Amy Clark
This weekend we are attending a festival and going to camp. We live in Michigan- and it's fall.. so during the night the temp has been getting down around in the low 40's. I have a very nice 8 person tent and there are 5 of us in it. (Me, my husband and our 3 kids ages 10, 3 and 1). There is no electric hook-ups and I'm not comfortable with a heater inside anyways- only the kids have sleeping bags- is there anything else we can do to make sure its warm in there so the kids don't freeze? (Like laying extra blankets down on the floor etc...)
Answer
Fuel powered heaters in tents can be deadly so don't even use them.
The tricks to staying warm at night is insulation and staying dry. Start by setting your tent over a good vapor barrier like a plastic tarp, this keeps water vapor from the ground from rising through your tent floor. Next is a good layer of insulation under the sleeping bags, the best form is a closed cell foam pad the thicker the better, Walmart has a folding foam sleeping mat they sell in the store for about $45 that is 4inches thick. A backpacking model called Thermarest is lightweight sells for about the same price is only 1-2 inches thick. Inflated air mattresses are not any good for trapping heat and get as cold as the air around you. I also sometimes use a folded furniture pad about $10 bucks at the hardware. Next is using sleeping bags rated for the weather sleeping bags rated to 15* will be good enough but the colder the rating the warmer the bag. Adding a fleece liner will add more insulation. Throw a comforter over the kids for a bit more and your done. Now before you hit the sack eat a good meal with plenty of carbs and drink plenty of fluids, this is what your bodies need to burn fuel with to make heat and keep you warm at night. Of course that may give rise to the call of nature and definitely get up and go because it takes heat away from the body to heat a full bladder and you can't sleep any way. Do all these things and I guarantee you will be toasty warm all night. Here is a link with more winter camping info,
Fuel powered heaters in tents can be deadly so don't even use them.
The tricks to staying warm at night is insulation and staying dry. Start by setting your tent over a good vapor barrier like a plastic tarp, this keeps water vapor from the ground from rising through your tent floor. Next is a good layer of insulation under the sleeping bags, the best form is a closed cell foam pad the thicker the better, Walmart has a folding foam sleeping mat they sell in the store for about $45 that is 4inches thick. A backpacking model called Thermarest is lightweight sells for about the same price is only 1-2 inches thick. Inflated air mattresses are not any good for trapping heat and get as cold as the air around you. I also sometimes use a folded furniture pad about $10 bucks at the hardware. Next is using sleeping bags rated for the weather sleeping bags rated to 15* will be good enough but the colder the rating the warmer the bag. Adding a fleece liner will add more insulation. Throw a comforter over the kids for a bit more and your done. Now before you hit the sack eat a good meal with plenty of carbs and drink plenty of fluids, this is what your bodies need to burn fuel with to make heat and keep you warm at night. Of course that may give rise to the call of nature and definitely get up and go because it takes heat away from the body to heat a full bladder and you can't sleep any way. Do all these things and I guarantee you will be toasty warm all night. Here is a link with more winter camping info,
Camping this weekend - with kids?
ariesalway
tent camping 5yr old and 3 yr old. Going with another family also. We've been before but love to refresh my mind about the little things Im gonna foget.
easy foods, snacks, games...ect..??
Answer
Make sure the kids have a way to get to their own snacks and drinks while you are walking. Little bags of trail mix can be customized - cheerios and pretzels for one, cheetos and peanuts for the other...you get the idea.
Make sure they have something to do other than just walk - a game like 'find the squirrel' or "who can find the most different leaves" is fun and educational - so long as you aren't in a rush.
When mine get tired I use my walking stick and play "little engine" - have them grab one end of the stick and move it in a circle like a train's wheels "I think I can, I think I can" will get the tiredest kids moving and get their minds off being tired - for a minute anyway.
Have a plan for rain! Gear up and take some imagination toys - dolls, action figures whatever the kids like.
Around the campsite the kids might like to make "fairy houses". Use sticks, acorns, bark, leaves and other found items to make little homes that can just decorate the forest...you might be surprised how creative the kids can be.
Take a small "boo-boo" kit - neosporin, Dora bandaids, etc.
Give the kids jobs at dinner time or set-up time - carry water, hand you tent stakes, gather wood, etc. They'll be under your feet otherwise.
Make sure the kids have a whistle around their neck just in case they wander off - they can blow a whistle louder and longer than they can yell.
Let the kids each have a flashlight at bedtime - it's fun and makes them feel safer. Show them how it works and take extra batteries - they'll probably leave it on all night.
I'm leaving out all the regular stuff - food, sunscreen, bug spray, toothbrush/toothpaste, stuffed animal to sleep with, tent, clean undies, etc. I'm assuming that bit is covered. Just sharing some things we do when we camp.
Make sure the kids have a way to get to their own snacks and drinks while you are walking. Little bags of trail mix can be customized - cheerios and pretzels for one, cheetos and peanuts for the other...you get the idea.
Make sure they have something to do other than just walk - a game like 'find the squirrel' or "who can find the most different leaves" is fun and educational - so long as you aren't in a rush.
When mine get tired I use my walking stick and play "little engine" - have them grab one end of the stick and move it in a circle like a train's wheels "I think I can, I think I can" will get the tiredest kids moving and get their minds off being tired - for a minute anyway.
Have a plan for rain! Gear up and take some imagination toys - dolls, action figures whatever the kids like.
Around the campsite the kids might like to make "fairy houses". Use sticks, acorns, bark, leaves and other found items to make little homes that can just decorate the forest...you might be surprised how creative the kids can be.
Take a small "boo-boo" kit - neosporin, Dora bandaids, etc.
Give the kids jobs at dinner time or set-up time - carry water, hand you tent stakes, gather wood, etc. They'll be under your feet otherwise.
Make sure the kids have a whistle around their neck just in case they wander off - they can blow a whistle louder and longer than they can yell.
Let the kids each have a flashlight at bedtime - it's fun and makes them feel safer. Show them how it works and take extra batteries - they'll probably leave it on all night.
I'm leaving out all the regular stuff - food, sunscreen, bug spray, toothbrush/toothpaste, stuffed animal to sleep with, tent, clean undies, etc. I'm assuming that bit is covered. Just sharing some things we do when we camp.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
No comments:
Post a Comment