how many toys do you take with you?

[biscuitmad]

My lo is nearly 3. I got him a little plastic briefcase from tescos with stickers, colouring pens, crayons, stickers, and a colouring book. Not sure what else to take for a long weekend.

What toys would you take for a 3 year old?

[Cathycat]

DS is just 4 and will take a ball, a few cars, a scooter, an activity book, a pencil case and some Mr Men books.

[DownyEmerald]

For dd at that age I took;
a doll and a soft toy, so she had got something to talk to and put in and out of her car seat/sleeping bag/any other special camping feature that took her fancy a million times,
a toy phone so she could talk to her childminder and any other friends/family she might miss (sounds mad, but seemed to work),
a knitted pumpkin my mum made (!) that we all sit around throwing at each other when it rains!
And quite a few books, paper, pencils, and sticker books are good. But it is only now (age5) that she has started drawing, I usually brought the paper and pens home unused. This holiday of course could have done with three times the amount!

And definately any outsidy stuff - balls, kites. One of my fave photos is of dd and dp playing football while dp tries to hang on to his breakfast cup of coffee.

But I can imagine that my dd is nothing like your ds! I did always try to keep it minimal though.

[lovecat]

If he's anything like my nearly 3yo nephew, something to cuddle at night, a ball or frisbee and a scooter if you have room. If it's not horrifically windy, those Illoom balloons are good to chase about once the sun starts going down.

[mell242]

We take:
Bubbles
Balloons
Colouring books/pens
Books
Scuttlebug scooter
Quoits

and probably the best thing is his pop up spiderman tent. He sits and plays in that while we put up the tent!

[Shoutymomma]

Rope for skipping, playing ponies or restraining.

[Chopstheduck]

lol, I love that shoutymama, all bases covered!

[NettleTea]

just a note about bubbles (sorry to be a wet blanket here) but they do terrible damage to canvas tents, and with the rise of the bell you might be very unpopular indeed if you let them go anywhere near their tent!

My DS takes his toy giraffe, some diggers, ball and toy phone. Most of the time he plays with old sticks!

[mell242]

Ok...bubbles for playing fields ;-) Have to say we've never been anywhere with Bell tents!!! they were the biggest hit with all the kids at our latest trip to Town Farm at the weekend. Are we going to start seeing signs banning bubbles now??!

[lemonbonbons]

I give my dd (5) a little box/suitcase looking type thing (very small to fit in the car - about the size of a big lunchbox) and tell her she can take whatever she wants - but it must go in the box.
She ends up taking loads of rubbish i would never of chosen- but it seems to keep her amused, packing it , and looking in it when we are away.

I wouldn t take too much- they prob won t look at it- and just run about the field instead collecting acorns and pebbles and such things !

[happyhorse]

For 3yo DS we take a ball, crayons and paper, Cbeebies magazine, some duplo cars/people/animals, teddy,and some books for bedtime stories.

[winefairy]

Oh, Nettle....the bubbles! My beautiful bell tent has completely changed the way I see bubbles now. Sadly, not everyone is aware of the damage they can do including many bell tent owners. Witnessed a lovely couple start to let their DD's blow huge bubbles in and around their lovely new Soulpad until a rush of fellow campers enlightened them.

Must admit I didn't know until we got our bell either though.

Whatever toys we take for DD tends to get ignored in favour of bug collecting/rummaging in mud/collecting stones. Colouring in and story books are good for quiet times though.

[CaptainNancy]

We always take a box of duplo- fits on the floor beneath children's feet, is played with at home every day.
Books
1 special cuddly only
Pencils and lots of paper, or a sticker book too
Usborne doodle puzzle cards (write on, wipe off)

[oranges123]

I'm sure I read somewhere that bubbles weren't great for nylon tents either, although not as disastrous as for canvas. Basically a campsite no no. Forget where I read it though...

[gapants]

bike/scooter
little box of playmobile
story books
crayons and paper
kite
snugglies for bedtime
tools- for "jobs"

[winefairy]

No, oranges, you're right. I read that too. Uk Campsite, or whatever it's called, I believe.

[biscuitmad]

Thanks for the replies. I had no idea bubbles could damage a tent.