When going on a family camping trip, it's common to worry about what clothes your children should wear.
While summer camping is often imagined as hot, it's essential to consider not only heat対策 (対策: countermeasures) but also insect repellent and injury prevention.
This article introduces recommended clothing for children for summer camping.
Please refer to it to enjoy a comfortable and safe camping experience.
What you'll learn in this article
・Learn about children's clothing for summer camping
Table of Contents
Key Points for Choosing Children's Camping Clothes
There are several things to keep in mind when choosing clothes for children for camping.
First, let's cover the important points that apply all year round, not just for summer camping.
Clothing suitable for temperature and humidity
The temperature and humidity vary depending on the camping location.
Choose clothes for your children that are suitable for the temperature and humidity, so they can stay comfortable.
Even in summer, if you camp at a high altitude, it might get chilly, and your child could catch a cold.
Campsites at high altitudes experience significant temperature fluctuations, so even in summer, measures against the cold are necessary.
The optimal clothing also changes depending on whether the forecast for your camping period is sunny or rainy.
Durable and tear-resistant clothing
Children tend to run around energetically at camp.
Since they might come into contact with rocks or thorny plants, it's safer to choose durable, tear-resistant fabrics.
Cotton materials like jeans are durable, making them suitable for active pursuits.
Clothing that can get dirty
At campsites, clothes can get dirty with mud and other substances.
Avoid fashionable clothing and choose clothes that you don't mind getting dirty.
If they're made of synthetic materials that are easy to clean, washing them after returning home will be simpler.
It's also a good idea to bring clothes that are about to be outgrown or that you don't mind discarding in case they get too dirty.
Clothing for insect bite protection
Most summer campsites have many insects.
To protect against various insects like mosquitoes, horseflies, and gnats, long sleeves and long pants are a safe choice.
If the cuffs are elastic, insects are less likely to get inside the clothing, reducing the risk of bites.
Choosing light colors like white, which don't attract insects, is also recommended.
Clothing for sun protection
Consider sun protection as well.
Especially at high-altitude campsites, children are exposed to stronger sunlight than usual.
Wearing long sleeves and long pants can reduce the risk of sunburn.
Easy-to-move clothing
Choose clothing that allows children to move easily so they can fully enjoy camping.
For active children, one idea is to apply sunscreen and let them play in short-sleeved shirts and shorts during the day.
Be sure to balance insect bite and sun protection.
Functional clothing for comfortable wear
During summer camping, it can get hot during the day, making children prone to sweating.
Especially active children sweat profusely, so choose functional clothing for them.
Wearing quick-drying and breathable shirts and pants helps them stay comfortable even when sweating.
It also helps prevent problems like heat rash.
Bright and highly visible clothing
For small children, they might disappear from sight if you momentarily look away.
Choosing bright colors like red or yellow, which stand out in nature, makes it easier to keep track of your child's location.
On the other hand, colors like green, blue, or black can blend into nature, making them harder to spot.
To ensure your child's safety, it's recommended to prioritize bright, non-blending clothing.
Recommended Clothing for Different Times of Day at Camp
For summer camping, it's a good idea to change your child's clothing according to the time of day.
Here, we introduce appropriate clothing for three scenarios: daytime, evening, and bedtime.
Daytime clothing
During the day, choose a combination of quick-drying T-shirts and pants, adjusted to the temperature.
T-shirts sold by outdoor and camping brands are recommended for their excellent quick-drying and breathability properties.
While shorts are fine for campsites with wide grassy areas, long pants are more suitable in environments with a lot of grass, rocks, or insects.
Additionally, if you plan to go trekking during the day, it may be necessary to have them change into long pants depending on the trail conditions.
Evening wear
Even in summer, temperatures drop in the evening, so it's a good idea to change into long sleeves and long pants.
The risk of mosquito and gnat bites also increases at night.
Layering a windbreaker is also an effective method.
Children tend to feel the cold more when they get sleepy, so it's recommended to have a jacket readily available for them to put on.
Bedtime clothing
As it can get cold during sleep, wear long-sleeved pajamas and long pants for warmth.
Especially in high-altitude areas or northern regions like Hokkaido, temperatures can drop significantly even in summer.
Due to the large temperature difference between day and night, it can feel colder than the actual temperature, so caution is needed.
Prepare innerwear and keep warm for cold nights.
Precautions to Keep in Mind for Children's Camping Clothes
Parents must carefully consider and prepare children's clothing for summer camping.
Here, we introduce precautions to ensure children are not troubled by their clothing.
Prepare cold weather gear and rain gear
Assuming summer camping will be hot and neglecting cold weather preparations is a common mistake for novice campers.
Always bring cold weather gear such as windbreakers or thick fleece jackets.
Also, depending on the camping location, the weather can become unstable in the evening, and there's a possibility of sudden downpours, so don't forget to bring rain gear.
Thick rainwear can also double as cold weather gear, helping to keep warm.
Pay attention to altitude
Even if you've been summer camping with children before, you might misjudge the temperature at different altitudes.
Camping in high-altitude resorts is popular in summer, but even with the general knowledge that temperatures drop at higher altitudes, people sometimes fail to choose appropriate clothing because they can't concretely imagine how much it will drop.
Typically, the temperature drops by about 0.6℃ for every 100m increase in altitude.
This means that a 1,000m difference in altitude results in approximately a 6℃ drop in temperature, leading to a significant difference in perceived temperature.
When going to high-altitude campsites, relying solely on the weather forecast for nearby municipalities may be insufficient, so be careful.
Check the campsite's altitude and choose clothing based on the estimated temperature.
Prepare extra clothes
When taking children camping, it's crucial to bring a sufficient amount of spare clothes.
Children tend to get sweaty and soaked, or muddy while playing.
Also, sparks from a barbecue might burn holes in their clothes.
Considering these potential problems, be sure to bring plenty of extra clothes.
It's convenient to have plastic bags or zip-lock bags to carry dirty clothes home.
Summary
When choosing children's clothing for camping, it's important to match the climate of the destination.
During summer camping, temperatures can drop at night, and it might get chilly.
Having long sleeves and long pants is reassuring in case the temperature drops more than expected.
Pay attention to your children's clothing for summer camping, and support them with appropriate attire so they can play to their heart's content in nature.
