Event: Tots in Tents camping at Hanging Rock State Park

For: Children age 0-6 + their families

Date and Time: Friday, November 7th 3:00pm - Sunday, November 9th 12:00pm

Trip Leader: Kelly Partner, Founder of Parenting Off The Beaten Path

Description: Join Parenting Off The Beaten Path for our next Tots in Tents camping weekend! This two-night tent camping event is specifically designed for families with children ages 0-6 (older siblings welcome). Our trips are suitable for beginners and seasoned campers alike. Our objective is to support all families in expanding their young child’s experiences in nature.

Special Notes about this trip:

Bathrooms:  This campground features 2 waterless vault toilets (ie: “pit toilets”) a short walk from our campsite, shared among all the group sites.  A vault toilet is essentially a very deep permanent porta potty (no flushing mechanism). There is no electricity/lighting in the vault toilets (bring a headlamp or lantern) and there are no sinks (we will have hand sanitizer, but recommend you bring your own as well). We recommend bringing travel potties to use near your tent or pit toilet for children.

Weather/Temperatures: As of the writing of this post (10/22) the temperatures at Hanging Rock are expected to be roughly upper 50’s during the day and upper 30’s overnight.

Gear/Clothing Requirements: Given overnight lows that could dip to 35*, proper gear will be essential - particularly for sleeping. We highly recommend sleeping bags with 20-40* comfort ratings for everyone, foam mats with decent r-values, decent sleepwear for adults and children (base layers, thick socks, etc), gloves and hats for morning, etc. It will also be DARK both in the evening hours and the early morning hours. We highly recommend a headlamp, light up vest, lantern, or other lighting for each of your children specifically to wear in the evening/morning hours so you can keep track of them appropriately in the dark. If you need help determining what would be appropriate, feel free to reach out via email to brainstorm before registering!

Fire safety: Given the temperatures, we will have a campfire for a few hours each morning and evening. All children, especially toddlers, need to be actively watched by a parent at all times near the fire. If you are asking another parent to watch your child near the fire while you cook or run to the bathroom, please ensure a proper verbal pass off (“Kelly, can you watch Avery near the fire while I go to the bathroom?” “Yes” “Okay, Kelly you’re on Avery fire duty, be right back!”)

• Event Agenda

  • Friday afternoon

    • Arrival and tent set up

    • Dinner (BYO)

    • Campfire and marshmallows (provided)

    • Evening adult-only campfire

  • Saturday

    • Breakfast (provided)

    • Morning group activity (ex: guided hike, lake, visitor center museum)

    • Free play at campsite, lunch (BYO), rest

    • Afternoon group activity (ex: hike, lake, visitor center museum)

    • Free play at campsite

    • Dinner (BYO)

    • Campfire and marshmallows (provided)

    • Evening adult-only campfire

  • Sunday

    • Breakfast (provided)

    • Free play at the campsite

    • Pack up and depart by 12:00pm

• What We Provide

  • Preparation support before the event

  • Activity planning

  • Group campsite rental

  • 1 parking space per family

  • Breakfast for all adults/children x 2 mornings (including alternatives for dietary restrictions)

  • Instant coffee packets, creamer, teas, and hot chocolate packets (BYO mugs and hot water!)

  • Marshmallows for all adults/children x 2 nights (including vegan marshmallows)

  • All firewood, kindling, and tools needed for campfires

  • Communal outdoor toys (trucks, animals, balls, mud kitchen tools)

  • Communal board books/picture books

• What You Bring

  • Tent

  • Sleeping mats

  • Sleeping bags, blankets, pillows

  • Camping chairs

  • Personal items: Clothing, toiletries, etc

  • Food: Lunches, Dinners, Snacks (*breakfast provided)

  • Water: 1-3 gallons per family depending on family size

  • Cooking supplies: camp stove, pots/pans, cooler/ice, plates and utensils, reusable mugs, water bottles.

  Full suggested packing list can be found here.

Registration:
You can register using the embedded form below. (Not seeing it? You can use this direct link instead, just be sure you are selecting the correct DATE for your desired trip)