What do you actually DO with small children when you go camping?

[AvengerDanvers95]

I am going camping with the DC (5&2) just for a night. Its in an area of outstanding natural beauty and the weather is to be good. No other adults. People on here rave about going camping. What do you actually do? What do you eat? What do you bring? (more like glamping. The tent is pre pitched.)

It's a bit like the magazine adverts you see where the kids are climbing out of an old VW camper. They seem happy just shaking a stick?

eyes DC who need to be plugged into full WIFI 24/7

Go for a walk?
Play ball or frisbee
There might be some other kids for he older one to play with

Mind you, I like the idea of one night camping. Enough to get the flavour, before the novelty wears off.

Things like cooking, washing up etc take quite a while.

Card games, colouring on a little fold up table? Trip to the shop for food?

Eat easy things like pasta or beans on toast or go to a pub or get fish and chips
Take games-football etc.
Tablets if they like them so they can chill for a bit while you read a book or something
Wine

Mine enjoy it because they go a bit feral. They play explorers, play with sticks, balls. Help with the cooking, washing up etc.

We often do one-night camping. Our campsite has a big play area though with climbing frames and slides. We take scooters, badminton racquets, frisbee etc. In the evening, we play card games, such as Uno or Exploding Kittens.

We usually BBQ, so burgers, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and marshmallows.

I am not really a camping person and generally only like to like to go to places with a swimming pool but DD is desperate to go, thanks to fucking Topsy and Tim.

There's a nearby Lidl for dinner bits. That will probably be the highlight for them!

Camping with young DC is generally only fun once they are old enough to wander off by themselves, IME! For one night they will hopefully be easy enough though. Outdoor games is a good suggestion and let them bring some of their other toys from home. Go for a walk (do you have some kind of carrier for the younger one?). Pasta is the easiest meal to make. My kids love toasting marshmallows but might not be a good idea with a 2 year old.

Mine used to play in woods/park, go for walk , take bikes/scooters, football. Food pasta or bbq

My daughter and friends drink gin while the kids amuse themselves ( go feral 😂)
Home edded...they no the score

Yes mine love the feral aspect but are older. I don’t think i’d enjoy it with a 2 year old but if weather’s good and it’s only 1 night you’ll prob be fine! Hope you have fun

Well it helps if there's a playground or something, but otherwise they just play together (I have three under 6). The other kids/families also bring stuff to play with - balls, bikes etc. I send mine off into the woods or whatever for sticks, and they build stuff, just play really.

Didn't Topsey end up in hospital? They aren't expecting that are they

Do they like Katie Morag? She had lots of outdoor adventures to recreate.

Mine like any play that involves mud or pooh sticks

Top tip for young ones, buy some glow sticks that bend and join up to form a necklace or bracelets then make your kids wear them as it starts to get dark. You can very easily spot your kids in the gloom then.

Garden type games, balls, bubbles, bikes, just general running about.

We tend to eat out at dinner time, just cereal for breakfast and sandwiches at lunch. Maybe the odd BBQ

Play outdoor games - frisbee, football, catch

Explore the environment - go for a wall, collect pinecones/leaves/feathers, play "I Spy", build a den, roll down hills and play pooh sticks in a river.

Food - we always have BBQ for dinner, disposables or a small camping one. We buy meat in advance, freeze and pack in a cool bag. Should keep cool enough for a few days.

Simple things like collecting water from the tap.

I just wanted to add, we leave the tablets at home when we go camping. It’s different if you’re there a while, but it’s just one night and it’s a good chance for everyone to have a break from tech.