Winter Camping Reflections
Winter Camping with Kids in NSW Australia
We did it! And we survived! A long weekend (4 days) of camping in winter in the Granite Belt region of Australia. I wrote Preparing to Winter Camp with Kids before we left, to outline some of the ways I was trying to be prepared for our first ever winter camping experience.
(I asked for advice and tips on Instagram and received some really great advice: take gumboots and hot water bottles for the kids. Are you part of our Instagram community? If not, come follow me!) Surprisingly, some of the best tips came from people not intending to help. I had a whole range of people tell us we were crazy and shouldn’t go camping near Stanthorpe in winter. One friend said, very seriously, “you’re going to die”. Others have attempted winter camping and vowed to never do it again, and their tips are invaluable. Extra mats and blankets under the sleeping bag was one tip a friend gave me. Sometimes you have to figure out the solutions based on their stories – for example, one friend told me, “the kids hated it because they didn’t like wearing gloves and layers, and just kept taking them off”. So we spent plenty of time at home trying on layers and gloves, making it fun and normal.
Somehow we all absolutely loved our frosty winter camping experience and none of us were ready to leave after 3 nights. The preparation made all the difference though, I am sure of it. So here are some reflections on our trip – what worked and what I’d change for next time:
Hot water bottles were amazing, they really took the sting out of getting into bed.
Gumboots worked really well around the campsite, but our socks were always wet (perspiration I guess?)! So we needed more socks than I planned for.
Having lots of clothesline space (a long rope) helped to dry out towels (and socks) before the cold air froze everything.
Hand warmers helped me, but no one else needed them. I stuffed them in my boots at night, which I think helped my toes not to go numb all the time.
I realised that moving is the best way to stay warm. The kids would strip off all their layers to do cartwheels and flips, and run around after each other. Moving games were better than sedentary games and activities.
Snacks for the kids on every walk/hike – more than you’ll think.
Having other kids was essential. There’s not a lot to do around a cold campsite for kids unless they’re playing or helping.
We made sure to keep our bedding and pillows away from the sides of the tent to avoid condensation, but it wasn’t really an issue with our tent anyway.
For bedding, we had a woollen blanket under the sleeping bag and another on top – keeping that cold from the ground coming up.
Start dinner super early. The moment the sun is going down the kids expect dinner. We are used to being indoors with lighting, so that night-fall is a trigger for dinner, and it comes earlier in winter than you expect.
Shower early in the afternoon. When everyone’s relaxed after lunch is the easiest time to get everyone showered (if that’s a priority). Some days we didn’t have showers because it was too cold and dark by the time we’d got back after exploring and had to make dinner. It’s hard to deal with dirty, wet gear in the dark and cold. And if you put a wet towel out to dry it’s going to freeze. Plus wet hair is too cold outdoors at night. An afternoon shower gives everyone the chance to be warm and clean and dry by night time.
Ignore the naysayers. Learn from the scarred. Like I mentioned before, use people’s bad experiences to better plan your trip.
Remember, you just need a way to get warm and then you’ll be fine. Our solution was no matter how cold we got, we could fill up a hot water bottle and climb into bed with one another.
Try to choose a week where it will be cold but not raining. Rain can be fun, but it’s so much extra gear to pack on top of all those layers.
The biggest tip I can suggest is to embrace the cold. Pack for it, plan for it, and don’t be upset by it. Sitting around the fire to stay warm is lovely, but it’s a boring way to spend four days. We got out and about, exploring every day. You’ve got to choose to have fun. There was a moment when we were up late, talking around the campfire, when the frost settled for the evening. We all jumped up and quickly went to bed, but that freezing moment was so much fun and surreal. Experiencing the seasons is one of the best ways to feel truly alive.
Your Turn
Are you going to try winter camping? Let me know in the comments below!
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Here’s the breakdown list of the winter clothes we packed for our family