Camping beds for toddlers and kids camping beds: how to choose kids camp beds and recommended buys for 2021.
Camping with toddlers can be great fun but camping with a tired toddler isn’t!
Getting good sleep, both you and them, is paramount to having a nice family trip and we found that getting good camping toddler beds was a good thing to do to make nights in our tent more restful.
Things didn’t change when our kids got bigger and actually, if anything, having a good kids camp beds became even more important, since a kids camp bed is also were listening to music and reading a book happens.
Among the many camping beds for kids on the market, we found the following ones to be good buys.
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Table of Contents
Best camping beds for kids chart
| Name | Type | Age suitability |
| KidCo PeaPod Plus | Toddler bassinet | Up to age 3 or 5 approx. depending on exact model |
| Lotus travel Crib | Portable crib and playpen | Up to age 2.5/3 depending on the child |
| Phil n teds traveller | Portable travel crib and toddler playpen | Up to 3 year approx |
| The Shrunks Toddler Travel Bed. | Inflatable toddler travel bed | Age 2 and up |
| Regalo My cot | Foldable camping cot for toddlers | Approx 2-5 years old |
| Aero bed for kids | Inflatable camping mattress for kids | Age 4 and up |
Best camping beds for toddlers: KidCo Peapod Plus Toddler bassinet for camping
A toddler bassinet is my favorite type of camping bed for toddlers who love to be contained and have a defined seeping space that is just for them.
Kids travel bassinets come in several shapes and sizes and they tend to be easy to set up and to carry.
You can usually fit them easily in the trunk of the car and you may find you can use them both in the tent and out, which can be handy if you need some nap time while away from your tent.
A lovely toddler bassinet is the KidCo PeaPod.
The KidCo PeaPod is a travel bassinet and portable bed for camping studied dspecifically for families who love the outdoors and what to have a protected space for their toddlers to sleep, no matter where they are.
The KidCo bassinet is effectively a small tent: you place it on the ground (I recommend you get a sleeping mat for under it) and it has an easy to zip open top that allows you to reach your toddler anytime while keeping them protected from insects and crawlers.
This little tent is perfect for little ones that love to sleep in a little den and it is great both inside the tent and out.
The other great advantage of this camping bed for toddlers is how easy to carry it is: the KidCo Bassinet comes with its own carry bag and folds small, so you can easily pack it in the car and even bring it with you duding the day for naps outdoors or indoors!
Good to know: the KidCo bassinet comes in more than one size. Make sure you check specs so you know it will last as long as possible!
Other brands you may want to consider when shopping for for a toddler bed, bassinet style are:
Travel cribs: great toddler beds for camping with bigger tents
If you have a larger tent and a toddler who is used to sleeping in their crib, then a portable crib or pack and play is the perfect camping bed.
For the night, you can place the crib inside the tent and remain assured your kid has a safe, contained place where they can feel secure. During the day, I love that you can put them outside and effectively give them a portable playpen!
Tip: if you use the crib both outside and for sleeping, bring an extra paid of sheets and double check that everything is clean and dry before settling for the night. Pollen, bits carried from the wind and humidity can feel very unpleasant once playtime is gone.
These are the travel cribs we found worked best for us:
Lotus travel Crib
The Lotus travel crib is an excellent portable bed for toddlers studied specifically for being easy to carry and easy to fold/unfold.
Its main specs are:
- Lightweight, only wights 13lbs
- Comes with own carry case
- Comes with GreenGuard Gold non-toxic certification thanks to the use of non toxic materials
- easy to set up and fold down
- Mattress approve for overnight sleep for babies and toddlers up to age 3
- See through mesh sides for air flow and safety
Phil and teds Traveller Crib, perfect camping bed for smaller toddlers
Another great travel crib that can work well as a camping bed is the Phil & Teds travellers crib, another toddler travel beds we have found excellent on the go.
Its main specs are here. At a glance:
- Super light, only 6lb
- Very easy to set up, with self inflatable mattress
- Breatable mash sides for air blow and keep an eye on your child at all times
- super portable: rolls up really small, perfect fro crammed car trunks
- has a compatible shade accessory (sold sparely) for outdoor use
- The crib has a unique zip open side to allow easy crawling in and out
Good to know: this crib is excellent especially for smaller toddler who will not be able to climb out or push it over.
Inflatable camping beds for toddlers who like their independence
If your toddler is used to getting in and out of their own bed or have outgrown a crib, then you can consider an inflatable bed.
I always think of inflatable beds as the best camping bed for kids, maybe because they are what I was used to myself when I was the kid on family camping trip, and I find them absolutely fantastic for children and they are usually cheap, easy to use and can be very comfortable for them too.
Inflatable camp beds for kids tend to fold small, area easy to pack in the car and, if you get an electric pump, which I highly recommend, are ready in seconds.
A good inflatable camp bed for toddlers is The Shrunks Toddler Travel Bed.
Is main specs of this toddler air mattress are:
- Good toddler size, perfect for growing kids: 60 x 37 x 9 (inches), 152 x 94 x 23 (cm) when inflated
- Nice elevated sides to give a sense of protection without becoming oppressive or posing any risk of the bed tipping over
- Fits standard crib sheets and blankets
- You can tuck in blankets and sheets, so that you can be sure your toddler doesn’t get cold at night accidentally kicking them off! This is an excellent perk of this bed and something that sets it apart from many others and makes it exceptionally good for camping, when temperature is an issue!
- Very easy to set up and carry
Regalo my cot foldable toddler bed for camping
Another easy to set up camping bed for kids is Regalo My Cot.
This portable toddler bed looks like an old style folding bed, with metal legs that easily fold and unfold and it is great for camping as it is super easy to set up and keeps your toddler above ground without posing major risks of falling.
Its main specs are:
- Easy to fold and unfold
- Folds small, easy to pack in the car
- Durable steel frame to hold up up to 75lbs
AeroBed inflatable camping bed for kids age 4 and up
Once our kids were a little older, we found inflatable beds worked great for us.
One that offered a good match between comfort, portability and easy of use is the Aerobed inflatable bed for kids, which is marketed for children age 4 and up.
Its main specs are:
- Mattress measures 60″ L x 36″ W x 8″ H when inflated
- Heavy duty material, good for the potentially rough use while camping
- Thick, washable fitted mattress pad
- Pump included
- Comes with carry bag with draw strings
- Inflatable mattress can hold up to 150 lb.
Self inflatable camping pads for kids
Another sleeping solution we found excellent for sleeping in a tent with kids is simply using self inflatable camping mats.
These are not kids camp beds as such, they are simply padded mats you unfold on the ground, but they make excellent beds for children and adults who like to sleep on a slightly harder surface (I LOVE them).
Padded mattress are one of the cheapest camping bed you can get, they fold really small and they require no set up: as you unroll them, they self inflate and they are ready to go!
You can find them in different sized and thickness: you can learn about their specs here.
Must have and accessories for your kids camping bed
Depending on the type of kids camp bed you go for, you may need many or few accessories.
A handy list of potentially useful kids bed accessories are:
- Kids camping pillow and pillowcases
- Sheets and sovers
- Kids sleeping bags for camping – make sure they are suitable for the job and not just slumber bags for the house!
- Floor mat to use as a base for the bed
- Side light: make sure you pick a proper camping light that doesn’t heat up or tangle
Going camping with family? Don’t forget to also ceck out our other camping with kids guides:
- Tips for camping with toddlers
- Best camping gear for kids
- Family camping packing checklist
- Camping gift ideas
- Gifts for outdoorsy kids – an excellent way to to get kids excited about going camping with you
I hope you found this overview of the best camping beds for toddlers and kids camp beds useful. Safe camping!