What Age Is Too Young to Sleep in Their Own Tent While Camping

I had a similar issue come up last summer, my boys were 8 and 4. I had no extra cash and 2 tents but thankfully the larger tent had 2 entrances so I set up the little tent so it could only enter into the other tent. (It took a little while to break the ends of the zippers so I could zip them together and attaching the tents did bend the poles a bit but the tents held well and it worked just fine)

Yes they are too young. Making a 7y old responsible for a 3y old on a camping trip, at night is just an accident waiting to happen.

If you end up taking 2 tents instead of 1, 1 parent should sleep in each tent with 1 kid. The bigger tent gets the gear and the dog.

M.

Since you already need to get a tent, get a small one that they can use in a few years solo. In the mean time, use the smaller tent for all your stuff you don't need while sleeping, ie a changing room. That is what we did growing up.

What about putting one kid and one adult in each tent?

Way too young. If there were any type of emergency--some type of domestic situation in the campground, an animal, a fire, medical emergency--there is no way your kids would know how to respond. I may be a little paranoid, but in my opinion, they are way too young.

I think by 7 and 6 my brother and I had our own tent. I mean, you can hear pretty much everything if the tents are really close together, so it's not too bad.

When we were older, my parents got a massive tent that fit all 6 of us, which was pretty cool, except then we couldnt feel like we were getting away with stuff in our own tent. hee.

You know how mature the boys are. If you feel they're old enough, and can be responsible enough to stay in their tent and not wander off without you all, I'd let them.

I have seen kids that sleep in their own tents but my kids do not. They have two room tents that are so inexpensive it would be worth it to get one. I actually bought my tent at a garage sale and it was barely used at all. I would look into that.
S.

We put our kids in a tent by themself a few years ago - we only had 2 small tents to sleep in at the time (both borrowed). They were both under 3 years old - but the door of their tent was against ours... we actually moved our tent against theirs, after they were asleep in theirs, so that they couldn't get our of theirs without stepping on our & nothing could get into it without stepping on ours.

We were also w/ a huge group of people... eventhough we don't boat, we were with a boating group & they look out for the little ones, kinda like tribes use to. My father-in-law boats & we are the "shuttle bunnies" (get the cars to the take out while they are all on the river) when we go. But we get a free trip to the mountains out of it - so everyone is happy.

The kids did really well, eventhough it was their first big camp out... since then my father-in-law got us a big tent that we can use that holds upto 8 people. So, the last trip we went on last year - we had the 3 little guys sleep w/ us. The now 6 & 5 yr olds (the babies we had before) really wanted to sleep in their own, but we didn't bring the little tent, so they couldn't... the baby (now 3) wouldn't have been able to handle being w/out mommy - but he is also a momma boy & doesn't like sleeping anywhere unless it is his bed or in mommy's arms. So, I think that is more a different issue... he also won't sleep unless he has on a pair of pants & t-shirt. Things are a little different with him, but he's a cool little guy :)

Just play it by ear, see how things go - they will let you know if they can handle it or not, and have fun - if you all end up in a small tent... you all might stay a little warmer - lol.

Have fun on your trip!

I agree with the poster who said one adult in each tent and one child in each tent with the stuff in the bigger one. There are just too many predators out there that prey on families at their most vulnerable.

I would not let my kids stay in their own tent until they were much older.

7 and 3 might be a little too young wait until the 7 yr old turns 10 that way he matures a little more and can help with your other son and if it would be a great idea to try to buy a larger tent for you your husband and your kids

I like the idea of putting a small tent at the door of the big tent (especially if it were "backwards" so that one had to go through the big tent to get to the small tent). Then, as a bonus, as the kids get old enough to REALLY be on their own... you've already got the tent.

OTW... I would say it's time to look for a 2 room tent. When we're car camping, that's what we use. We actually all sleep in one room (1A1K1D), but keep our schtuff/change/etc in the other room. If we're in a group and it rains, we move said schtuff into our room, and everyone piles in the big room to eat/hangout/ghost stories/ etc.

I think the little one is too young. Maybe the 7yo could. However, my son is 8 and has his own tent but he still won't take it camping because he's not comfortable in a separate tent yet. It's possible you could make him comfortable in it with a little work though. Are you in a campsite with regular lots? The kind that you park your car in and has a fire pit and picnic table? If so, you may be able to back his tent up to the side of the car with your tent right next to it but turned so that your door makes a corner with his, then you could throw a large tarp over all of it. That way he'll know that at least two sides of his tent (maybe more depending on the tent shapes) are secure. This would probably feel a little more like a fort to him which may make him more comfortable.

The best advice though is to do what makes everyone as comfortable as possible. You certainly don't want him to end up hating camping, so go at his pace.

Best of luck and happy camping!

7 is definitely old enough, and 3 might be as well, depends on your kid. It will help that older brother is there. Just put the tent next to yours, you don't NEED a tunnel.

We own a very inexpensive tent (I think Walmart makes them, Ozark trail). It has a tunnel going into a tiny tent. I'm going camping in 2 weeks with my 9 month old and 3 year old, I'll put the oldest in the little tent along with suitcases and then baby with me in the larger part - in her pack and play. I'm not worried that this will be a problem.

If you go with two tents.....have the dog sleep with the kids, that would give me piece of mind. Also, you could safety pin the back door/s of the kids tent, so that they can only open the door nearest to your tent and just put the tents really close together. We're in the same situation kinda - we have a small motor home and my son 7 and daughter 5 are sharing a bed. I want to put them out in a tent, but not sure when???

I would put one kid in each tent with an adult. Or if you and your husband want to stay in the same tent, i would think the kids would be fine together. I know my stepson was 3 or 4 and slept in a tent by himself no problem it was probably 10 feet or so from ours. If your boys typically sleep through the night with no problem they should sleep fine in a tent through the night. Since you and your husband will be up later than the kids, if their arises problems before you go to bed, you can change how they are sleeping.

If going on family camping trips is something you do every year, i would look into a larger tent. i would look at craigslist and see what you can find. you never know what someone bought and never used, or used only a few times. Also checking out garage sales, you might find something there.

I would save up for a bigger tent. We have had good luck at Sam's club. I've never paid more than $100 for a family sized tent.
They wont be ready for their own tent for at least a few years. A bigger tent is worth the investment, or borrow one from a friend.

I would let the 7 year old, but not the 3 year old. I have a 4 year old, and I just don't trust the situation enough to put him in one alone yet. Even if he had an older brother, I would worry about him getting out in the middle of the night. I think when mine are 7 and 5 -that's the earliest I would do it.

My daughter and her cousin were almost 7 on last summer's camping trip and they stayed in their own tent. My daughter was fine but her cousin got scared and went to sleep with his parents in their tent - so my daughter stayed in the tent all alone (ok, it was about 5 feet from the other tent - hardly "all alone" I guess!). Anyhow, she was fine. My younger daughter insisted on sleeping in her grandparents' tent and would have nothing to do with the kids' tent.

The one time my husband and I joined in the insane family camping tradition, my husband bought the biggest tent they carry at Target. This thing is about 20'x15', I am not kidding. Bigger than my first apartment. Three rooms! Plenty big enough for a family of 4, if you were so inclined. We set up the smaller tent a few feet away for a play room. All the kids' toys and games went in there and they played and played in their tent. Just a thought for you!

They are too young, especially if you are in bear country. Maybe you could put the gear and the dog in a smaller tent or outside?

They make tents with dividers. I'd start that way. 3 years old seems very young, especially with a 7 year old. It is making the 7 year ols responsible for the little one. YOU are the adult and need to be there for BOTH the kids. What if they had to or did get up in the middle of the night?

If you get a smaller tent, why not put all your "stuff" in that tent and keep everyone sleeping together in the bigger one? Also, Walmart has a tent that sleeps 10 for $119. I would never have my kids of that age by themselves. Good luck to you.

My girls are the same age, and we camp I would feel ok with them in another tent, they do make tents with seperate rooms not sure on the cost though