Hello Wonderful Moms,
We are already planning a camping trip down south over spring break with Grandma and Grandpa. In the past we have just brought along the highchair for my daughter to eat. This year she is 2 years old and has out grown the high chair. But now I am not sure what the best way is for her to be high enough and safe to eat at a picnic table. I have looked at the chairs that you can attach to the tables. They say they are safe for kids up to 37 lbs. My daughter is only 24 lbs. In the reviews that I have read, I have not seen many people talk about using them with two year olds or much talk about using them camping on picnic tables. At home she is in a booster chair right up to the table with us. Does anyone have any advice or recommendations for eating while camping for a 2 year old? Thanks!
We have been to many campgrounds and I would not recommend hanging a chair from a picnic table. Many times the wood for the picnic is warped. I go with the fold up table.
We have been looking for somewhere to camp over Spring break that is open and the weather is warm. Any suggestions?
Have a great time.
J.
One of the things we've done is to put their plate on the bench of the picnic table and let them eat standing there. It helps with their wiggles, too! :)
I have a 4 1/2 yr old and a 23 month old. In the past we've gone camping w/both kids, never brought anything special along for eating. They both have folding camp chairs; they have just sat in those to eat and held their food/plate (as applied). Baby has also sat in my lap while eating. Or inevitably there is something else - a rock, curb, etc - for them to sit on. Personally I wouldn't spend the money on something additional. Good luck!
We camp pretty regularly. I am not confident the chairs that attach to the table would work...picnic tables are so irregular. We have taken care of this two separate ways. We hold our children in our lap while they eat...not ideal, but it seems to work. We also bought a plastic tray, like a tv dinner tray. That way our kids can sit in their small fold up chair and put the tray on their lap and eat. We have had a few mishaps, but it's camp food...hot dogs and such and sippy cups, so it hasn't been a big deal. The other option you may consider it getting one of those fold up table and chair sets. We haven't taken it camping, but my parents bought one for when we eat outside at their house. The nice thing about that option, is the fold up table is also great for art projects and play dough.HTH! Have fun!
I wouldn't bother buying comething more. Kneelingo n the bench works pretty well at that age. Also, if you have a child sized lawn chair, have her sit in that and use the bench as a table. i've used that for my kids and it works great!
I didn't read all the other rsponses, but you could let her sit on a blanket on the ground with her plate on the blanket between her legs! Or get her her own little camp chair and pull it up under the bench of the picnic table, use the bench as her "table" with her folding or camp chair pulled up to it.
You could buy something like a kids picnic table if you go there often and can leave it there, or a camp table and chair set - it would last her a few years I am sure: http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/253601511/2pcs_Kit_Cart...
http://www.target.com/Camp-Chairs-Camping-Outdoor-Sports/...
http://www.amazon.com/Childrens-Folding-Table-Chairs-Furn...
http://www.childrenschairs.com/outdoor-childrens-chairs/5...
Personally I would probably go with the blanket ont he ground or charie pulled up to the big table's bench - less expense and less to pack!
I may be too late but I didn't see this suggestion. I used our travel highchair seat camping. It is one of those folding seats with a tray. We attached it sideways on the bench so he was facing us. It worked great. He is 3 now and we still use the seat on the floor in the living room as a treat; having ice cream while watching a movie, etc.
Why can't she sit on someone's lap or her knees?
my kids would sit on their knees to sit at a picnic table at that age (and actually any other dining room/kitchen chair). i really wouldn't bother buying another contraption!!! :-)
I agree with the posts which say to have her sit on your lap or use the bench for a table. I also, would not recommend the chairs that attach to the table.
The only other thing I would add would be if there are any more grandchildren in the future, you may want to invest in a child-sized plastic picnic table. That works great when we camp with my in-laws ( we've been doing so for about 4 years, since my son was 4, my daughter was 1, neice 3 -- now we have two more nephews, 3 and 2).
Many of the picnic tables are wood and so are the sitting portions. You could have your child sit in one of those child sized plastic chairs and use the bench as her table..
Of course sitting in your lap can also work. Since there are 4 of you, you all can share this part..
Have a blast!
Updated
Many of the picnic tables are wood and so are the sitting portions. You could have your child sit in one of those child sized plastic chairs and use the bench as her table..
Of course sitting in your lap can also work. Since there are 4 of you, you all can share this part..
Have a blast!
The trick to making camping bearable, in my opinion, is to bring the least amount of "stuff" possible. And to let go of the way you "do it at home". Use someone's lap or throw a blanket on the ground. It'll work just fine. For everything you are tempted to bring, really ask yourself if it is "needed". We camped with our daughter from about 4 months on and it went fine!
i always just sat my kids on the bench with their plate of food-they did fine-or put a blanket on the ground an put her there
We were frequent campers, our grown children remember nothing else, and the chair that hooked on the table always worked great!
If you are stickler for her to sit at the table I would recommend getting the chair that attaches to the table. But with so much going on she will probably end up on her knees or sitting on someone's lap during dinner/lunch time. Let camping be fun but stick to the routine when you are home.
I used one for my daughter. It was the Eddie Bauer one from Target and it worked GREAT. You need to attach it to the end and not a side but it is a great way to get them up to table height so they can eat.
I always just let my kids kneel on the sitting benches to eat. It's outside so if they spill ... no biggie. I just carried lots of travel packs of baby wipes for cleaning hands.
I took my son camping around 18 months ....which, by the way, was a complete nightmare- but he is quite spirited and has had trouble sleeping his whole life....he wouldn't go to sleep and then when he finally did after a couple of hours of trying, he woke up screaming at 3 in the morning when it was still pitch black out and the whole campground full of people was completely silent and he would not stop screaming. We woke up plenty of people and people's dogs started barking because of the commotion. I ended up starting the car in the middle of the night and driving him to another part of the park and letting him cry it out until he fell asleep in his car seat since we could not even see well enough to take the tents down. I will not take him camping again until he is at least 4!
Anyway, back to the eating issue! I put my son in an umbrella stroller and pushed him right up to the bench of a picnic table and set his plate right in front of him. Locked the wheels and he was good to go. No big deal! Most picnic table's benches are the perfect height for umbrella strollers. A two year old can sit on their knees, too. Definitely do not waste your money on anything! If you're bringing a stroller just use that. Another option is bringing the booster seat [if it's one with a tray?] and just setting it on the ground- most I've used have been very stable on floors. Or letting her sit in your lap, or putting something on the ground to sit on. You will figure it out
