How to keep warm in a sleeping bag whilst camping?

[Yeahyeahyeahnooooo]

I'm a very reluctant camper but the dc really want to go. Last time I was too cold to sleep and absolutely miserable - any tips?

Suggest

Thermal sleeping mat (does not need to be expensive)

Proper sleeping bag

Wear some clothes, hat

So you sleep in your garden often so you sleep well in fresh air?

Oodie

Some people have their tents (canvas bell tents, typically) pitched in their gardens all summer and do, yes, sleep outside because they enjoy it.

Between the ages of 7 and 11 I did the same things as a child (parents worried less about axe murderers in those days - Mum left the back door open for me to come in if I wanted)

You seem very surprised that anyone thinks differently to you, @Jamesblonde2

You expressed that well @ArtAngel . I don't have the same love for it that you do but I still do it to give my kids a shot at that sort of thing, and to grow up confident in their own abilities and not too proud to have a go. We can't give them every single opportunity in life but a range of experiences is good, and this is one I could do while they were still young enough to play with sticks, paddle in streams and hang out with New Forest ponies.

I have also chucked kids out in the garden and slept in my nice warm bed, but it's not the same experience for them as seeing their mum actually doing it.

We are doing a week again this year £270 with electric.

We shall take a heater, our table top fridge to keep bacon and drinks cool. Electric hob and a bbq. The children will run around the field and climb trees, maybe some football and Frisbee.

We will go on hours long walks stopping off at a pub restaurant likely. Along the coast and through the forest as luckily both are right there in a lovely dark skies area. We will look at star consolations, play cards and shut the box.

Use some magic fire to have a colourful fire for fun.

We will smell like campfires. Eat too much and have fun.

Then we come home and will be bored again till the next holiday 😅

We froze in a very cold August in Cotswolds! Thankfully found a nearby gastro pub with baked Camembert and other hot food. We also brought the sachets of cappuccino, lattes and cup a soups to have in mugs. Had those hand warmers as well. Showers were bloody awful
and freezing, they were the usual sort of diy ones. Years ago when I went as a kid to campsite in Pett Level (sort of near Hastings) they had a proper concrete shower block with hot showers. Next time I’ll check there’s a proper shower block.

The showers on this site are in a converted barn as it’s a working farm they are hot though couldn’t be doing without a proper shower.

First time we ever camped pre children we forgot pillows and a frying pan and we froze I slept in my coat 😅 lessons were learnt the hard way. Also found a frog in the tent in the dark that scared the living Jesus out of me.

I think our worst camp ironically was during a heat wave. It was too hot to be in the tent gone 8am, we hadn’t taken the fridge so nothing was staying cold. The onsite freezers for ice packs where overloaded and constantly being opened so the ice packs where not freezing. All the local super markets were selling out of anything cold as well. Had to spend the days in the forest till late evening for the shade, pubs and beaches were rammed.

Though the campsite did let us put up a little mini paddling pool. Definitely made memories.

@Tableforjoan Love that campfire smell. We are moving away from camping now and getting rid of our camping gear. It's surprising howmuch stuff you accumulate for camping. In Scouting/Guiding/Brownies/Cubs days we always used to say you take as much for a weekend as you do for a week!! DS has our tent now - will see if he wants anymore equipment before we bootsell/vinted/ebay etc.

Going off topic a bit, but can anyone recommend an electric hotplate that can be used with a Jackery 500? I don't like the thought of gas.

Use a foam mat underneath an airbed.
Use a high rated sleeping bag - 3 seasons minimum - take more than one or blankets/ duvet .
Do not camp when it’s cold out!
Keep your sleeping space small - split bedrooms or smaller tent.
Stay fully dressed and take a hat - try not to have to get up in the night for the loo.
Have fun!

Socks, winter pjs, hat, hoodie. Also I wear lots of layers and wrap up warm before in the evening before bed. If I get cold sitting around I struggle to get warm again so need to be warm getting into bed

Someone on the MN Camping Board will know - start a thread there?
Camping & Caravan Holidays Forum | Mumsnet

hat, cashmere bedsocks, long thermal pyjamas, fingerless gloves and a hot water bottle. And a blanket on top of the sleeping bag for good measure!

Thanks!