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Portable Cribs for RV Camping with a Baby
Many families use a portable playpen or “pack-n-play” in their camper as a place for their baby or toddler to sleep on a camping trip or vacation.
There are lots of models to choose from ranging from extra fancy to super basic. One popular model which would be ideal for a very small camper (and a very small baby!) is the Graco Travel Lite, which is smaller than most of their other models.
Adding a crib to an RV
If you live in your RV full time or often stay in your camper for multiple weeks at a time, you may not want a more substantial bed for your baby than a thin pack-n-play mattress, in which case it might make more sense to purchase a regular crib for your RV.
Baby cribs added to RV bunk rooms
An RV bunk room is ideal for converting to a nursery. Below you can see a rear bunkhouse model fifth wheel which was converted to a kids room by adding a ladder and railing to the top bunk, and replacing the furniture below with this crib that converts into a toddler bed.
With its low profile, this crib would not be likely to move around much when the RV is in motion, but if that was an issue the owners could always anchor it to the wall or floor.
This next RV is a versatile mid-bunk model with the bunk replaced with a crib. When their family later grew, the owners of this camper added a toddler bed to this room.
With the plants, decor, and mid-century style dresser, you wouldn’t even know that this next nursery is in an RV if it weren’t for the tell-tale shape of the window. 😉
Instead of removing bunks, some families instead create a crib by adding a hinged gate to the front of built-in RV bunks, like you see in this next photo:
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RV living area turned into a nursery
If you don’t have a bunk room model RV, you’ll have to get creative when it comes to adding a crib to your camper.
The owners of the RV pictured below decided to remove the recliners at the back of their fifth wheel to make space for a crib, glider rocking chair, and other things that make their camper more convenient for RVing with a baby. They go into more detail and show more pictures in this article on their website.
An RV slide-out makes an excellent spot to put a crib. You could hang a curtain across the space to allow for a dark sleeping environment and fewer distractions no matter the time of day.
Small cribs for small spaces
If your space is limited, you might choose a crib that’s smaller than the standard size, such as this crib, which comes in five colors and folds up, which would be convenient when you need to bring your RV slides in or when moving it in and out of the RV.
A small crib like that one would also be perfect for converting a master bedroom closet into a place for your baby to sleep, which is what was done in the camper shown below:
DIY Baby Beds for a Camper
If you are handy with power tools (or are willing to learn) you can build a bed to accommodate the space you have in your camper, which is what was done in this next RV. The parents changed the orientation of their own bed and built a set of small bunk beds next to it for their two children.
The baby sleeps on the top bunk with a sturdy cargo net covering the opening, as the RV owners demonstrate in this video.
Co-Sleeping Options for Your Baby
Some variation of co-sleeping is a great way to save space in a camper. The owners of the RV shown below built a small sidecar co-sleeper bassinet where their infant sleeps. (A Google search will yield lots of tutorials for building one.)
You can also buy a bassinet designed to go next to a bed if you can find one that fits your space and is long enough that your baby won’t quickly outgrow it.
Another option is to have your baby sleep with you in your own bed. If you choose this option, you may appreciate adding a “baby nest” to your bed that creates a space for your child. This one is nice because the end opens so that the length doesn’t become an issue as the child grows.
Converting the master bedroom to a kids room
Some families with RV’s that didn’t come with a bunk room choose to remove the bed from their master bedroom and use it as their kids’ room instead. The parents then sleep on a sleeper sofa in the living room or, in the case of the family whose RV is pictured below, in a toy hauler garage converted to a bedroom.
Here’s another cute baby room created in a master bedroom. I love that this crib has a built-in dresser and changing table.
For more RV kids bed ideas, check out my article about campers with custom bunk beds added!
For more ideas for RVing with kids, check out this page!
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