Living with a 1 Year Old in a Tent in Summer. What Things to Take?

Soniya traveled for the first time in her life when she was 3 weeks old – we went to a pine wood 40 km from the city, for the whole day. A year had passed and we went on a more serious trip – to the Sahaja Yoga International Festival, 700 km away from our city. I have already written how we entertained our little one in the car. Today I am going to tell you how we lived with our little daughter in a tent in the forest on the bank of the River Volga during 4 days.

Packing

To pack bags together with a little one is not an option. Though, of course, if you have got lots of time and would like to make packing a developing game, why not… As for me, I tried to do it but Soniya decided thatthe open suitcase was specially for her and got very disappointed when I started putting things there: so I had to give our little girl a chance to climb hither and thither and to throw the things out of the suitcase :) .

Frankly speaking, it was the first time when I had treated packing in a very serious way. I started writing the list of necessary things a week before the trip remembering every day that we had to take something else. The suitcase was packed one day before the departure. And this approach was really worth it: we had everything we needed (and even more ).

When We Arrived

At the Festival, the ones who had babies had an opportunity to live in a building with 4-beds rooms. But our daddy made the decision that we would have our own “estate” among nature: a big tent and an awning in front of it (it was the end of the warm July and we, fortunately, went on this trip in our car).

An electric torch for the ceiling of the tent and a pocket flashlight were very useful (the latter helped us to find way at nights in addition to our brightly-white tent which was like a lighthouse, and not only for us).

And for the baby a tent is a developing element. Soniya really enjoyed spending time there and exploring everything that was inside.

We decided not to take tourist mats with us as they occupy too much space. We bought an inflatable matrass instead – warm and comfortable. Though, when someone turns on it, all the rest feel “waves” but you quickly get used to them. My hubby and I had 2 sleeping bags which we used as a sheet and a blanket and I took 2 child’s blankets for Soniya: she was covered at nights with one of them and the other was put between her and the side of the tent as it got a bit wet and cold by the morning.

We had been thinking whether to take the pram onto the trip – it takes too much space in the car trunk (and we did not have any intention to buy a new, lighter, stroller). But finally we packed the pram having taken its wheels off. And it was the right decision! The legs of our 1-year-old daughter get tired very quickly and she is already heavy to spend much time in mummy’s/daddy’s hands but each day we had to cover long distances (moving from our tent to the dining area, for example).

Feeding/Eating

Not having any idea what food and when will be prepared at the Festival, we took very much food with us but among the stuff for eating there was no baby food (Soniya does not eat vegetables and meat canned for babies; she enjoys “adult consistence” of meals). I took three jars with baby fruits but it was me who ate them as our little girl preferred fresh apples to them.

So, what did I take for us and our 1 year old? Thin pasta, buckwheat, rolled oats, biscuits, sweets, vegetable marrow paste. But almost all of these went back home, except for the oats – three meals were served each day at the Festival and our daughter could eat most “ingredients” of them.

Here the food was prepared for us

We were going to cook all our food on a tiny gas cooker for which we took 3 gas bottles. On the fourth day, we cooked porridge on our little cooker. Such a handy thing! Quicker than any fire!

We also brought 5 bottles of drinking water (3 of them were not opened even during these days). And Soniya always had a baby bottle with water in her pram.

Daily Routine

One more 5-liter bottle was used for technical water. The soil in that Region tends not to shake off from clothes. I changed Soniya’s clothes 3-4 times a day. For everyday washing, it would have been good to have not only soap but also a basin. But I have taken so many clothes, that the main washing was left for home. There always were wet wipes in the pocket of the pram.

By the way, a washing line would also have  been very handy: I had to use someone else’s line to dry Soniya’s hats and panties.

If the child knows how to use the pot, it will be wise to take it as well.

Diapers – standard daily number +2/3.

We also had folding chairs – but, of course, it is extreme comfort

What else made our life easier? Many plastic bags! You can put food, clean/used diapers, wet and dirty things, garbage, presents there…

We had prepared lots of presents: for children and adults. The exchange of presents was going on during all the 4 days. You will learn what handmade presents we had brought to the Festival from our future articles.

Sweets were really up to the point – we always took one more bag of them when going to some tent for tea.

What Was Not Used?

Lots of food, the thermos and the immersion heater (as far as I remember, I had even been thinking of taking an electric kettle! )

Fortunately, medicine was not used, either but it is necessary to have a medicine chest for the child when traveling.

And have you traveled in the country with a little one?

Anastasia

Illustrations to the Article:

the photos are taken by the author

To read this article in Russian, please, visit here.

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Next time you will learn how some parents combine cycling and their parental duties…