My first camping memory was when I was 8. At that point, "routine" wasn't so important and we could have a family adventure without paying for it hours and days later.

We took our children camping before they were one.  Go somewhere near home so if it turns pear shaped you can go home and return in the morning to pack up.

My eldest went on a big trip when he was 18 months and loved it, although we found afternoon sleeps really hard on all of us.  The youngest has been camping a lot and loves it. 

In regards to packing, you need a lot of "stuff" for younger children as they are less able to keep themselves amused but we use a plastic tub with a secure lid for each child and they can pack their toys into that, then stick a label on the inside of the lid with a list of the contents and check it each night before heading for bed and you are set. 

If you can cope with the idea of going away from home for the night to a hotel etc, you can cope with camping.  Remember to pack rubbish bags and wet wipes or cloths for cleaning and you are set.

Have fun and enjoy the great outdoors with your kids, we do and they can't wait for the next trip!

We tried camping when our son turned one - but found it hard for him to nap and go to bed - everyone had to be silent for him to sleep and that was no fun!!

So we have put it off for a few years - unless we find a cabin with a room for him to sleep in.

Luckily, both sets of grandparents have RVs so the older ones (and me sometimes) still get to go!

My oldest started camping with me when he was about 3 years old, and that went very well.

We took the other kids when my daughter was an infant and my son was 2, and that was a bit challenging in a tent. Like Rebecca said, it was hard for naps and bedtime, and it was difficult to enjoy fishing, etc with my oldest who was 12 because we had to manage the little ones.

I was 7 when we first went camping, and I'll never forget how much fun it was.  

Since infancy!!! We camped before kids and continued...kids are now 15 and17..

Kudos to all who take the babies camping!  I believe I was about 7 or 8 when I first went camping.  As a parent, I waited until the kids were out of diapers - just seemed easier to not have to deal with diapers when camping.

We started camping with our youngest when she was under a year, probably about six months old.  That was tent camping.  Our granddaughter has been camping with us since she was about nine months.  We're expecting a new granddaugter in June, and her parents plan on joining us in our camper in August this summer.

It's never too soon to start camping with your kids - my first son was 3 weeks old and then my twins first trip was when they were 2 months old.  Babies are easy to camp with - they eat and sleep anywhere!  If you go with friends and family - you have extra loving hands around to hold and snuggle!  They're 11 and 9 now and we're still avid campers!

I sort of agree with you Dan... except I say take them when they are babies and in diapers, or totally out of diapers- but NOT when they are potty training. 

I did this once and it was a pain! Diapers weren't so bad, and they beat running to the bathroom every 30 minutes with a toddler. 

Toni

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Dan said ...
Kudos to all who take the babies camping!  I believe I was about 7 or 8 when I first went camping.  As a parent, I waited until the kids were out of diapers - just seemed easier to not have to deal with diapers when camping.

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