If you’re anything like me, sometimes you catch yourself wishing the winter months away in anticipation of all the fun outdoor activities you can do in spring and summer. Camping is among our family’s favorite things to do during the warmer months and we miss it during the winter. But, do we have to? Who says that camping is only for summer? Today, Oklahoma dad of two and outdoor enthusiast Jared Ryan shares his tips for winter car camping with kids. He’s got all you need to know to get started car camping with your family during the colder months. This post is packed with all his favorite winter camping gear, advice for what to pack, how to make sleeping comfortable for everyone, and more!
The need for winter adventures
For a lot of us, winters can feel long and somewhat unadventurous. Sure, we have the buildup of excitement for our holiday season; but, inevitably there comes a familiar lull in the long wait for spring. For my kids, cabin fever sets in by the middle of December. They need out of the house now.
So, forget about waiting until spring to get outside. That’s too long to wait and such a waste of a beautiful season. This is why we decided to start car camping in the winter… Yep, winter. Their need to get outside (thankfully) drove us to become cozier with the idea of sleeping under the winter-night stars.
We introduced our kids to ‘cold weather’ car camping early on. The first time we took them out in the winter they were two and three years old, so they’re used to it and don’t think we’re super crazy. I remember that trip more vividly than most, mainly because I was somewhat surprised and impressed at how well they handled the cool temps.
It was a late winter weekend, with fairly mild temperatures. The low that evening was around 42 degrees Fahrenheit. We were camped out in a small four-person tent with my and my wife’s sleeping bags zipped together around all four of us. I remember being so worried that the kids would get too cold and we’d be packing up and heading home by 1 am. Much to my surprise and delight, the kids never made a peep! We fell asleep to coyotes howling within (what felt like) 200m from our camp and woke up to turkeys gobbling and strutting through our campsite.
I remember my son dancing on the picnic table that morning while I heated up milk for their hot chocolate. While my wife and I sipped our morning coffee and snuggled up next to the campfire, the kids were running around in the trees next to our camp. That’s when I withdrew any reservations about taking out littles out during the winter months. The cold never bothered them anyway.
What is car camping?
Basically, car camping is camping with your vehicle. You can “car camp” anywhere that you can drive up to in your car, truck, or van. While car camping can also mean literally sleeping in your car, that’s not a requirement. You can also sleep in a tent, hammock or wherever floats your boat. The key is that you arrive to your campsite in your vehicle and keep your vehicle onsite, which allows you to carry more essentials than a backpacking trip or somewhere you don’t have access to your car.
We’ve been car camping for years. And while we are still not experts, we have fun learning more with every trip. Over time, we’ve acquired a solid knowledge bank of what it takes to make winter car camping just as much fun (and often more fun) as those spring and summer trips. The bonus of winter car camping is that you can enjoy your favorite campgrounds all to yourself!
You set the tone for the experience
First and foremost, when you go car camping with kids, make sure you are the cheerleader for your kids. They need you to reassure them that the temperatures are not a big deal. Eventually, they will no longer worry about how cold it’s going to be at night after they have experienced a few of these trips. Your attitude and mindset in this experience will set the tone of the trip and they’ll be much more confident and content when they see you’re relaxed and having fun.
Winter car camping gear
Next, it’s all about the gear. I’ve heard several iterations of the Scandinavian saying and I believe it holds true; “There is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothing.” That saying holds true in the winter more than any other time.
Yes, I know that camping gear can get really pricey when trying to buy for your whole family. That’s especially tricky to justify before knowing if they’ll even enjoy camping. However, there is no reason to not start out using what you already have. Remember, when car camping, you have the luxury of bringing EVERYTHING that you can possibly fit in your vehicle. You may greatly overpack those first few trips, but you’ll quickly figure out what you need (and what you don’t) and will adjust accordingly.
This can get cumbersome when loading up, so while packing EVERYTHING is possible, you won’t need it all. And you’ll quickly realize that while loading the car. I am confident to say that you will most certainly NEVER be as organized when packing out to head home. This is still a mystery to me, seriously, how does this always happen?
What to pack for winter car camping with kids
As your experience grows and you get a feel for camping, you’ll start to get familiar with the areas where you’d prefer to invest more money into more compact and purposeful gear. There are endless options for improvement and no shortage of cool camping gear out there. The options are endless, but you don’t need it all to get started.
What we’ve done over the year may also work for you. With each of our outings, we mark items off our list that we didn’t find a use for or need and recorded new processes that have worked well for us or noted items we wished we packed. For cold weather camping, most of the gear and processes revolve around the night. A cold, sleepless night can turn your kids into cold weather one-and-dones. Adding these few key routines and items to your current camping setup can definitely ease the worry about sleeping in the cold.
How to stay warm at night when winter car camping with kids
The best advice when winter car camping with kids is to make sure to get your kiddos warm BEFORE bed. We use a Mr. Heater Buddy heater to warm our hands and feet before getting ready for bed. This is a small propane heater that shuts off when tipped and has a carbon monoxide(CO) sensor in them. Although they are rated to be safe for sleeping, we do not sleep with this lit, nor do we use it in an enclosed space. If you do, I would suggest getting a CO detector to place close to your bed.
To stay warm through the night, pour hot water into a Nalgene bottle to hold between your legs or place it at the end of your sleeping bag. I haven’t tried this, but I have friends that love and swear by this tip.
Serve up dense foods for dinner that will keep your body burning calories well into the night. We try and stick to high protein dinners when camping. Try to limit water an hour before bed. For us, this includes limiting water for the dogs. It’s tough getting out of your warm bed in the middle of the night to take a kid (or dog) outside to go potty. It definitely happens, but if you can avoid it, you’ll stay warmer overnight.
Check the rating on your sleeping bag and the temperature list. That number assumes that you are wearing clothes while sleeping in it. Did you know that? When we camp in the winter, we sleep in our sleeping bags, under our comforter at night. We use zero degree sleeping bags along with a system of layering clothing that goes from the toes up in the following order: (1) tight Smartwool socks under thick, looser cotton socks (the looser sock helps provide a pocket of heat to circulate around the tight sock.), (2) thermal underwear or Smartwool base layer for the legs and torso, (3) a sweatshirt up top, and (4) beanies on our heads. We still stay away from hoodies on our kids when they are asleep.
Car camping with kids sleeping setup
Instead of a sleeping pad, we bring a futon mattress. Sounds weird, I know, but we started using this method just because we already had it available. Over the years, we’ve tried numerous sleeping pads and air mattresses. Although there are tons of insulated options out there, I have yet to find one that keeps us as warm as the futon mattress in subfreezing temperatures.
Next, we add flannel sheets, then our sub-zero sleeping bags, and top with our comforter! This is a game-changer. We’ve also used a power bank to run an electric blanket as another option. If you’ve got those things, use them!
Bring along your pillows from home. Camp pillows work fine, but when you can bring your regular pillows from home, why not? That’s one of the biggest perks of car camping! Bring what makes you comfy!
Pack clothes that are dedicated to sleeping and not used for anything else. You definitely want everyone to change into fresh clothes right before bed to make sure no one is sleeping in damp clothes from perspiration or playing in the water. My kids play hard all the way up until bed, so we wait until we’re ready to climb into the sheets before changing.
Don’t forget the indoor activities. When it’s cold, we tend to go to bed earlier. So we have enjoyed spending time reading books (currently the Hardy Boys) in the tent or playing card games. This is great family time that our kids seem to look forward to.
Pro tip: With all the extra blankets, pillows, and coats for warmth, it can get really cumbersome. We make ample use of vacuum storage bags. These are huge space savers. Just don’t forget that in order to vacuum them down from the campsite for the ride home, you’ll need to bring a portable vacuum or the pump from your air mattress and the appropriate fitting.
Winter wind and tent tips
The biggest difference when camping in the winter vs warmer months is the wind. The cold biting wind in the winter is a game-changer. Obviously, you can try to find campsites and locations that are away from water or close to trees to block some of the wind. However, sometimes we’ll sacrifice wind for a more picturesque location (photographer wife). If this is you as well, here are a few more things to note/remember:
- Bring tarps and paracord to build windbreaks. Specifically to protect your tent from heavy winds, but also your kitchen and even your sitting area. This can make a windy site MUCH more pleasant and relaxing.
- Use a heavy coat or blanket as a barrier between you and the side of the tent. This helps with insulation and to keep the warmth in.
- Bring along a mat/rug for the tent floor. We use a compact 4’x5′ outdoor mat that folds away easily. This creates a surprisingly warm and substantial barrier between your bed and the ground.
Creating winter camping memories
Camping outdoors with your family does not have to be a fair-weather activity. It’s something you can do year-round with the right gear and preparation. It’s given us countless hours of outdoor time in months where we need out of the house the most. Plus, having our favorite camping spots all to ourselves makes it worth the extra packing. Don’t be afraid to get out there and test these tips. I’m confident that you’ll have one of the best camping experiences yet. Along with an incredibly relaxing night’s sleep under the stars!
For a great general camping list, we use this list from REI. If I don’t use a list, odds are I’ll forget something.
About the author
Jared Ryan is a husband to a talented and beautiful wife, Kristen also a father of two fun-loving and adventurous kiddos. He enjoys leading family adventures to both near and far destinations. Whether it is hiking, camping, climbing, bike riding, or playing in the backyard, he loves it all. He instills in his family the importance of nature and all the benefits it can bring to one’s life. Jared is a GIS analyst by trade, so he is naturally drawn to creating maps and all things trail related, whether it is creating new trails, recording family hikes, or teaching his kids land navigation, he loves to tie in his own work with family adventures.
You can find Jared online in the following locations:
Instagram: @bikeshikesbiners
RWMC posts: Jared Ryan
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