a two year old’s take on camping
Do your 4th of July weekend plans include camping with a toddler? We know camping with kids can feel like an epic adventure to prepare for. When we asked Everleigh, our two-year-old what her favorite memories from camping are, it made every bit of the packing, planning and cleaning worth it. Her answer also reminded us what camping as kids really is about: campfires, time together, and of course, marshmallows.
favorite thing #1 - marshmallows
Let’s be real, what is camping without a good old fashion s'more? Sitting around a campfire trying to roast a mallow to the perfect goooeeyness without burning it brings any adult back to their childhood self. Marshmallows are at the top of Everleigh's list and we certainly can’t blame her for that. Want to make clean up a little easier on you? Here is a fun kid hack we found for
s’mores in a bag. Another pro-tip for you peanut butter lovers: substitute the Hershey’s for a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup (yum!).
favorite thing #2 - fire
Is there is any ritual more powerful and memorable than gathering around a campfire? I loved that this was 2nd on my daughter’s list. A fire provides the perfect space to tell stories, open up and connect as a family. During our recent camp trip our family friend even shared with us his juggling talents, making the experience that much more special.
favorite thing #3 - smoke
When you ask a toddler not to stand in the smoke, what do they do? Grab their other 2-year-old friends, stand in the smoke and giggle about it…typically this would be the least favorite part of anyone’s camping trip, but hey, this was one of Everleigh’s top camping favs. A great remind to us that kids can find the magic and fun in anything.
favorite thing #4 - the tent
A tent to us is a symbol for adventure and quality time under the stars together and why we chose a tipi as our logo. For a two-year-old, a tent is also the coolest fort ever and an opportunity to snuggle up next to mom and dad for the night.
So there it is, the most memorable components of a camping trip for a two year old. Lesson learned, just go...even if it’s the backyard :)