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Keeping Kids Cool While Camping In The Heat

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Camping in summer with kids brings to mind warm summer days spent on the water or at the trails. The only trouble comes when those warm memories turn into sweltering hot days. But the heat doesn’t have to slow your family down! While prepping for your camping trip, it’s easy to forget about how to stay cool while camping.

Using some of these simple tips and tricks, everyone will be comfortable and safe. You can be prepared for any weather and ensure your trip is a success. That can only mean one thing: more fun in the sun!

Risks of Camping in the Heat With Kids

Our family spends a lot of time camping in the deserts of Southern Utah and we know there are common signs of overheating. Pay attention to how you and you’re kids are feeling throughout the day. If you notice any symptoms, drink fluids and find a place to cool down. You may need to seek medical treatment if extreme overheating occurs. 

Here are the signs and symptoms, from overheating to a complete heatstroke. While you’re out for the day, you can also watch for heat rashes and general dehydration.

Stages of overheating to watch for when camping in summer heat with kids: 

4. Dehydration

5. Heat Rash

How to Beat the Heat While Camping

It’s always a good idea to be aware of the risks of over heating, and even better to prevent them! Here are some tips to for how to stay cool camping with kids.

What to Wear When Camping In The Heat

Cool tip number one is packing the right clothes! Here’s what you should have in your bags before camping in summer with kids:

How to Keep a Tent Cool In The Heat

Having a comfortable place to sleep is key to well-rested nights and staying healthy when camping in hot weather with kids. This will help keep kids cool while camping so that they can enjoy all of the daily adventures. Having a cool home-away-from-home is also a great place to take a rest during the day. Here are some tips for how to keep a tent cool:

camping on a river trip with kids

Keep Tents Cool from the Outside:

Take advantage of your tent’s specially designed features to make sure it stays as cool as possible. Here’s what you can do to keep kids cool while camping:

Create Shade:

Avoid or reduce direct sunlight to help keep your tent cooler. Think about these options when you’re packing and pitching your tent so that you keep kids cool while camping:

Keep Tents Cool from the Inside:

You can stay cool while camping by making a few adjustments inside the tent. Here are some ideas on how to stay cool camping with kids:

Special Gear For Camping In The Heat:

If you know that you often go camping in hot weather with kids, then investing in special equipment might be a good idea. Here are a couple things you can get for cool camping trips: 


How to Keep an RV Cool While Camping In The Heat

RV parked in shade

Create Shade For your RV:

Make Your RV Air Conditioner More Efficient:

Use Space Wisely:

Cool and Refreshing Activities For Camping In The Heat

Some of the best activities while camping are the ones that cool you down! Here are some ideas that keep kids cool while camping and are a ton of fun:

playing in the river while camping

Stay Cool with Food and Drinks

canyon coolers drinks

Help Your Baby Stay Cool While Camping

Be sure to keep baby cool while camping on hot days! Young toddlers and babies have a hard time naturally regulating their body temperatures. You may also find it difficult to notice the signs of overheating. You can use any of the tips listed in this article to protect your baby from excessive heat. 

baby girl camping in heat

On top of the tips listed so far, here are a few more baby-specific ways to keep infants cool while camping:

About Jessica Averett

Hi, I’m Jessica, a mom of 5 kids and married to my favorite adventure partner. I love to bike, ski, camp and hike. We've visited over 40 countries with our kids, but are equally happy on the road as we are exploring our home state of Utah.

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