Tots in Tents
Looking to camp for the very first time? Wanting to get back into camping after having kids? We would love to have you on an upcoming Tots in Tents camping trip!
Tots in Tents campouts are designed specifically for young kids. Our ultimate goal is to help families fall in love with camping together. We know that the best way to do that is by supporting parents. We help reduce the mental burden of planning a camping trip by selecting the location and setting an agenda of group activities as well as providing a packing list and other guidance prior to the trip date. And during the the trip we facilitate the most important part - community connection.
Learn to plan for and troubleshoot common challenges while camping with young children
Practice being comfortable with appropriate risky play outdoors
Nuture your child’s curiosity, safe risk taking, creativity, confidence, and independence in nature
Connect with other families who value time in nature with their kids
Come make core memories with us!
Our trips each differ slightly depending on location. They are typically either 2-night or 1-night experiences with a variety of planned group activities such as hiking, educational center visit, swimming, story times, ranger programs, playground time, and of course - campfire with marshmallow roasting.
Each family camps at their own individual campsite, ensuring a private space you can retreat to for quiet times, meals, and sleep between our group activities.
Of course the biggest benefit of joining at Tots in Tents campout - community. For both families who are hesitant to “do it alone” and confident campers who are craving connection with others, we are the group for you! The atmosphere of our group campouts help make everyone feel welcome and supported.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Camping locations are primarily state parks within 1-3 hours of Durham, North Carolina in the spring, summer, and fall.
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Tots in Tents is generally aimed towards families with children age 0-8 but can be enjoyable for kids of any age. A variety of group activities are planned with all ages and abilities in mind. This is a wonderful opportunity for both experienced and novice campers. We particularly love having first time campers join us!
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Make sure to check each trip’s description carefully for exact length/timing. But generally speaking we camp from Friday late afternoon until Sunday mid-morning. We highly recommend camping two nights, even for first-timers, but you are also welcome to join Saturday morning and only camp for one night. And because you will be on your own campsite, you can also come earlier or stay later (with appropriate reservations).
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You will need to reserve and pay for your own campsite via the state park, which typically costs $30/night. Other costs associated with camping (gear, food, etc) are also the responsibility of the each family. (One this to keep in mind is that most of the campsites can accomodate 2 tents with up to 6 people and 2 vehicles. So if you have a family you’d like to camp with, you can split the campsite cost!).
Because we want to keep things as accessible as possible, participating our Tots in Tents activities (hikes, campfire/marshmallows, story time, etc) are free of charge. We welcome contributions of any amount to help offset the costs of each trip. Your contributions also support the time and effort that goes into planning and leading trips. -
No! With our new logistics model, there are opportunities for families to pick what suits them best. Check each individual event description for information on what types of equipment can be accomdoated in each campground. Generally speaking most of our events are held at campgrounds that have a blend of tent sites and RV/pop up camper sites. A few even have small camper cabins (though these are usually in a separate loop, it would still be walkable to our centeral gathering site).
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While Parenting Off The Beaten Path doesn’t maintain an inventory of loaner items at this time, we do have an informal gear loaning google spreadsheet that we maintain with folks who are willing to lend certain items to families who are registered. Get in touch with us with plenty of lead time and we can see how we can help connect you. We can also advise some other less expensive purchase or rental options in our area.
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The biggest benefit of joining at Tots in Tents campout is community connection. We are the group for both families who are hesitant to “do it alone” and confident campers who are craving connection with others. The atmosphere of our camping trips help make everyone feel welcome and supported.
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Check each individual trip for an agenda and activity details, but usually our agenda of group activities is something like this:
Friday evening campfire and later adult social hour. Saturday morning guided hike. Saturday afternoon visitor center field trip and/or second hike or swim. Saturday evening campfire and later adult social hour. Sunday morning farewell.
And inbetween group activities families are invited to gather at our central site to chat, play, read books, etc as well as make friends with their neighboring campers throughout the trip. -
Tots in Tents provides:
a central gathering campsite stocked with outdoor toys and children’s books
Marshmallows for roasting
Guided activities (hikes, visitor center/museum field trip, story time, etc)
Community connection
Pre-trip support re: gear, packing, planning
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Each family provides all of their own camping essentials, food, toiletries, and other neccessary supplies for a weekend of camping. A complete suggested packing list can be found linked to each event page.
We also ask that each family that comes to enjoy the campfire brings 1 log or a few sticks to contribute. -
We do ask that you register with us after you book your campsite. Why? So we know who is part of our weekend community!
We will use the email address(es) you provide in your registration to communicate with you in advance of the trip regarding packing, agenda/activity details, and any updates/changes. And the cell phone number you provide will be used to text any schedule changes or alerts during the trip. -
We have a few strategies in place to help bond the participants of each trip.
There will be an optional meet and greet via zoom prior to the trip. Upon arrival at the campground we will also give you a small sign to hang at your campsite with our group name on it. Our Friday night welcome campfire is a great opportunity to meet your fellow campers as well as all of the group activities on Saturday. -
Probably! We typically have a large number of babies, young toddlers, and preschoolers. As our program ages we also have a decent number of early elementary kids. We also welcome a small but growing cohort of kids age 8-10. We try our best to communicate in advance of the trip what the current age make up of the kids is, just so you’ll know.
But the best way to gauruntee a same-age playmate? Invite a family you know to come with you!