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Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

SN children

SN campsite

36 replies

DameEdnaBeverage · 09/01/2011 16:25

Dh and I dream of one day getting away from rat race and doing more interesting and rewarding work. We love camping and running our own site in the South West would be our ideal. Have obviously thought of focussing on SN families (bathrooms/sensory areas etc)but would many of you do this or is it too much work to go camping with your dc's?

OP posts:

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TheArsenicCupCake · 09/01/2011 16:42

:) we do.. Don't tend to go too far .. But we live in that area so it's easier without the long drives.

waitingforgodot · 09/01/2011 16:52

I dont think i would consider camping with DS as he is an escape artist. Sounds like a good idea though!

linksandsmileys · 09/01/2011 17:02

My DS LOVES camping - the freedom to run around in near to nothing for as long as he wants. He has Asperger's and we stayed at a campsite last year where, coincidentally, a group of carers and teenagers with SEN were staying. They'd travelled from London to near Penzance and apparently the carers had been doing this with groups of kids (with a variety of needs) for 26 years!

I think it's a lovely idea - follow your dream!

Marne · 09/01/2011 17:10

I think its a great idea, i have never camped with the dd's, mainly because dd2 is an escape artist and i don't know if dd1 would be to keen, it would be great if you could offer caravan homes kitted out for sn families as well as camping. We have been on a few cheep holidays (with the Sun) and they often end in disaster as dd2 has not got the restrictions (stair gates, safe areas) that she has at home.
I think it would be great to be around other sn families (no one to judge or stair). Go for it.

NotRocketSurgery · 09/01/2011 17:12

Escape is easy to prevent when they are tiny - either sleep between them and the exit if it is a small enough tent - so they have to climb over you to get out. If it is a big tent, then hopefully you can position the zip on the door so that it is too high for them to reach and open on their own.

whimsy · 09/01/2011 17:14

It sounds lovely, I dream of finding a place with no children's rides, fairgrounds or ice cream vans that scare ds2 so much, it's not worth going on holiday :(

sugarcandyminx · 09/01/2011 17:23

I'd love to go camping with DS, but I've only been once. The main thing that puts me off is that, as a single parent living in a city, I don't drive and it's often impossible to tell if it's possible to reach a campsite by public transport. Youth Hostels tend to be very good at giving information on bus links from trains stations but campsites always assume you'll have a car and only give driving directions.

signandsmile · 09/01/2011 17:49

Am planning to take ds camping this summer,

Gonna try out in nanny's garden first, and as dh can't camp. (his physical disabilities would make this very awkward) am intending to go with another mum and her kids,

Am really nervous, dh thinks I am loopy to try, but I think ds would love it, if he copes with it, IYSWIM...

Don't mean to hijack the thread, but has anyone got recommendations about good campsites in the South West, (Wilts, Somerset, Devon etc)?

intothewest · 09/01/2011 18:07

We go every year - have been in tents when ds was small,but we've now bought a cheap caravan as I HATE camping in tents !!!!! but your idea sounds good.

moosemama · 09/01/2011 18:09

What a fantastic idea. We would be there like a shot!

Oddly, camping is the only type of holiday that ds1 will consider other than our usual regimented visit to a family owned holiday house every summer. I would have thought the lack of structure and unpredictablity what with the weather etc would be a real problem for him, but he loves it.

I think he likes the lack of noise, fresh air, open space. It definitely has a calming effect on him. He also likes the fact that we tend to play more board games as a family and we get to sleep in the campervan.

He does however, only like the sites that have family bathrooms rather than shower cubicles and we've only taken him to the small sites that have a maximum of about 10-12 pitches. Not sure how he'd cope on a big commercial site and we wouldn't like to go to one ourselves anyway.

He actually made a couple of friends on the last camping trip we did. They were loving finding frogs and digging in the mud (it rained the whole time we were there).

DameEdnaBeverage · 09/01/2011 18:22

Thanks for all your comments. Not looking at having a huge site as we don't like these ourselves. Keep your comments coming as they are all very useful.

OP posts:

NotRocketSurgery · 09/01/2011 18:33

signandsmile - we liked Bagwell Farm near weymouth - it is quite small - you can get a pitch with electricity if you want and showers /toilets etc were nice and clean. They also have a laundrette which is handy but always seemed to be busy. There was a little shop with everything you could ever want - but as you can imagine, pricey. In the part we were pitched the ground on was well drained.

Pixel · 09/01/2011 19:07

We often take ds camping and it's doable. We had to swap our tent for one with a sewn-in groundsheet after he learned to roll under the flysheet but he hasn't escaped since then. His 'bedroom' has two long zips which we do up at the top and by the time he has got them both undone far enough to get out either dh or myself have got up. The noise of a zip really carries at night, it is hard to miss!
It's a bit harder to keep an eye on him during the day but it's funny how people in the surrounding tents tend to cotton on and start keeping an eye open too. It must be from us calling his name about 100 times a day.
We've found the New Forest sites (forest holidays) to be quite good as they have nice disabled facilities (and can loan you a radar key if you've forgotten/lost yours if you show them a blue badge).

lisad123isasnuttyasaboxoffrogs · 09/01/2011 19:38

we go loads, we have a folding camper so can lock the door at night. My girls love the freedom it comes with and the fact everything has its same place everytime we go
I would def consider it, especially if you have a few good family shower/bed rooms, maybe a music area, a easy to go on walk trail and to be able to have a fire at night :)

lisad123isasnuttyasaboxoffrogs · 09/01/2011 19:38

Pixel, which site did you book with forest holidays?

donkeyderby · 09/01/2011 19:49

Would be delighted to find an SN campsite. Would need somewhere to go when we all get woken up at 3am and a bit of distance between tents to minimise noise. Disabled loos and hot showers a must too! Hope that doesn't sound too fussy. when can we come?!!

MedusaIsHavingABadHairDay · 09/01/2011 22:18

We camp every year with SpecialkidsintheUK .. we started with 5 families quite a few years ago and last year we had over 50 families camping..most for a week.. and it was, and always is BRILLIANT!

To be with other people who just totally get it...

We have tried various sites, and last year went to Lower Lacon camp site in Shropshire. It was flat and the facilities were excellent with decent disabled bathrooms etc. They also ramped all the access for everywhere (for our group) so it now has pretty good access... and there were plenty of quiet spots:)
The shop was well stocked, there was entertainment and a pool:)

We always have an t hook up and there are a few families with children who are tube fed and some on ventilators..it really can be done!!

donkeyderby · 09/01/2011 23:04

are there any kids with challenging behaviour Medusa, who steal food from other people's tents and hit people...?!!

lisad123isasnuttyasaboxoffrogs · 09/01/2011 23:08

that would be my dog and dd2

glittery · 09/01/2011 23:34

i'll probably do the SKITUK camp this year but i'll be staying in a nearby hotel!

MedusaIsHavingABadHairDay · 10/01/2011 07:15

Donkeyderby..yes yes and yes...

Several of our families have children and teens with ASD and severely challenging behaviour. Some choose to camp pitched slightly further away from the main groups because their children simply cannot be that close to other people. Others just pitch up..:) In general families get to know each other thro the SPKITUK site and most will say what their needs are and whether their children have particular dos and don'ts:)

Fond memories of being woken by someone crawling into my sleeping bag one morning... an escapee from a nearby tent... :)

sarah293 · 10/01/2011 08:11

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sumum · 10/01/2011 10:47

wow what a good idea. we would definately consider this type of holiday if it was within budget and catered for sn dcs.

MrsYamada · 10/01/2011 17:21

Yes please! Can I request good caging fencing around the outside?

donkeyderby · 10/01/2011 17:24

when's the specialkids camping?

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