Burning Man With Babies Is No Joke
The Burn is an inhospitable place on a good day, and downright life-threatening on a bad one. Having been to four burns in the past, I thought it would be a great idea to bring our daughter there to celebrate her first birthday. My partner was into checking it out but we got a surprise a few weeks before heading to Black Rock City that changed everything.
She was pregnant.
Again.
Baby number two on the way, and we were planning a month-long road trip culminating in Black Rock City. We found out only days before leaving and my partner ended up somehow saying yes to continuing on.
For that (and many other reasons), I love her so much. She put up with it for the entire month and it only got worse. Our daughter’s birthday ended up being the marquee rainstorm, but more on that later.
It’s certainly not the way most people do Burning Man, and I wouldn’t recommend bringing kids if it’s your first burn. It’s such a sensory overload and test of survival skills that you need to at least know what to expect to be able to give your kids a comfortable existence.
For as inhospitable as the Black Rock desert is, nobody should risk that with their kids. In many ways it’s an ultimate test of one’s parenting skills, and the willpower to put them first amongst a sea of distraction and temptation. It certainly made for a much different burn than the other four times I’d been.
The Camp Setup
Ideally you have an RV, but that gets expensive really quick. So if you’re adventurous (and let’s face it, why else would you be spending your time reading a blog post on Excellent Family Adventurous if you didn’t identify so), you can do it in a tent.
One such family showed up in a Honda Accord and had a tiny nylon tent parked behind it, and they not only survived the week, but both dad and his daughter were beaming from what fun they had. And on the other end of the spectrum there were more than a few camps that looked like they had been doing it for a few years. So, Ideally, this is up to you.
What to Pack for Burning Man
You can have an entire post dedicated to what to pack for Burning Man if you have kids, and perhaps, someday, we will. But for now let’s just go through a few essentials:
- Kodiak Tent
- Kitchen Tent: Either a Kodiak utility tent (like we had) or a Costco Carport (which our neighbours had, and saved us all from boredom in the rainstorm)
- Water Jug + 40 oz water bottles + water reservoir for your backpack
- Potty: for the ladies, a kid’s potty was a lifesaver.
- Folding table
- Cooler
- 2-burner stove, pot, pan, knife,
- propane
- all kinds of food: Another blog post we could easily do someday
- Sunscreen
- Bike + attachment for kids
Sleep Schedule
With so much happening day and night, it’s hard to find a sleep routine that makes sense. We found ourselves letting our little one stay up a bit later than usual to take in the city lights and sounds, which led to sleeping in a bit more and longer afternoon naps. Everyone and every kid is different of course, but we found this to make the most sense instead of being up all day and sleeping all night… if you miss out on Burning Man at night you’re really missing a ton of what it’s all about.
The Kidsville Community
We camped in Kidsville, a dedicated section for burners under 18. It’s like a little mini burn inside the big burn. I was jealous of the kids who are regulars for having this be a staple of childhood. It would be paradise to an impressionable mind.
The village is sectioned off into quadrants based on age. Our little one was in the 0-5 age category and thus we were placed in the “dingo bait” quad. Most places around Black Rock City have incessant noise, and Dingo Bait was no different… although instead of techno beats we were kept up at night by incessant crying cascading from one camp to another.
The interactivity of the camps is what makes Black Rock City unique. “Radical Inclusion” is one of the hallmark principles for the citizens to abide by, and the camps people offer are a key example of this. Some had food on offer, others ice cream, and some were just a fun place to play in a giant pit of balls or stuffed animals. It really is one of the hallmark aspects of Burning Man that sets it apart from anything else.
Art
The art is unlike anything else in this world. People come from all over to erect big structures, play music, and make an otherwise inhospitable atmosphere beautiful. The best part of it all, is that it’s interactive. Nowhere do people just sit and observe. All of the art is (mostly) climbable and has an element that encourages people around to participate and co-create. It’s one of the best ways to get kids to feel a part of the process.
Deep Playa is where the larger-than-life art lives, and is worth the journey out there. But if packing up the kids for a jaunt into the open expanse is ovewhelming, fear not, for there are art cars that are happy to bring you along for the ride, and they themselves are works of art. They come in all shapes and sizes, and can fit a few people or dozens. Some are janky, others ornate… as diverse as the burners who make them.
Final Thoughts
Burning man truly is for everyone. It will push you to your limits and make you question why you came in more ways than you even knew possible.
Despite biblical rains, we experienced a new side of the community that took away the urge to explore the vastness and get down to neighbourhood vibes. Each year is different, and the lessons you learn will spill over into everyday life… if you let it.
So come with an open mind, an appetite for adventure, and a creative personality, and you’ll do just fine. Your kids will gain a whole new perspective, and I’m willing to bet that their grown ups will, too.
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