Jul 22

Jul 22 Minivan Camping with our Toddler and Newborn for Eight Days: Your Questions Answered

Hi my beautiful friends! I’m especially excited to write about today’s most highly requested topic to date! A lot of you were asking how my husband and I slept in a minivan with our two kids (2 year old son, and 2.5 month old daughter) for eight days in Colorado! I thought a fun way to tackle this topic would be by answering ALL of your questions on our minivan camping experience below. Hope you enjoy!

●What made you choose to minivan camp?

The first time we chose to minivan camp, it was simply to save money while on vacation with our son. The second time, it was to save money, and hopefully create more fun, family memories with the addition of our daughter.

●How did you pimp out your minivan?

Once we arrived in Colorado, and got our rental (a Dodge Grande Caravan), we headed to Walmart for some shopping fun! (We always make a vacation budget with a miscellaneous section, so pimping out our rented minivan gets deducted from there.) Firstly, we did a total wipe down of the interior from top to bottom with Clorox wipes because…germaphobes much?? We stocked the front, middle, and back section of the van with diapers and wipes that could be easily grabbed when needed. We bought thick yoga mats to line the floor, a body pillow, two quilts, and sun visors. My husband tediously cut out each sun visor to fit, and cover all of the windows. This gave us much needed privacy while sleeping. Noone can see in, and that's how we like it! All in all, pimping out our home on wheels for eight days cost us $150 which is approximately equivalent to a day and a half in a hotel!

●What was your morning routine?

In the morning, we would naturally wake up around 6am. (Colorado is 2 hours earlier for us, so to our internal clocks it was really 8am, EST). We didn't mind this because getting up early allowed us to make the most of each day. I would quickly change my son into his clothes, and pass him to my husband. They would go into the truck stop that we had parked outside of the night before, brush their teeth, use the bathroom, and do their hair. (Gotta keep those side parts fresh!) During this time, I hung back, got dressed, nursed/changed my daughter, and moved all of our bags from the passenger seat to the trunk. Once my husband returns, I go to the bathroom, and brush my teeth, while he puts the minivan back into “driving mode.” This entails putting the seats back up, and putting the kids in their carseats. We grab water bottles, and four bananas from the truck stop, and BAM!, breakfast is served! We did this every morning…unless we decided to hit up our favorite donut shop instead! Yum!

●What was your night routine?

Around 7pm, we get the kids completely ready for bed, (brush teeth, change diapers, put on pajamas,) and place them in their carseats. Depending on where we are exploring the next day, my husband will then drive to our next sleeping location of choice. It might be a twenty minute drive, or it might be an hour! By the time we park at our bedtime spot, the kids have already fallen asleep in their carseats. While they're sleeping, we turn the minivan into “sleeping mode.” This entails putting up the sun visors for privacy, moving all the bags from the back of the van to the front, (so we can fold down the back seats, and have room to change into our pajamas,) unfolding the mats, and lastly, laying out our body pillow. Then, we ever so quietly take the kids out of their carseats, and place them in their designated sleeping spots, all while “The Greatest Showman” soundtrack is blasting so they don’t hear us thudding around! This may sound overwhelming, but there’s something quite magical, and a little romantic, about converting the van into “sleeping mode” together!

●How much fun actually went on in that fun? Haha totally kidding

Betcha thought I wouldn't answer this one!...No comment. :)

●Where did you park the car? Did you feel safe?

The rule is if one of us doesn’t feel safe, we find another sleeping location. Before parking, we check to make sure overnight parking is allowed to avoid being towed, or asked to leave (which has never happened to us). We either park our car in well-lit, heavy-traffic gas stations, truck stops, Bass Pro Shop parking lots, or on BLM land (Bureau Land Management). These locations are all free! We parked overnight in the Walmart parking lot once last year, but it felt too shady from all the heavy foot traffic! Plus, we didn’t feel comfortable with all the “characters” that take trips to Walmart after 1am! As for hands on safety, we bought a cheap pocket knife, and pepper spray to keep with us in the car.

●How did you stay warm at night?

Some nights it was 50 degrees, and some nights it was below 30! For our safety, I knew I was not comfortable with leaving the car running while we were sleeping. So, I volunteered to wake up when I couldn't feel my toes to turn on the car momentarily, and blast the heat. Just kidding…I could still feel my toes, but when it got cold I would turn on the heat for a while, turn off the car, and then go back to sleep. My son slept in socks and fleece zip up footie pajamas. My daughter was dressed according to the temperature each night. On the coldest nights we dressed her in socks, mittens, a onesie, zip up footie pajamas, and a halo fleece sleep sack as seen linked below. This kept her nice and warm without overheating her. Feeling a baby’s chest, or stomach, can help determine if they are really cold, or not. I did this often throughout the night, and found my daughter’s chest and tummy was always warm!

●Did your back hurt at all?

No! My husband also agrees that we slept great on those yoga mats. Thank you, Walmart!

●Did you bring food or eat out mostly?

We designated a snack drawer in the front console of the caravan! We filled it with bottled water, and tons of mostly organic, kid friendly snacks. Similar to having a miscellaneous budget, we also have a budget for eating out when on vacation! Minivan camping allows us a larger budget to eat out, and discover new food, which to us is a very high priority!

●Did you deal with any toddler meltdowns? Was it bad getting up nursing?

We don’t co-sleep by choice. It does work well for some families, and for others it doesn't. We are the latter. Our son sleeps best alone, straight through like clockwork, from 7pm-8am. Our son had a huge meltdown our first night on this trip because he wanted to jump all over mommy and daddy when it was bedtime. What worked for us was designating a "this is your bed" moment. Prior, to setting this boundary in a new environment, our son didn’t know where his “bed” was, and I don’t blame him! Once we firmly pointed to his “sleeping spot,” he slept there each night after. It was amazing how easily he adjusted! As far as nursing in the middle of the night went, my husband and I still joke on the fact that our daughter actually slept better in then minivan then at home! She may have woke once each night to nurse!

●How did you all sleep?

We slept great! Our minivan's middle and back seats fold down flat into the base of the car, giving us an even space the width of a full sized bed. As mentioned prior, we don't co-sleep at home, but when in a minivan, anything goes! If you're in the passenger seat looking back, my son slept on the left, my husband in the middle, and then me. My daughter slept at my feet (directly behind the driver’s seat) in a safe, travel bassinet we got off Amazon that I will link for you below.

●How did you shower, or do laundry?

As far as showering went, we would go to random people's houses when they weren't home and use the hose. Kidding! Haha, I wish it was that exciting! When we woke up, and before we went to bed, we would baby wipe top to bottom. Before you freak out, think of it like camping, and man up! ;-) We also have these two great friends that we love to visit for the day in Denver, and their “hospitality game” is on point! They graciously let us use their shower, and do laundry while we all catch up together! (And yes, it’s the best shower of your life!)

●How did you use the bathroom?

First thing in the morning, and last thing before bed, my husband and I would use the restroom at the truck stop we had parked at! Luckily, neither of us had to use the bathroom in the middle of the night! Our kids were not potty trained yet, so diapers made it very convenient for us, and them! In between morning and night, we used public restrooms like anyone else would going about thier day!

●What was your favorite moment?

By far, my favorite moment was parking on BLM land! I did not like the idea of this at first because it is often located off the beaten path. What if a bear climbs on our car? A creeper tries to break in? These were my concerns, and boy, am I happy I ignored them in this particular situation, and trusted my husband! We turned off the main road, which was already pitch black, onto a long, dark road leading to the middle of nowhere. It was at the very end of that road that we approached the most beautiful mountain! Since it was pitch black, I couldn't wait to see what it would look like in the morning light! There were two other hardcore campers in the area as well which was actually very reassuring. We didn’t engage, but they were clearly “real deal" families there to camp. That night, in the middle of nowhere with our little family, was the most peaceful, memorable night of the whole trip! It was also in the middle of the night at this location, while I was heating the car, that I finally decided to start this blog! It was such a special memory!

●Scariest thing that happened while minivan camping?

The first six days of our trip, we had the most beautiful weather…75 degrees…sunny…not humid. The last four days of our tip, we got hit with a spontaneous, hard-core snow storm...in May!! We were finishing up dinner when it randomly started to heavy snow…thanks bipolar Colorado weather…and we still had to drive an hour to our sleeping location. Mom, if you’re reading this, skip this next paragraph please…

We were sliding all over the road in heavy snow...most terrifying part of the trip!! (P.S. One piece of advice I have to give if you choose to rent a minivan anywhere with the potential for snow…check your tires! ) With lots prayer, and my husband’s incredible driving skills, we finally slid into the gas station entrance to park in a safe area. Behold, our first night sleeping with snow on the ground, and in temperature below 30 degrees. Terrible timing, but a great excuse to snuggle!

●Funniest thing that happened on your trip?

A funny memory now, but not in the moment, was when we decided to “treat” ourselves to two care-free nights in a hotel at the end of our trip (Day 9 and Day 10). Ironically, these two nights sleeping in our hotel were the WORST nights of the whole trip. Yup, our kids slept better in back of the minivan. #proudparents

So…are my husband and I crazy, or the coolest parents ever?! You be the judge!! In all seriousness, some of my favorite pictures ever were taken on this trip. Some of our favorite family memories happened in that Dodge Grand Caravan! Kids don’t need a big space to feel love and adventure! When our family hopefully grows to five, we may need to upgrade, but for now we are loving our snug minivan camping adventures! I hope you enjoyed this Q&A style blog post on our experience minivan camping with our toddler and newborn! Would you ever minivan camp with your kids? Leave your response in the comments below!

Cool, Calm, and Collectedly Yours,