Anyone who has kids knows that keeping the kids happy is the key to everyone being happy. One of the keys to keeping this balance while camping is ensuring that the kids gets as much sleep as possible.
Years ago we found that a good sleeping bag makes all the difference in the world for helping kids sleep through the night. While the Disney sleeping bags might be great for a weekend at Grandma’s, they simply don’t do much when the temperature drops at 3am and the kids wake up shivering.
Kelty sent us their Big Dipper 30-degree sleeping bag for my 7 year old to try out. While it does come in your choice of blue or pink, I am afraid that on this real sleeping bag, Mickey Mouse just simply isn’t an option. It does, however, have some features that are much more useful for camping. This includes a mummy-like hood with a elastic instead of a drawstring for kids. This not only keeps the child’s head warm but also makes it more difficult for them to wiggle out of it in their sleep.
Another nice feature is that it has a zippered 12” extension on the bottom to extend to 5’ 4”. This is great if you are tight on space in the tent if that child doesn’t need the extra room inside the bag. I would assume a smaller bag probably means that the bag would warm up faster with the child’s body heat as well.
Attached to the extension is an integrated storage bag. This is great for ensuring that you always have a way to roll up the bag and not have to deal with finding or storing the bag elsewhere in the tent.
Now many of you are probably thinking that 30 degrees is below freezing and you would never take my kids camping in that cold of an environment. It is important to remember that kids typically don’t have all the excess insulation that we do as adults. That means that they often get colder faster and a warmer sleeping bag might be comfortable for them long before things start freezing outside. It is also easier to unzip a bag than trying to get them warm them back up in the middle of the night.
I would highly recommend investing in this sleeping bag if you plan on doing any kind of camping with your children as it will make the experience much more pleasant for both of you. It also works great at grandma’s.
Enter to Win
Kelty is giving one lucky Busy Mommy Media reader a Big Dipper Youth Sleeping Bag!
To enter, comment on this post and tell us your best tip for camping with kids.
This giveaway is open to the U.S. only and will end on June 21, 2011
In compliance with the FTC Guidelines, please note that this is a sponsored post. Glide Bikes sent me a Go Glider for review purposes and is providing the giveaway prize, however all opinions are my own. Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules.
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We attached a bell to the tent zipper so no one could exit the tent without our knowledge at night
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I always make sure to pack a new toy (something small) to help keep them occupied and I let my daughter get her own bag of toys that she also has to keep track of. Love the bell on the zipper idea!
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Make sure to have activities planned for times when they’re “bored” but also have plenty of down-time to relax.
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Keep books on hand for rainy days, or travel games. Lots of bug dope and sunscreen!
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take a lot of extra clothes with you. This is especially true if rain is in the forcast.
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My best tip for camping with kids is ensure you take enough snacks
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we have not gone camping with my son yet, but hope to soon. I would say bring lots to do.. and let them explore. don’t worry about getting dirty.
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Always stock up on entertainment and snacks.
Bring at least two pairs of shoes – one for hiking all day and one for kicking around camp.
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Always bring plenty of smores items for them to make
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Don’t forget the flashlights and lanterns for night and bring lots of food choices in case it is raining and you don’t have a campfire!
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planning a scavenger hunt is always fun.. and leaf rubbings:)
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