips around in his crib a lot, but sleeps pretty hard. We tried a peapod camping this summer...he wasn't a fan, ended up sleeping between us. No one got a ton of sleep.

We'd like to use the pack and play, and some combo of warm clothes/blankets, doubt he'll stay in a sleeping bag, or under blankets. Doesn't really like his arms and legs restrained when he's sleeping either, at least he didn't last winter.
What are my options here...snowsuit? popup trailer with a furnace? wing it?

 

[Errant]

Doesn't sound like you're a fan of letting sleep with you, but that's really the best way to ensure he's warm.

 

[hoser]

I had thought about getting something like this for my toddler for the same purpose.
Columbia Snuggly Bunny Down Bunting
Comes in 24mo size

We also have a Phil & Ted portable crib that is nice since it has an insulated self-inflating mattress. The top zips off too. Not sure this would be worth it to you since your toddler will be growing out of it soon. We've used it to travel with the idea it would give him the same familiar sleeping quarters everywhere he was. It actually has worked well for us.

 

[UK4X4]

we use an all in one zip up suit for our little girl

the fleese ones we use - that snow suit would probably be hot

Now she's older she can pull up her own blankets - but we put more arround her too in case she looses one in the night.

No room in our bed - wether she cries or not !

 

[Moody]

Go snag a little inflatable pool at the local discount store, we used that in lieu of a crib/pack n play. We also would use my down coat at Olivia's and Zander's 'sleeping bag'- cinch up the bottom, put the arms inside with the kid, zip them up. There was still a lot of room for them to wiggle, scratch their legs or whatever, yet they were warm. We would still bring a sleeping bag for them, and once they were asleep, toss it on top of them.

A good beanie is essential as well.

 

[Rocket Ship]

I daresay you're verging on territory that doesn't have a great solution other than a heated space.

If it's as cold as I think it will be, both you, and your child need a sleeping bag which is zipped up around your face. This precludes co-sleeping in a sleeping bag.

I tried that last fall with my 4 year old, co-sleeping in a queen-size sleeping bag. But the large opening at the top left me freezing all night. The next night, I rezipped the sleeping bags so that I had a normal size bag myself, and put him in his kiddie sized bag. Then I threw the left-over bag over both of us like a comforter. That seemed to work, but he also doesn't move around once he's sleeping. It was about 5°C that night, and it might be even colder than that where you're going.

I think the down bunting is the best bet, but you still might be putting yourself in a situation with no great solution. Depending on the temperature, having the arms and legs not in the same space as the body will leave his/her hands and feet cold, despite being covered.

I do a lot of things with the kids, but I don't go camping in cold weather with babies/toddlers. A bridge too far in my mind. It definitely becomes "not fun anymore".

 

[Co-opski]

Ask these folks. They Packrafted the Chukchi Sea and now are walking across North America's largest glacier all with we little ones. http://www.groundtruthtrekking.org/Journeys/ToddlingArcticShores.html

 

[Hill Bill E.]

I daresay you're verging on territory that doesn't have a great solution other than a heated space.

.

I have to agree with Rocket on this one. I live on the North Shore of Lake Superior, it can and does get cold at night this time of year.

There can be as much as a 20-30 temp difference between the shore, and 5 miles inland.

We had frost this morning, and a low of 26:snorkel:

If you can borrow/rent a small pop up trailer that has a furnace, I think that would be your best bet.

My youngest will be 10 next month, and just last year I started bringing him on some fall camping trips again.:Wow1:

The Lake makes it own weather, or as we say here: Don't like the weather? Wait a minute!"

Hope you have a great vacation/trip!

Randy:coffeedrink:

 

[john101477]

We only let our daughter sleep with us once on a trip and that was enough. she has her own mini mattress and sleeping bag as well is various fleece blankets. down to about 10F degrees she is good with just her stuff. There is always a solution to kids and camping without leaving them behind. We have never left her behind unless it was a weekend designed specifically for my wife and I. Just my opinion though Each parent should definitely do what they think is best for their little ones. I just wish to convey that it is possible to take little one and have fun in almost any situation short of a blizzard, hurricane, or tsunami

 

[Adventure Family]

I take a 1qt nalgene water bottle fill it with hot water and slip it into a thick, orphaned hiking sock. I've never had one leak and they are often still luke-warm in the morning. Kids (7&4) slip them in their sleeping bags to help warm the bag up when they go to sleep. No complaints about being cold even on frosty mornings. A well insulated sleeping pad is just as important as a warm sleeping pad. Fleece pajamas and hat and everyone is cozy.

 

[kweetech]

thanks for the tips all...

I think the plan is to make a mini blanket fort over, under and around the pack and play, fleece/down snow suit and underlayers as needed.

We've been teaching him to lay in a sleeping bag too....we'll see.

And hope for not too cold, which would be more enjoyable.
Its only a couple nights car camping, so worse comes to worse..we bail.

Fall on the north shore is a great time..can't wait.

 

[Sawyer]

We have always put our daughter in her ski/snow suit (bids, jacket, beanie). Then I have a good insulated therma-rest for her and a 30 degree down bag of mine she sleeps in. Coldest we have camped in with her was in the mid 20's. She slept through the night great! She turns 3 at the end of the month and we have been taking her since she was 9 mo. old. We used the pack n play until she was about 18 mo. Good luck!

 

[5Runner]

Thermarest sleeping pad
mummy bag
tight fitting cloth long pajamas underneath
Snug as a Bug, full body zip up jammies over

Late October camping in the Rockies at 10,000 feet, waking up to snow, never a problem...until you have to get out of the tent!

I've done the hot water bottle trick for myself when I camped in a snow cave once...it does work very well.

 

[Pskhaat]

Doesn't sound like you're a fan of letting sleep with you, but that's really the best way to ensure he's warm.

:iagree:

 

[UglyScout]

We've been camping a lot since of little dude was 10 months. He has ALWAYS been wiggly and a blanket kicker-offer.

We tried a ton of stuff - here is what we learned:

1) The pack and play sits off the ground so cold air circulates under it all night and is hard to get warm/keep warm on the bottom. Just like an air mattress - hard to stay warm on a heat sink.

2) Blankets didn't work.

3) A super warm fleece one piece suit and a hat were the best.

4) A huge nest of blankets and sleeping bags around him worked better than trying to keep them on top of him. He could burrow into the blankets/bags and get/stay warm.