Natural Science

Last year we went camping with Molly and Jack just a few weeks before their first birthday.  All and all I would say it was a success, so we decided to try our hand at it again this year.  We were acutely aware how different our children were this year than last year and that it would be an entirely different trip for two main reasons: free will and mobility.*  I would argue that camping with an infant or in our case infants is easier than with toddlers.  Here are some fun scenarios that you might face should you choose to camp with a toddler:

Molly "Helping" set up camp.

Toddlers are attracted to bright coloured objects whether they be a big patch of glistening green poison ivy or a neighbouring complete stranger named Steve's bright yellow tent.  They will run towards that beautiful colour as often as they can with complete abandon.


They weigh 25-35% percent more than they did last year, which when combined means that you're carrying the equivalent weight of one extra infant strapped to your chest on a nature hike.

Jack in the pyjama top he insisted wearing over everything this trip.

After a dozen "incidents" where you need to run out into the nearest gravel roadway to retrieve your toddler (Jack) you decide to try out the harness that Nana and Grampa insisted you'd need.  You end up having the world's angriest, screaming marionette tethered to you who tries to escape by running as fast as they can and then bungee jumping at the end of their tether.

They know how to work zippers: whether it's opening up the kitchen tent in a rain storm so they can run into stranger Steve's big yellow tent, or open up that container filled with barbecue lighters, sharp knives and mosquito coils - they're on it.

In toddler language, "The fire is hot, don't touch or go near it." really means, "Jump into the fire yelling, Hot! Hot! Hot!"

Jack "untethered"

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*New nickname for Molly and Jack?