So would you put a small portable " fan " heater in a tent with 6 - 12 yr olds camping out in your back yard to help keep the area warm? It is 40 degrees at night and yes we will bring them in for the night if they can't handle it..........but wondered if it would be safe to use this little heater on a table in the space inside to help things be comfortable.
I am concerned of risk of fire so share your thoughts of a good idea or bad idea .
All went well. NO HEATER and the kids ended up coming in one by one from 2-3 am. LOL. was a fun night.
I would not use a heater in a tent, even for myself. If you don't have adequate sleeping bags for that temp, then they'll have to come inside. With the right clothing and sleeping bags, with a liner underneath, they would be fine in 40 degrees.
The only time I used a heater, we were sleeping in a van in below freezing weather.
Nope - not safe at all. Sorry to say, but kids moving around will push sleeping bags up against the heater or knock the table over even if you put it several feet away on the other side of the tent. At 40 degrees, they should be fine outside in nice sleeping bags anyways. If you can, put extra padding down under the tent - a ground cloth, some old blankets, etc. That's where the majority of the cold will come from (the ground).
No. Not worth the cost, fire risk and strange gasses contained in a small space. We camp (yard, mountains, winter) and my husband and sons even sleep in snow caves in the winter (on pads, in bags, in pjs and long underwear). The tents contain exhaled breaths with is warm and it will be fine as long as they have blankets/sleeing bag and are not sleeping directly on the ground. If they are cold, tell them to wear a hat.
Sorry, 40 degrees is nothing to us up north! :-)
No no no. Super unsafe! Just pile on the big blankies to keep warm :-)
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NO! Accident waiting to happen.
Blessings....
Absolute no. Never. Bad idea.
Use good sleeping bags. You could even pile on additional blankets.
Use padding on the ground that does not convect the cold from the ground (e.g., thermarest pads). You could add more padding on top of that. Or, use an air mattress.
Make sure they wear hats. This will help their bodies retain heat.
If they get in the tent while warm, it will help conserve the heat. (You could even keep the sleeping bags inside/warm until they are ready to sleep.)
Frankly, 40 degrees isn't all that cold for camping/sleeping. They should be fine.
Nope...no heater, too dangerous.
If they have good sleeping bags rated for that temp or colder, they should be warm enough when they are snuggled into them.
No, I wouldn't put the heater in a tent. Sleeping bags, extra blankets, warm jammies, and hot cocoa should do the trick. ;)
Nope. That would not be safe. I have spent many years camping and I have done a LOT of winter camping - In Alaska! Just having 6 people in a tent will warm it up inside. Make sure they have an insulating layer between them and the ground...that is the biggest loss of heat you get. They should be in warm sleeping bags and can use blankets too. Everyone should sleep in a warm winter hat as well. I am sure with the body heat that they will be just fine.
Nope. Fire hazard. Not worth the risk. Instead, how about lining the floor with those roll up blue foam sleeping mats? Very cheap at 2nd hand stores, camping supply stores or Target (but may not be available due to the season - ask if they have some in the back). You could also insulate the floor with old wool blankets. While you're at it, spread out the sleeping bags, then cover them with extra blankets and quilts. You could even line the sleeping bags with a folded fleece blanket.
What fun - your kids will have a riot!
I would make sure they have some down sleeping bags, extra blankets and have they sleep in sweat pants over jammies. I've never used one of those heater fans. We tent camp up north and it can get quite chilly. But, with proper layers of clothes and a down bag we're not cold.
No I would not put a portable heater in a tent. Tents are NOT fire proof and not stable. Wind will blow the tent and the tent could touch the heater and start on fire, the sleeping bag will move around and can touch the heater and the sleep bag will start on fire... sorry but no heater.
There are tent and sleeping bags made for sleeping in temps under 30, I would use one of those tents and sleeping bags if it is going to get below 40 degrees.
Lots of blankets and warm clothes will be the best option.
I think most tents are flame retardant, but I still wouldn't take the chance. They will be playing and could possibly knock it over. Just have them dress warm and keep extra blankets in the tent.
Sorry, no, I would not. Just too risky. Perhaps you can check out a sporting goods store to see if they have any heaters that ARE intended to be used in a tent.
**ETA--Yes, at 40', I am still wearing flip flops & no coat :)**
We always wore warm jammies when I was a kid. If it's too cold for warm jammies/socks and a good sleeping bag, it's too cold to camp in my opinion. When I was a teen we did go camping up on a mountain with snow, but we got these awesome thermals at REI (sporting goods heaven) --- mine were actually so warm (and soft) that I couldn't sleep with my bag at all; it was kinda hot. I would not bring a heater into my tent though, especially with kids.
I wouldnt. If they wear warm clothes and have plenty of blankets and/or a high quality sleeping bag they should be fine.
No way! What does help is an inflatable bed with a down comforter over it that you sleep on top of, with a sleeping bag. The down keeps the cold from reaching you from the ground. Sleeping on cold ground is miserable, and we have had very good luck with this method.
For sure not without an adult in the tent. Give them lots of blankets (particularly underneath to keep off cold ground) and they will be fine. The tent will be warmer than outside with all those bodies. Have fun!!
If you have even the most minimal of concerns, don't chance it. Being cold is part of the fun of camping, isn't it? LOL. Hope they have fun.
Nope.
Sleeping bags and bodyheat from the right # of people in a tent keep you warm. A heater will make kids TOO warm (because sleeping bags are built to various temp ratings. Some only to 40 degrees and above, some as low as -50 degrees. Yes. Negative 50 degrees and nothing between you and that but your bag. And toasty. ((I've only been to -20 myself)). When you're too warm you sweat. Which means bags get kicked off (and then kids get chilled) AND the tent becomes a "rain locker". All the sweat forms condensation onthe walls and drips down on you.
Although that's assuming no one knocks the heater off and sets the tent on fire, or it lands on another kid (or worse, kid's head), or the cord gets all tangled up on someone...
Your gut is right: Not. Safe.
We have on family camping trips. But we were in the tent with them. It was on a small stand away from where it could be knocked over... and it was the kind that has the safety device on it that automaticlly shut off if knocked over.
If it doesn't have the automatic shut off on it, I would be leary... that many 12 yr olds in a small space. If they are anything like my boys.. they can get pretty rowdy in a short time frame and I would be worried if they started wrestling around it could get knocked over and they not notice it.
I vote bad idea. I wouldn't use a heater in a tent. Warm jammas and sleeping bags with extra blankets should do it.
