Bug Tents for Kids

Function

• Bug tents are basically tents with walls made out of mesh that allow light and fresh air in while keeping blood-thirsty insects at bay. They can have either an open floor or a solid, waterproof fabric floor to prevent bugs from entering via the ground. The fabric of some bug tents also contains SPF to protect little ones from the harmful effect of the sun rays. Bug tents allow children to play or sleep outdoors without the threat of being bothered or harmed by insects or arachnids.

Considerations

• When choosing a bug tent for your child, you must consider where you will use the tent, what you will use it for and how many children will need to be in the tent at one time. These considerations will allow you to choose a tent that is large enough, durable enough and has the appropriate features to suit the needs of you and your child.

Types

• There are a number of different types of bug tents available. Some models are stand-alone tents that can be set up whenever and wherever you need them. Other models can be attached to sleeping tents to provide a bug-free haven as needed. Still others can surround a child's sleeping bag to protect him while he sleeps. Others are so large that they can easily accommodate a table and chairs for snacks and meals.

Alternatives

• There are alternatives to tents for keeping bugs away from your children. These options include clothing which covers arms and legs, chemicals and oils such as DEET and citronella and keeping your child away from water or swampy areas where bugs are most plentiful. If you are handy, bug tents can easily be made by stitching mesh panels together, attaching them into a pyramid form via a pole stuck in the ground and tacking each of the fabric corners into the earth.