# Keeping An 18 Month Old Occupied



## andrhuxl (Jul 15, 2006)

I was wondering what others do to keep the little, yet mobile kids occupied while they are camping? Our son camped with us all of last season, but he wasn't crawling or walking yet, so keeping him occupied wasn't very difficult. I not sure what we're going to do to keep him in the camp site







and also keep our sanity while enjoying camping at the same time.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Don't stay in the campground.

Go for hikes...go for a boat ride...go for a bike ride...walk around campgroud...etc.

He will then be tired and will be looking for other things to do...

Try to catch chipmunks...long rope...peanuts...shoe box = hours of entertainment.

Build a log house to burn down that night at the campfire.

Dig for dinosaurs bones (this is favorite of my 7 year old)

Have plenty of inside games he can play at the table or on the floor.

You'll get the hang of it. If you have friends that camp...even better. Kids will entertain themselves if you let them. We let the kids be kids while camping.


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## kywoman (Feb 9, 2006)

Small blow-up baby pool filled or not ...push lawnmower...gate around fire ring...small swing that you can attach to a branch..just a swinging
Stephanie


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## N7OQ (Jun 10, 2006)

When my Son was young we did many of the same things that Oregon camper just mentioned. He loved to play in the dirt with pine cones, sticks rocks and anything else he could find. Lots of hikes and fishing trips but young ones don't last long fishing. We did keep a TV with VCR in case it rained but never used it on non rainy days. We always tried to camp with others who had kids. Kids have so much fun together in the woods. They love the camp fires too, just keep them busy and they won't drive you crazy.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Don't stay in the campground.

Go for hikes...go for a boat ride...go for a bike ride...walk around campgroud...etc.

He will then be tired and will be looking for other things to do...

Try to catch chipmunks...long rope...peanuts...shoe box = hours of entertainment.

Build a log house to burn down that night at the campfire.

Dig for dinosaurs bones (this is favorite of my 7 year old)

Have plenty of inside games he can play at the table or on the floor.

You'll get the hang of it. If you have friends that camp...even better. Kids will entertain themselves if you let them. We let the kids be kids while camping.


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## jfish21 (Feb 14, 2006)

We just let both of ares use there imageination and find new and exceting things
to play with. Keep a eye on them and let them go.
We also use a screen tent when the site will allow this worked great 
when they were infants.


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## old_tidefan (Nov 23, 2005)

I struggled with this last year....I finally setted on a low voltage portable invisible fence......














Obvioulsy joking (and don't think that would contain mine anyway)......but can relate to staying after a little one that is into everything. We did a lot of the things others said and probably the best was when we've been at the rallies and all of the other kids are there.


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## 3LEES (Feb 18, 2006)

Oregon_Camper said:


> Don't stay in the campground.
> 
> Go for hikes...go for a boat ride...go for a bike ride...walk around campgroud...etc.
> 
> ...


Wow. You loved that post so much you gave us a double header!

Good post by the way.

Question? What do y'all do if ya catch a chipmunk?









Dan


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

3LEES said:


> Don't stay in the campground.
> 
> Go for hikes...go for a boat ride...go for a bike ride...walk around campgroud...etc.
> 
> ...


Wow. You loved that post so much you gave us a double header!

Good post by the way.

Question? What do y'all do if ya catch a chipmunk?









Dan








[/quote]

Have dinner!!!!

Gary


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## watervalleykampers (Jan 16, 2007)

My two sisters have children in that age range, and they use a screen tent full of toys to keep the kids occupied. It gives them some shade, and keeps the bugs at bay at the same time. Also, last summer when they were dry camping somewhere, one of my cousins brought a 1/2 ton truck full of sand and they dumped it on the ground in a big pile. It kept the kids occupied for an entire weekend.


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## outbackinMT (Oct 7, 2006)

Wagons are great (we just have a little plastic one from Target)--mine loved to be pulled around in the wagon--and pull the wagon!--and she loves big trucks to push around on the ground, little shovels and buckets, small watering cans--lots of stuf with water and mud--i know it's not the cleanest thing to do, but my kids sure loved it! It keeps them busy for quite some time. Plus, there's always the portable dvd player when you need them to lay down and take a nap--we would plug that in, put in a movie and she would go to sleep!!!

Good luck! It's work, but if you break them into camping young, they love it and can't get enough!!! That's what we've found with both of our girls.

Brenda


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

3LEES said:


> Question? What do y'all do if ya catch a chipmunk?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There are a few different techniques to this game. With a cardboard box, you just open it a bit a ZOOOM chipmunk is gone...kids laugh and then do it all over again.

The second technique is only use is there are large chipmunk or possible squirrels. This involves a clear container. Once there captured then tend to start running because they can still see out. Then box moves with them....and kids will almost pee themselves while laughing so hard. Then they chipmunk/squirrel gets loose and all is well.


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## MattS (Oct 15, 2006)

Our little one is a bit older, but she loved to go for walks around the campgrounds- we look at other campers, dogs, pine cones, climb rocks, etc. We do have a dvd player if needed. For inside things we have an aquadoodle, books and the crayola wonder markers that don't make a mess. We also make her bunk into a little nest for her with blankets, toys, etc and she loves to play in there. (we've been camping on colder weather lately, so only the indoor stuff readily comes to mind). 
We have a Kelty backpack carrier for her that we got from REI and we use that thing all the time for hiking- its great. She loves it, its easy to carry her so we can get sme miles in.







Our last trip was in the snow, so we used the sled to drag her around which was fun.
Depending on where we go we have taken her to childrens museums, zoos, horseback (pony) rides, 4-wheeling. She helps carry wood around the campsite, too.

I really like the screen room idea.


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## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

tidefan said:


> I struggled with this last year....I finally setted on a low voltage portable invisible fence......
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ernie,
Bless you and Jamie's hearts!!







I KNOW you two sleep when you get the chance!!







AJ's a blessing to be around, and I just love the little guy (course you know that!). What amazes me is how he runs without his feet ever touching the ground. I know we named him "Sport Model", but I think "Road Runner" (beep-beep) may be more appropriate.







Give Jamie my best, and I hope everything's going okay for you guys!
Darlene


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## andrhuxl (Jul 15, 2006)

Thanks for all of the great suggestions. I am sure that we will employ all of them this camping season. I'll let you know how the chipmunk thing goes


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## MattS (Oct 15, 2006)

How do you actually catch the critters? I think she would love this.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

MattS said:


> How do you actually catch the critters? I think she would love this.


What you'll need - Long rope...little stick...box...peanuts...time on your hands

tie rope to stick...wedge stick upright under box to create an opening about 3" tall....toss peanuts under box and a few around area to lure them in.

...wait...wait...wait....pull rope when one goes under.


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## mountainlady56 (Feb 13, 2006)

I'd like to make a suggestion for safety, if you don't mind. Buy a baby-size life vest or put "swimmies" on their arms if you camp near water, in case they DO get away from you. You can get the little life vests at Walmart. I got one for Jimmy when we lived on a lake......of course, we went out in a canoe and stuff when he wore it. After he fell off the dam once (silty sand at edge) you couldn't PAY him to get near the water, when we had a small pond adjoining another property I owned.
Darlene


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## kristina (Mar 23, 2009)

Mine always loved toys that they could push or pull around. They don't get going quite as fast if they are pushing something across the dirt and you can catch them before they go too far...but they love to push. Lawn mowers, shopping cart, toy strollers ect. The screen tent sounds great too...though mine would just want out if I wasn't in there. How about one of those pop up tents full of balls?

If you have stuff stored in the OB in those plastic totes, put a few out with stuff that they can explore. One with dirt,sand rocks, One with leaves (check to make sure they are not toxic plants) One with water and cups. This way you are using stuff already in the OB. And that stuff can keep them occupied for quite awhile. Maybe add stuff throughout the day of stuff they get to pick up on hikes and trips out of the campsite with you guys. This way they will be less interested in pulling apart that log filled with ants. wink_sm


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## ember (Jan 17, 2008)

Uncle Stacey and Auntie Em travel with a bubble machine!! Only $20 for it and all the trimmings a gallon of stuff, and some wands and fly swatters at Wallyworld, and new for this year "portable beach" small plastic pool, 3 bags of play sand, and an assortment of beach toys, trucks, shovels, buckets, rakes etc. We aren't used to little ones around so much anymore, and discovered if we bring something it's alot more fun then any dumb old thing Mum and Dad brought, and since it's ours we can MAKE the rules, and makes for a more comfortable day for kiddies, Mum and Dad and especially fat old Auntie Em!!! Uncle Stacey just takes a nap when he's had enough!!


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## SaveFerris (Sep 19, 2009)

Hmmm, maybe we should update the title of this thread to "Keeping a 4.5 year-old Occupied". The original topic was posted 3 years ago!

2 years ago was our first season camping with the little guys. One DS turned 1 y.o. that August, and the other was about 2.5 y.o. We got a lot of use out of our kid-carrier backpack, even while in camp sometimes. Especially while setting up and tearing down the tent trailer (don't have to worry about that anymore!).

We tried to pick sites with a good field of view to keep an eye on the boys. We paid special attention to water, roads, outhouses (kids can fall into the pit toilets), and foliage they could disappear into. A lot to keep track of at once, for sure. Our boys are big into earth-moving equipment, so they bring their small toy bulldozers and loaders with them, and a couple of buckets with little shovels, too.

And x2 on the comments about wearing the kids out during the day! They fall asleep that much quicker at bedtime that way, too.

OC, the description of the chipmunk trap is one of the funniest things I have read!







I am going to try that out this summer with the DS's. If they can sit still long enough to catch something, I'm sure it will be a big hit.


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

When we were kids vacationing in Banff NP, they were overrun with Clark's Nutcracker's. Very brave birds. Well, of course they ask you not to feed the wildlife, but you had to watch your food to prevent them from helping themselves. We had peanuts that they would steal. That turned into taking a string and tying the peanut to the picnic table. Unfortunately it didn't take them long to just pull the peanut shell in half to get the nuts out. So, my Dad suggested we carve some wooden peanuts. We then tied those down, and laughed as we watched birds fly down and acutally have tug of war battles with the string. A few wooden peanuts were taken, but I doubt they enjoyed their trophy!


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