Camping with my family is one of my favorite activities to do. We have been camping long before we had kids, and we never stop. We went camping in a tent when our first baby was 6 months old (she was born in November). In my experience, a battery operated baby monitor is an essential item to bring while camping.
Bringing a baby monitor gives the ability to watch your kid sleeping in the tent or the trailer, while you enjoy your adult time around the fire at night. However, you’ll need a battery operated and wireless baby monitor. Second, a video monitor with night vision is, in my experience, the best baby monitor to take camping.
The best battery operated baby monitors for camping
Here are my favorite baby monitors that don’t need to be plugged in.
| Baby monitor | Types | Battery life | Range | Price | More details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vtech DM221 | Audio | 12 hours | 1000 ft | $$$$$ | Check price on Amazon |
| Vtech DM111 | Audio | 20 hours | 1000 ft | $$$$$ | Check price on Amazon |
| Hello baby | Video | 12 hours | 960 ft | $$$$$ | Check price on Amazon |
| Babysense | Video | 3 hours | 900 ft | $$$$$ | Check price on Amazon |
| Philips Avent Dect | Audio | 24 hours | 960 ft | $$$$$ | Check price on Amazon |
Why using a baby monitor while camping?
If you are not sure why you would need a baby monitor for your next camping trip, read the following arguments.
Enjoy your evening around the fire
One of the things I like the most about camping is sitting around the fire and enjoying a glass of wine with my friends. The fire pit is not always beside our tent and sometimes is on the site next to us 25 feet away. This is when a baby monitor become handy. You can enjoy your adult time with friends.
Don’t wake up the whole park
Sure you don’t need a monitor to hear your baby crying when you are 3 feet away from your camping site. But if your camping with a trailer or you are sitting at the fire with your friends, you might not hear your baby at first. This means that by the time you finally hear your baby the entire campground has too.
Using a baby monitor while camping will give you the ability to hear your kid when he wakes up and intervene before the cries wake up the whole park
Check on your kid without going inside
My kid never goes to sleep right away, I always have to check on them at least a 1000 times. They will come with all sort of excuse to stay up and questions to ask to delay bedtime. With a baby monitor, I can see if it’s just a false alarm or if I need to unzip the tent and go in. Because I use a video monitor with night vision, I can also check on them without having to open the light.
Don’t let your kid go out in the dark to ask for help
If my kids ask for help and I’m not coming right away, I know they will get up and go to me. This could be problematic because if they go outside the tent to search for me into the dark, they could get scared or lost. In both ways, I know it gonna be almost impossible to put them back to bed.
I was camping with friends who have a trailer and their son decide to go take a walk after bedtime. I will always remember the face they did when they saw there 3 years old walking by fire and going for the trail. The next day talk about it and come to the conclusion that we needed baby monitors next time we went camping.
I’m too anxious to enjoy the evening while always staring at the door of the camper to see if my kids decide to go out for a walk.
Use a baby monitor in a tent
A baby monitor is practical to check on your kids while camping, but it could be even handier while sleeping in a tent. Some baby monitor has a night light features that can be soothing for your kid who use to sleep with the light on. Also, a smart baby monitor can tell you the temperature of the room. The temperature in a ten can be different from the outside, and this cool feature will tell you if your baby is comfortable or not.
Use a baby monitor in a trailer/camper
Just a like your house you should baby proof your camper. Even if you did so, there are so many things that could be a potential danger for a kid. It’s not a good idea to let your kid explore the camper alone. Some model of campers has a closed room, and they could be located far from you and make it harder for you to hear them. A baby monitor will give you that extra peace of mind you need to enjoy your vacation.
Which type of baby monitor is good for camping?
The best type of monitor for camping may vary for families. It depends on your budget, the frequency you will be using it and the kind of camping you will be doing.
I will explain which type of baby monitor is suitable for what occasion.
Audio baby monitor
An audio baby monitor is the first go-to when it comes to monitoring. They tend to be cheaper, and they are the most accessible.
I like the audio monitor because they don’t need that much power to operate. Some model can be plug to an electric outlet or use AAA batteries. This is really handy when you have no power or using a power pack.
Be careful when getting an audio monitor because some monitor will only cover a restricted range. The trailer itself could also become a source of signal interference.
In my experience, the only downside from an audio monitor is they could interfere with other audio monitors. Because they work on radio frequencies, when we had multiple monitors they would sometime make a weird noise. When we have other friends camping with us, and they use their audio monitor, we just switch the frequency, and the static noise would stop.
Walkie talkie with baby monitor function
I have noticed many people using walkie-talkie on campsites. They are useful to communicate with kids while they are playing with others. If you already have a walkie-talkie, you probably don’t need to buy an extra baby monitor for camping.
Some walkie-talkie model has a baby monitor mode. This turns your walkie talkie into a baby monitor. What’s great with the walkie-talkie is they cover the longest range than the most baby monitor.
If your walkie-talkie doesn’t have a baby monitor mode, you can just use a rubber band. A friend of mine gives this trick. He says that he put on a rubber band around the walkie-talkie button, to let it always open so he can hear his kid.
Video baby monitor for camping
A video monitor equipped with a night vision camera can be handy while camping.
If you are using an audio monitor and you hear something, you must go check on your kid to see if he’s awake or if it was a false alarm. With a video baby monitor, especially with the night vision function, you just need to check the monitor before going inside the tent or trailer.
You don’t have to guess, you don’t have to unzip the tent and make plenty of noise, risking to wake your baby finally. No need to point a flashlight at your kid face to see if his eyes are open. Believe, the night vision video monitor is totally worth it.
Baby monitor app
When I go camping with the family, I always try to pack a minimum. Because I know that space is limited and we still carry materials that we end up not using.
Baby monitor app that you can use with your mobile phone can be a minimalistic and straightforward solution. You were probably gonna bring your phone anyway.
The baby monitor app will turn your mobile phone into a video baby monitor. The app will use the WIFI network or the 3G internet to stream the video to the other phone. Because, phone reception while camping is never an absolute certainty, I would suggest using a baby monitor app transmitting with Bluetooth. Just make sure both of your phones have the Bluetooth options.
Check out this article I wrote to learn how to turn a mobile phone into a baby monitor.
9 useful baby monitor features for camping
Here’s a quick list of the features you should look for within a good camping baby monitor.
1. Wireless baby monitor for camping
The most essential characteristic is the portability of your monitor. You need something wireless.
2. Battery operated baby monitor
Another important feature is the ability to work without being plugged into an electric outlet. Maybe if you are camping with a trailer, you have easier access to power. But, when camping with a tent, you need a battery operated monitor.
Don’t forget to bring extra batteries or your charger if you are planning an extended vacation.
3. Rechargeable units
Some monitors have a built-in battery that needs the be recharge. Depending on the length of your stay you might need to have access to electricity. Those rechargeable units will need to be plug-in at some point.
4. Car charger and power pack
To recharge your batteries, you could carry a charger that can be plugged into the car lighter. The can turn a car lighter into an electric outlet that you can use for any kind of electronic device too.
5. Solar charger
If you don’t have access to a car battery, another great solution is a solar charger. You just plug your electric device (baby monitor for example) and let it charge all day under the sun. At night your monitor should be good to go.
6. Long range
The range covered by your monitor could be problematic. I would suggest you look for a baby monitor who covers a most extended range than usual. Also, look for a monitor who alerts you when you are out of range with the child unit. You will get a notice if you are too far or if something is blocking the signal.
For more in-depth information, check out my article on the range you can cover with a baby monitor.
7. Nightlight
Every time I go camping, I leave a flashlight open in the tent for my kids. Because, they are used to sleep with a night light at home, they ask for it too while camping. The problem is they use the flashlight as a toy, and they play instead of trying to sleep.
I founded a baby monitor who is equipped with a nightlight feature. The child unit you leave in the tent work a nightlight too. It will automatically shut down after a while. Giving enough time for your kid to fall asleep, without using too much of the batteries.
8. Two ways audio
Sometimes kids can be a little bit scared when they sleep in a tent or a new environment. They need to, and most of the time they just need to hear the sound of your voice.
Some baby monitors can send and receive. This means that you could talk to your kid through the monitor. Just like a walkie-talkie, they work two ways.
This feature could save you the trip to go inside the tent or the camper.
9. Room temperature
When I first started to go camping with my baby, I was always wondering if it was too cold or too hot inside the tent. Also, my daughter had a hard time to fall asleep, so my goal was to make sure she was comfortable.
I know the smart baby monitor can tell the room temperature. This thermometer would have been so useful to me. Many parents are using the room temperature tool when they go camping.
It’s not essential, but it can definitely help.
Next time you go camping, don’t forget your baby monitor
Camping with the family and friends should be fun and relaxing. If you like camping as much as I do, don’t wait till your children are old to go camping. Even with a young baby, you will find it to be relaxing been in the outdoors. Besides, it’s good for your baby to be breathing fresh air and sleep with the sound of nature.
Enjoy your camping!
P.S. If you’re seeking for the best baby monitor and hoping to find real reviews from real parents. You should check out this list I created of the top baby monitors.
To get the best insights and tips to find the best baby monitor, I read more than 300 reviews online and ask my friends or others parents. From all their insights and my own experience, I’ve built this list of the best baby monitors.