How to Keep Kids Warm Camping: Cold Weather Guide

Cold children at night are one of the most common reasons family camping trips go wrong. Working out how to keep kids warm camping can be the difference between you becoming a camping family, and not.

A child who cannot get warm will not sleep, a child who cannot sleep becomes miserable, and a miserable child in a tent at midnight is nobody’s idea of a good time.

The good news is that keeping kids warm camping is entirely manageable with the right approach.

Here is everything I have learned about making sure children sleep comfortably, even on chilly UK nights.

Keep Kids Warm Camping: Start With the Right Sleeping Bag

The sleeping bag is the most important factor in a warm night’s sleep. A bag that is too cold for the conditions will leave a child shivering regardless of what else you do.

For UK camping, look for a sleeping bag with a comfort rating of around 5 degrees Celsius for three-season use, or lower if you are camping in autumn or spring. Children sleep cold, so always choose a bag on the warmer side.

Make sure the bag fits properly, a bag that is too large for a child has excess air space that their body cannot heat.

For more advice on choosing sleeping bags, take a look at our guide to the best family camping equipment.

How to Keep Kids Warm Camping: Layer Up at Bedtime

What a child wears to bed makes a significant difference to how warm they sleep. The key is layers, not bulk.

A thin base layer, a thermal vest and leggings, next to the skin is more effective than a single thick layer.

Add a warm fleece or a long-sleeved top over the top. Warm socks are essential, a large proportion of body heat is lost through cold feet.

A hat for sleeping is underestimated. Children lose a lot of heat through their heads, and a warm beanie or fleece hat worn to bed can make a noticeable difference on cold nights.

Do not let children go to bed cold. If they are already cold when they get into their sleeping bag, they will struggle to warm up.

A warm drink before bed, some gentle movement, or a hot water bottle placed in the bag fifteen minutes before they get in makes a real difference.

Insulate From the Ground

Cold comes up through the ground far more than most people realise, especially on cold nights when the ground temperature drops.

A sleeping mat or self-inflating pad is not optional, it is essential.

Even a basic foam mat provides significant insulation from the ground. A self-inflating mat provides more insulation and more comfort.

For young children, a double layer, a foam mat beneath a self-inflating pad, gives excellent insulation.

Hot Water Bottles

A hot water bottle placed in a child’s sleeping bag fifteen minutes before bedtime pre-warms the bag and gives children something to cuddle if they wake in the night.

Use a covered hot water bottle rather than a bare rubber one to prevent burns, and make sure the lid is securely fastened.

Remove or move it to their feet before the child goes to sleep.

Managing Condensation

Condensation inside a tent can make the interior feel damp and cold.

Keep the tent ventilated even on cold nights, the counterintuitive truth is that closing all the vents to keep warmth in actually makes condensation worse.

Leave a small vent open on the opposite side from the wind, and keep sleeping bags away from the tent walls.

Camping Warm Kids Tips: Warm Up Before Bed

An active half hour before bedtime raises children’s core temperature and helps them sleep warmer.

A walk around the campsite, some running around, or some campfire games shortly before settling down all help.

A warm, substantial evening meal also makes a difference. Carbohydrates and fats give children slow-burning fuel to help maintain body temperature overnight.

In the Morning

Children often wake cold in the early morning when temperatures are at their lowest.

Having warm clothes ready to put on immediately, a warm drink available quickly, and something to eat soon after waking all help.

Keep a small bag of morning essentials, a fleece, a hat, warm socks, inside the tent rather than in the car, so children can dress warmly before venturing out.

For more practical advice on making camping comfortable for the whole family, visit our family camping tips section, and find everything from kit guides to recipe ideas at Camping With Kids.