@janzee You’ve got this! We camped twice this summer with our 1.5 and 3.5 year olds. All in all, it went well.
My tips are:
1) Keep your expectations fluid, haha. Think if this first foray not as a test, but as an experiment. Open a note on your phone and jot down things along the way that worked and things you would do differently next time. We did this both times and it was great for later. Like, ok next time pack this in a more accessible place, next time let’s have packing cubes, next time more camping chairs instead of just a blanket to sit, next time a better air mattress, next time this campsite next door three down from ours looks way bigger and being closer to the bathrooms would actually be good, etc etc. Whatever your discoveries are!
2) The goal is family time together. That might not look exactly like YOU envisioned. You’re a more experienced parent, so you might already have a good grasp on this, haha. When we went camping, I had in mind what I already thought was pretty low expectations: one very short hike, two nights of campfire meals. Well, it rained. The firewood was too wet to light the second night. Instead of a late-afternoon hike, my kids played and wrestled and played house in the tent. I convinced my husband to eventually let go of trying to make the fire, and we made sandwiches instead of cooking hot dogs. The next morning, the kids played in the backseat while we packed in the drizzle, and we drove to the nearest diner for breakfast. It didn’t look like what I had pictured. But it was only actually MY attitude that had to change. My kids were having fun, and we achieved the goal!
3) We have long laughed that there are two kinds of fun: Type 1 Fun is fun when you’re having it and Type 2 Fun is not exactly enjoyable in the moment but makes for a great story/memory later. Camping CAN involve a lot of Type 2 fun haha. That’s ok. It’s still fun! You can indeed always decide to pack it in and go home, though.
4) No shoes in the tent, ever, if you can help it! Keeping the tent tidy like you’re all playing house helps keep me sane haha. Store all food in the car, not in the tent (at least overnight) to prevent critters from investigating.
5) if you make a campfire, make your fire safety plan clear to everyone from the get-go. My 3 year old was fine with being safe around it and and even cooking a marshmallow on a stick, but the 1.5 year old was definitely a liability haha. One parent was always on kid/fire watch.
6) We managed to get everyone to sleep and have time for a glass of wine around the camp fire. Save at least a log to burn after bedtime for yourselves and bring a corkscrew (or make sure it’s a twist top).
vacations are so expensive especially with 6 of us so hoping we have a good time.
and it’s so much cheaper.