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I’m all for winging it in life with twins, and my first camping trip with twins was no exception
I simply decided to go for it. Packed up what I figured we would need from previous trip experience and off we went! As you can imagine, this made for a lot of lessons learned.
But we did have a great time none the less, all because we chose a great location for the first camping trip with twins!
I figured somewhere like KOA would be ideal for the first camping trip because they offer deluxe cabins. It’s an easy way to dip your toes in without going the full tent route.
They also offer so many different things to do that it’s crazy simple to keep your littles safe and occupied. Plus the free breakfast is great for those early camp mornings.
So the location was chosen. But after that I just kind of winged it.
And winging it left me with a few tips for your first camping trip with twins (or toddlers!) that I want to share with you.
Tip # 1: Think about your sleeping arrangements
This is key! You want you littles to sleep, right? We did all fit in the cabin, however it didn’t think about the fact that my twins don’t go to sleep quietly. They’re loud and are used to having their own room. So the first night was rough. Caeden ended up sleeping with us the first night because he was so restless on his own.
So next time, I might opt for a two room cabin. Or be prepared to sit outside the cabin while they go to sleep.
Tip # 2: Breakfast is important
I am so thankful that KOA hosted breakfast in the mornings. It made getting the twins bellies full a breeze! But I did realize that getting up and dressed before heading to breakfast left them super hungry before we even made it to the hosted breakfast.
So if I was doing this trip over, I would bring more breakfast/snacky items for them to eat while I put myself together in the mornings.
Tip # 3: Bring their normal sleep items
I am so glad I remembered to bring their sound machine and lovies. Bringing their normal sleep items helps them realize that this new place is a safe place to sleep. At least in my mind that’s how it works.
They slept so well with the white noise playing like it does at home, and of course slept even better with their lovies.
Tip # 4: Snacks, Snacks, SNACKS!
I brought a lot of food, but not the right kind of food.
We could have survived the entire weekend off of snacks, and I wish I would have brought more! Make sure to pack loads of snacks for your trip. With all the extra walking around and playing they’re bound to get extra hungry!
Tip # 5: New toys are a gamble, try them at home first
I remember someone telling me this earlier in the year when I first scheduled our camping trip. And I am so glad I did!
We have bought new leap frog toys for the car ride, and luckily the twins absolutely love the toys. But if they didn’t, then the whole car ride would have been a bust!
Tip # 6: ALL THE WIPES
Seriously. Bring what you need, then bring more. I used them for everything from cleanng up dinner to sandy hands to jelly printed hair.
Camping is messy. Bring the wipes.
Tip # 7: Regular stroller. No umbrella strollers
This might be a no-brainer to you. But I was seriously contemplating bringing our umbrella strollers. But I am so glad I didn’t!
Most campgrounds are filled with gravel. So, no umbrella strollers. Got it? Just don’t do that to yourself. You’re going to want a stroller to go check out all of the fun activities at KOA without feeling like your arms are going to fall off.
Tip # 8: Overpack the diaper bag
This is something I wish I did. But instead I found myself re-packing the dang bag three times during our trip! WHY!
Since we were constantly on the go during our weekend camping trip, I was always using the diaper bag goods. So next time I’ll make sure to pack the bag extra well, or maybe even use a bigger bag to fit even more diapers and snacks!
Tip # 9: Bring a safe space
I forgot ours at home and was so upset. Where are the twins supposed to go while you have a fire or are working the bbq?
Next time, I’ll be sure to pack our Regalo Play Yard so that we can all enjoy outside without worrying about the two rambuctious toddlers, or having to wait until bedtime to start a nice campfire.
Tip # 10: Leave expectations at home
Just like anything with twins, you can’t expect much. They are wild and will do life as they please. So leave those camping expectations at the door.
It’s probably a good thing that I didn’t plan a thing for our weekend because I wasn’t left upset because of a meltdown, or not having enough time in the day. We went through the ropes and did as we pleased and everything turned out great.
Life without expectations usually surprises me like that. With everything going “right” because there is no “wrong”
The last tip I have to share?
Keep KOA in mind when planning your first camping trip with twins.
KOA is a great place to dive into camping with twins. We were greeted with a full list of activities being held over the weekend from movie night, to tie dye, to games in the park.
Not only are there some great activities, but there are plenty of play spaces for the kids like this huge play area with giant chess and a sandbox that the twins were living for.
If you’re looking to dive into camping with twins, I would search their site here for a location near you. Their cabins and amenities made for a very stress free camping trip, which was not something I expected to lack during our trip!
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