20 Month Old Sleeping Bag

[LarkLanter]

I will be going out with a 20 month old in August and I have been trying to see if there is a sleeping bag built for infants this size. We will be tent camping using mattress pads. My wife intends to have my daughter sleep next to her on 2 pads put together. The location we will camping in is usually mid 60's at night. Also we car camp.

Is it better to use blankets or is there a sleeping bag designed for kid's this size? I saw one that was like a sleep sack but it did not seem to cover a lot.

Any input is appreciated.

Shawn

[frank6160]

Re: 20 Month Old Sleeping Bag

We always just used blankets for the little ones. We dressed them in long sleeve tops and bottoms with socks on feet as kids sometimes roll, squirm and come uncovered. Put a folded blanket under them and one to cover with.

[Mike]

Re: 20 Month Old Sleeping Bag

I would just use the same blankets you use at home. No surprises.

[Mike]

Re: 20 Month Old Sleeping Bag

... and remember the old trick of using whiskey remedy for kids with the colic = crying incessantly.

Goes something like this:

Parents with children afflicted with the colic are suggested as follows when the child is having particularly loud fits of crying:

1) For every six months of age of the child add one jigger of whisky and one jigger of water. A one year old child would = 2 jiggers of whiskey)

2) Drink the whiskey (parent)

3) Repeat as is needed.

[tplife]

Re: 20 Month Old Sleeping Bag

Those mattress pads on top of the ground are ideal for insulation from loss and helping retain body heat provided they're not on top of cots or air mattresses, which do the direct opposite. We used a synthetic adult bag until our kids were out of their diapers, then each one was given a quality goose down adult bag. Now with two of them in their '20s, the bags are still like new and will give a lifetime of camping warmth and good times. Don't fret too much if they don't keep their caps on during the night, studies show you only lose 10% or less of your body heat through your head, even if you're wearing only swimming trunks!

[LarkLanter]

Re: 20 Month Old Sleeping Bag

All, thanks for the input.

We will have pads directly on the ground and the blankets will be the route we go down. My little one is a flopper while she sleeps so I was trying to envision how I would keep her in a bag and just did not see it happening. This will be her first camping trip so my wife is a bit nervous in how we handle it with her. We have camped a lot as a family but never with a child this young. I am looking forward to getting her out and camping as she loves being outside and in the mix of things now so I am hoping she will love being outdoors and camping. Next task will be finding a bigger tent for us.

[05Kingquad700]

Re: 20 Month Old Sleeping Bag

start with something like this
http://www.amazon.com/SleepSack-Cott...ter+sleep+sack
take extra blankets, better to have them and not need them, then vice versa.

Tie the sleeping pads together to prevent seperation, as well.

[timd]

Re: 20 Month Old Sleeping Bag

My old boyscout handbook (which I can't seem to find) showed a method of folding two blankets together to make a sleeping bag. Based on memory one blanket was folded in half from the left and placed inside the other that was folded from the right. If you play around a little bit you should be able to find a way to make the blankets interlock together, it really wasn't rocket science Tried doing an image search to come up with something but wasn't successful :( Hope that helps.

[banukab]

Re: 20 Month Old Sleeping Bag

You could use an adult sleeping bag if you have one, then just use a strap or something like that to cinch off the lower portion not needed. I'd still take some blankets to help fill it out a bit and add some extra insulation.

[LarkLanter]

Re: 20 Month Old Sleeping Bag

start with something like this
http://www.amazon.com/SleepSack-Cott...ter+sleep+sack
take extra blankets, better to have them and not need them, then vice versa.

Tie the sleeping pads together to prevent seperation, as well.

My wife likes the sleep sack you linked to. Might have to get one and try it out.

We always try to bring extra blankets and extra clothes. We end up taking more stuff then we need, but we are in a large truck so it is not an issue.

[05Kingquad700]

Re: 20 Month Old Sleeping Bag

My wife says she dressed our little girl in a turtle neck, long pants and socks, the next layer was fuzzy pj's (the ones with the sewn on booties), then sleep sac and added blankets and a hat. SHe was about the same age as your's and we were camping in the Rocky Mountains. SHe was fine, course the wife woke up at least once an hour to check on her, as I am sure your wife will as well.

[Mike]

Re: 20 Month Old Sleeping Bag

My old boyscout handbook (which I can't seem to find) showed a method of folding two blankets together to make a sleeping bag. Based on memory one blanket was folded in half from the left and placed inside the other that was folded from the right. If you play around a little bit you should be able to find a way to make the blankets interlock together, it really wasn't rocket science Tried doing an image search to come up with something but wasn't successful :( Hope that helps.

Here you have it,Timd. This is from the 1948 Boyscout manual (officially named "Handbook for Boys")

[timd]

Re: 20 Month Old Sleeping Bag

That's the one exactly! Thanks for sharing the photo. I remember using that 'sleeping bag' for a week or so at home (when I was in scouts) just because I thought it was neat. That handbook is really very interesting. Many of the ideas are basic and just starting points for further learning but I found myself paging through many times even after I left the scouts. The last time we moved I'm not sure what box it ended up in.

On a similar note anyone heard anything about the new TV show, something like "Are you tougher than a boy scout?" Maybe I'll find a link and start a new thread. As most tv programming I'm sure it will feature all kinds of drama...

[landlorrd]

Re: 20 Month Old Sleeping Bag

I think air mattress pads are better for use.They can be placed directly on the ground and hence are very customer friendly and comfortable comparatively.