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On a Joshua Tree camping trip, I was sitting by the campfire with friends as my two littles slept in our absurdly oversized tent. I didn’t bring my fancy WiFi-enabled baby monitor, because you know, WiFi. Instead, I sat close enough to the tent so I could hear/see anything go down. As it turned out, the campfire and our chatter drowned out my crying toddler, so I didn’t know that he had woken up until he was making his way shoeless to find me. You know what would have helped? One of the best baby monitors for camping — something I didn’t know existed until after that trip.
What To Consider When Shopping For Baby Monitors For Camping
There aren’t many baby monitors designed specifically for camping, but monitors that are battery powered can work anywhere — with or without internet and electrical power. They are often audio only, although some portable video baby monitors are battery operated and can also be a good option if you prefer to see what’s going on in the tent. Here’s what else you need to consider while you shop.
- Range: When your kids are asleep in the tent (or camper or RV), you probably will hang out close by — whether it’s your own campsite or the one next door, so the range on most monitors — from 700 to 1,000 feet — should be sufficient.
- Battery Life: Most battery operated or wireless baby monitors offer anywhere from 6 to 20 hours of battery life, which means you should have enough battery life to last through a weekend (if you’re only using them a few hours each night). But if you plan on a longer trip, you’ll want to bring backup batteries or a power bank.
- Temperature Sensor: When sleeping outside in a tent, it can be tricky making sure your whole family is warm or cool enough. Some baby monitors have a temperature sensor so you can see exactly what the ambient temp is inside the tent.
- Two-Way Talk Mode: If you want to be able to talk to your kids while they’re in the tent or camper, choose a monitor with two-way audio. This allows you to check in on them (or answer their million questions) without having to get up. If your kids are old enough, you might want to opt for a simple set of walkie talkies that have the added benefit of being useful out on the trail, too.
Scroll on for the best baby monitors for camping so you don’t have to keep unzipping and zipping the tent to check on them and risk waking them up — which is the last thing you want to do after finally getting those s’more-loving, dirt-packed, adventurous cuties to sleep. I’ve also included a game-changing blackout popup tent that helps your kiddos go to sleep earlier and sleep in later (hallelujah!).
In a hurry? Here are the top picks for the best baby monitors for camping:
- The Overall Best Audio Monitor For Camping: TimeFlys Audio Baby Monitor
- The Best Budget Audio Baby Monitor: VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitor
- The Best Video Baby Monitor For Camping: Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro
- The Best Monitor For Two Tents: VTech VM819 Video Baby Monitor
- The Best Walkie Talkie Set: Retevis Walkie Talkies (2-Pack)
01
The Overall Best Audio Monitor For Camping
Who says baby monitors can’t be effective and adorable? This cordless baby monitor from TimeFlys offers audio monitoring and two-way talk capabilities with a range of 1,000 feet outside. It comes with eight lullaby options as well as a temperature sensor that sounds an alarm when the tent temperature goes beyond 60.8 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. It also has a night light option which can definitely come in handy in a dark tent. The devices can be charged using USB-C cables, but they also have battery compartments when charging isn’t available. Six AAA batteries are included. I love that this monitor has a vibrating function in addition to audio to ensure that you’re aware when your kiddo is calling for you.
Helpful Review: “Best monitor for camping! Both ends can run on batteries, and they lasted for all my daughters naps during the day. The monitor also reaches very far! The sound quality is amazing, and you can use it as a night lamp.”
Range: 1,000 feet outdoors | Temperature Sensor: Yes | Battery Life: 8 to 10 hours | Two-Way Talk Mode: Yes
02
An Affordable Audio Monitor With Over 25,000 5-Star Ratings
I’m a huge fan of any baby monitor that’s easy to carry around, especially one that’s inexpensive like the VTech audio baby monitor. This battery-operated monitor has a belt clip, so you can keep your hands free for all those extra s’mores you’re going to eat with the good chocolate after the kids go to bed (IYKYK). It has a long range at 1,000 feet with a built-in rechargeable battery that can last up to 8 hours when it’s not plugged in. It also has a AAA battery option and two are included. A set of five lights on the parent unit indicates the level of sound coming from the tent, plus it has different alert tones when you’re out of range or low on battery. Not surprisingly, this no-frills audio monitor has amassed more than 25,000 perfect ratings on Amazon.
Helpful Review: “This is a great little monitor for areas where you can’t trust a WiFi connection. We use it camping or even working outside at home. The range far exceeds what I expected as does the sensitivity to small sounds it picks up. Very happy especially considering the price.”
Range: 1,000 feet | Temperature Sensor: No | Battery Life: 8 hours | Two-Way Talk Mode: No
03
The Best Video Baby Monitor For Camping (& Home Use Too)
It might actually be impossible to find a baby monitor that can do it all at home and still be a great option for camping, but the WiFi-free Infant Optics DXR-8 Pro video monitor certainly comes close. Not only is it a top choice among parents (with over 4,000 five-star ratings and counting), it comes with a large, 5-inch screen with pan/tilt options and 6x zoom. It works on reserve battery life when it isn’t plugged in. The rechargeable battery can last up to 10 hours in power saving mode, which is plenty of time for a weekend camping trip, assuming you only have the monitor on when you’re away from the tent. It has an accurate temperature sensor, two-way audio, night vision, and proprietary noise reduction technology to help you hear only your child, and not the ambient noise from the fan.
Helpful Review: “This camera is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted a non WiFi camera that was battery powered so I could take it camping. This camera has fit the bill. I’ve also been impressed with the image quality!”
Range: 700 to 1,000 feet | Temperature Sensor: Yes | Battery Life: 6 to 10 hours | Two-Way Talk Mode: Yes
04
The Best Baby Monitor For Two Tents
Similar to the Infant Optics model above, this VTech video baby monitor can pull double duty as your home monitor and one to bring camping. The device is battery operated, so it’ll even work when you’ve set up camp seemingly in the middle of no where. The featured two-camera set makes sense if you have kids in more than one tent, but it’s also available with one camera if that’s all you need. The video display has a temperature sensor so you know if you need to add another blanket or two. It doesn’t, however, have the best resolution, so don’t expect to see your kids in HD. It features relaxing sounds to help your kids fall asleep and overpower the sounds of nature and chatter. The monitor works sort of like walkie-talkies with a two-way talk mode so both you and your kids can keep tabs on each other when needed.
Helpful Review: “Purchased this as a secondary monitor to use while we camp in our travel trailer. Needed something with long range and good connection as we are usually camping with family and aren’t always at our own site. The range is great — no issue with connectivity even when we were in a different trailer a few sites away.”
Range: 1,000 feet | Temperature Sensor: Yes | Battery Life: 19 hours in video mode, 29 hours in audio mode | Two-Way Talk Mode: Yes
05
These Fan-Favorite Walkie Talkies
If you’re camping with kids old enough to operate two-way talk, this affordable set of fan-fave walkie talkies is a great way to ensure everything is okay inside the tent or RV (or even down the trail). Featuring a long range of up to a mile (depending on terrain), these kid-friendly walkie talkies come with a belt clip and a flashlight. There are 22 channels to choose from, but the kid lock prevents your kiddo from inadvertently switching to the wrong one. Plus, there are 10 fun call tones that promise to delight your adventurer. Each unit requires three AA batteries (not included).
Helpful Review: “[…]The quality of these is fantastic, and I believe they will last for a long time without breaking. They are small, and can easily fit in your pocket. Besides using them for playtime, I could see the benefit of these for actual walkie talkie use as well, say for a camping trip, or to keep in touch at a theme park. I read other reviews claiming the range of these walkie talkies is about a mile and a half to two miles, and I think that’s accurate. We didn’t take them quite that far yet, but we had no problems with crackling or speaking with clarity. Makes a great gift!”
Range: 1 mile+ (depending on terrain)| Temperature Sensor: No | Battery Life: Not available | Two-Way Talk Mode: Yes
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Also Nice: A Blackout Tent To Help Everyone Sleep In
It can be tricky getting your kids to agree to go to sleep before the sun does, but in the summer, it stays bright outside way past bedtime. The Instant Blackout six-person camping tent from Ever Advanced will solve that problem, and it’ll also help your family sleep longer in the morning by keeping it dark inside. It also adds privacy and protects the inside of the tent from drastic temperature changes. The instant pop up tent practically sets itself up and can be done by just one person in about a minute.
Helpful Review: “This tent pops up quickly and easily. The inside stays quite comfortable even on a chilly morning. The darkening feature works well to keep most but not all of the light out, which is a good thing when looking for some light.”
Dimensions: 9 x 9 x 6 feet (L x W x H) | Number of people: 6
With the right baby monitor for camping, you can focus on the things that matter most — your child’s safety and campfire cocktails. For more camping essentials, check out these must-haves.
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