HELP - Active two year going wandering

OMG I am so happy to see that I am not the only one trying to figure out how to keep my little guy (age 2) from running off.

We put a movie on in the TV for set up and take down. We noticed he gets frustrated when he can see us outside from the van so we keep the van pointed away from the site.

We had to do meals strapped in his stroller since everything was more interesting than food. (maybe it was my cooking)

My brother in law made the comment that we should get a 100 feet of that orange snow fence and surround our site with it

Ok so he is two and I know we will have to keep chasing, corecting, etc. but my biggest issue was trying to keep him away from the fire pit. It was in his path between the site and the rest of the campground and he wanted to keep walking straight toward and thru it.

Change is the ONLY constant.

 

I feel your pain! We have three here, 6, 3, and 5 months. The three year old is pretty much as bad as any 2yo you will ever meet. He's smart, perhaps too smart, and just tightly wound. It takes all day to loosen his main spring.

We try to find activities, bring toys, movies for the portable dvd, etc. It's a 9-5 job trying to keep him out of trouble, but some days its worth it just to be out camping again.

We hadn't been camping in a few years, and then it was tent camping, this past weekend was our first trip out with the PUP and the first time camping in years, so it was fun regardless. Luckily there was a playground right next to our site, but it was across the road that goes through the grounds. He just doesn't pay attention to traffic yet and his older brother kept pulling him off the road while i was trying to run over there to do the same, thank god for his older brother keeping an eye on him also.

That brings up another thought.. Please Please Please, when you drive through a campground go SLOW SLOW SLOW... We had some idiots tear through there at speeds i would guess at 20-30mph, and looked at me funny when i would idle through at about 5-10mph tops. Guess i'm a bit more safety oriented being a parent myself, but if your not a parent be aware that there is kids on the grounds!

You know your getting old when you start griping about how fast people are driving, while at the same time they are griping about how slow you drive.. lol



1991 Skamper 245C
1997 Pontiac Trans Sport
Dad
Mom
Three Kids!

 

I think the playground has always been a biggie for helping keep mine entertained. My 8yo, when he was small would be content with a couple of matchbox cars in the dirt. My 5yo was a different story...still is. We try to always camp within sight of the playground so I can relax at my campsite and keep them in site at the same time. Worked when they were much younger, works now too.


John and Angela
'86DD, '99DS, '02DS
1997 Dodge Ram 1500
2004 Palomino 235SDSL

 

Most campgrounds we have been to, it is 5mph on the roads. Strictfully enforced. Ha. At one there was a kid in a pick-up, towing a huge tt so fast it was boucing and his chains were hitting the ground.

For the fire, the first 3 times, we brought some metal garden fence from K-mart. It is about 2 ft high when pushed into the dirt. We would circle it about 3-4 ft from the fire, as well as would fit, and did some test runs in the back yard. We figured it would at least slow them down (2 years this week, and soon to be 4-year-old) if we turned our backs. And of course corrected them when they got to close. (even a 2 year old understands HOT).

The next time out, we did not put it up. They stayed their distance. Only came close with mom or dad to cook a hotdog, or check the bean pot. While I would never not watch them while the fire is going, I think the "training" has helped.

 

get a cheapie tent that has an all screen top (leave the rainfly off) fill it with his toys and they CANNOT leave the tent.

This has the advantage of keeping him shaded & bug free, too. Put one of the foam bed mattesses, or an airmattress in there, and he can bounce on it, watch a DVD, or you can lay in there and read or nap with him. He can still see all over the campsite.

Take his shoes off - and give him a large tarp or quilt to play on. He may not want to walk on dirt & grass & sticks, and if he DOES, he can't run as fast!

a small blow-up pool, or a dishpan of water, or sand from the beach in a dishpan, can keep him occupied for awhile. I also have two of those small nylon hammocks - the toddlers LOVE those as swings - they can be hung very low to the ground so if they fall no harm is done. (and they are hard to get OUT of!) or you can lay in it with him. Do you have one of those door frame hanging bouncer/ walker swings people use when their toddlers are barely walking? it's bucket style makes a great swing for an older toddler - hang it from a tree limb.

My son has Attention deficit / Hyperactivity disorder. he is now 17 yrs old - but he was quite a handful as a toddler! I did use a leash and harness like the one shown above. the one I had also had removable straps on the waistband to 'hook' him into a shopping cart - did you ever notice they can slip right out of those shopping cart seatbelts? they're prety useless!

Laura

1973 Starcraft starmaster 6 - a work in progress - http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/558473066XXMupb

 

We use a Portable Playpen and DVD Player when we are too busy to keep an eye out.

It is a challenge though and sometimes we have to go running after him. He's getting to know he has to stay in the boundaries of the campground but it has taken several camping trips to learn this.