Any advice for camping with a 4-year-old?

I want to take my 4-year-old son camping. He’ll be turning 5 soon. I’m used to a sleeping bag and pad, but he moves around a lot in his sleep, so I’m worried he might roll off the pad. We’ll be camping near the Bay Area, where it’s not too cold, but I’d like to do a trial run in the yard this month. Nighttime temperatures might drop to around 40 degrees.

I was thinking of inflatable beds with bumpers, but I’m concerned they might get too cold. Any ideas?

My kids never stayed on their mattresses but still slept fine. Warm pajamas are key because they rarely stay in sleeping bags either. They’d be snoozing away while I was freezing!

Marin said:
My kids never stayed on their mattresses but still slept fine. Warm pajamas are key because they rarely stay in sleeping bags either. They’d be snoozing away while I was freezing!

Exactly! I worked at a camp in the mountains, and in the mornings, it was funny to see kids half out of their beds and sleeping bags. Some would get cold and end up sharing a bed with friends for warmth.

@Harlem
Yep, that sounds about right. Kids are unstoppable sleepers.

Inflatable bed, a thick bottom quilt since air mattresses don’t insulate well, and a Morrison outdoor sleeping bag might help.

We also use a Therm-a-Rest basecamp pad with a wool quilt. Sometimes kids want to snuggle, so bring a down blanket for both of you.

Lastly, have them use the bathroom before bed—it’s crucial. A sleeping diaper might also be a good idea if they’re not ready to get out and pee in the cold.

@Valen
This is what we do with our almost three-year-old. On our last trip, we forgot the Morrison bag, and she couldn’t stay in a regular sleeping bag without waking up cold.

We use a toddler camping mattress with a thick blanket underneath and another blanket on top. If it’s really cold, a wool blanket over all of us works well.

Pro tip: change into pajamas and clean socks right before bed to avoid any moisture making you cold overnight.

We zipped a left-zip and a right-zip sleeping bag together and used a double Therm-a-Rest strap. It was snug for the three of us, but cozy.

We used an air mattress and blankets when it was colder. You could also try getting him used to a bag and pad in the yard. If it doesn’t work out now, the gear will still be there when he’s ready.

Try puzzle mats for the tent floor—they cover the whole area so there’s nothing to roll off. We added an old quilt on top for extra comfort. We also skipped kid-sized sleeping bags and went straight to adult ones. That way, they can use them for years.

Some kids’ sleeping bags have a sleeve to slide in a pad. Many adult bags have loops to secure them to pads too.

Reese said:
Some kids’ sleeping bags have a sleeve to slide in a pad. Many adult bags have loops to secure them to pads too.

We use one from Big Agnes. It works well, but as kids get bigger, they can roll the whole setup over. watch

Check out air rail sleeping pads from REI. They have good insulation and side rails to keep kids from rolling off. Regular air mattresses don’t provide enough warmth.

If it’s cold, avoid regular air mattresses. Look for camping mattresses with an R-value of 4–5 to keep warm. Also, check if the sleeping bag has a pad sleeve for better stability.

Get a sleeping bag that’s easy to clean. Accidents happen, and it’s good to have something you can wash easily.

We got a cheap kid-size bag for our daughter. When it got colder, we nested it in an adult-sized bag. Pair that with some foam pads to create a larger, roll-proof area.

When my youngest was 4, a basic sleeping bag worked just fine. Kids are pretty adaptable.

We use a double sleeping bag. Our daughter sleeps with us for warmth since she rolls around a lot. Base layers under pajamas help too, along with wool socks for warmth.

For our 4-year-old, I unzipped a sleeping bag to use as a blanket and brought two wool blankets. I’d wake up occasionally to reposition them on the sleep pad, but they were usually too tired to move much.

Have you thought about using a hammock? It can be cozy and keeps them off the ground.

Fleece pajamas and a Coleman kids’ sleeping bag worked well for us. We found yoga mats stayed in place better than air mattresses, even when they rolled off.