Hoaz
Sun 03-Mar-13 20:02:43
It's not til May, so hopefully will be a little warmer.
His plan is to have BBQ for tea, games in the garden, sleep in the tent and possibly go out for breakfast.
The garden is surrounded by other gardens, but it does have a side gate to allow access from the street.
We'd leave the back door open so they can come in if they want and DH would sleep in the dining room, so as to be nearby. What do you think?
The boys will be 10
Yup I let dd age 10( in few weeks )She sensible etc plays out goes to park with friends she would love it
valiumredhead
Mon 04-Mar-13 09:11:38
Yes of course, we have done this many times as has ds's mates and started a lot younger than ten!
If someone were trying to burgle a house, I'm not sure they'd go for the one with a back garden full of ten year olds. Even if the burglar did manage to navigate the forest of guy ropes, surely the smell of the inevitable pile of stinky trainers would render them unconscious?
Yes for sure....sounds like fun 
No, I wouldn't. I realise I'm probably being a bit precious, but, each to their own.
I would in an instant! I had planned to let ds2 sleep over in our tent with his friends last summer but
1/ The tent fell down on the one night our own boys stayed in it and I didn't consider that we were competent tent-putter-uppers enough for visitors.
2/ The summer didn't actually happen. It was just winter but in July and August.
However ds2 did manage to sleep over in his friend's back garden in a tent before that and the boys had a ball.
I think the story bisjo links to is different, really. Those boys weren't camping in the back garden, they were camping in a field and couldn't get into the house.
OP would be leaving the back door open and would be withing shouting distance and I presume won't be allowing fires/matches.
Startail
Mon 04-Mar-13 16:59:17
Yes.
My DDs have camped in the garden and slept in the play house, variously on their own and with friends DD2 from 9,10, DD1 a bit older.
Big rural garden, but immediate neighbors would know they were there.
They have PX radios, my soft DH made hot chocolate at midnight last time.
Personally I wanted to ring their necks for setting off the walkie talkie just as I was going to sleep (DD1, is perfectly capable of hot chocolate making.)
thefirstmrsrochester
Mon 04-Mar-13 17:00:24
I would, I do, and I have done!
The one and only time I ever camped out to supervise (dd's 10th birthday actually) I snoozed away whilst the happy campers played on the trampoline, swapped tents, came onto the house to watch movies at 2am and came back to the tents with toast.
Got an ex display tent from go outdoors last spring which was up for 3 weeks last summer for countless sleep overs.
First sign of summer and I am itching to put the tent up.
Yes, definitely! They'll have a wonderful time. Loved doing this sort of thing as a child.
I'd let mine go and, when they were that age did let them camp out at friend's houses. By 10 they'd already done Beaver camps which involved cooking outdoors with minimal supervision anyway and they already knew to be careful with fire. We had a camping party for ds1's 11th birthday and went really well apart from some firm words being needed at midnight when the noise levels started to rise!
I honestly think if you are over-protective of your children you actually expose them to greater risks.
KitCat26
Mon 04-Mar-13 17:14:02
Sounds great! At 10 I definitely would let mine.
The only worry would be if it was warm enough, May can be pretty chilly. If they've all got proper camping sleeping bags that would be fine.
Lock the gate, warn the neighbours and make sure they are quiet (ish) after 11pm. I would not expect an adult to stay out with them. Have fun! 
