Camping in the garden of grandparents with a 2 year old, a 3 year old and a baby - I say fun DH says not.

[Foreverexhausted]

Just toying with ideas atm for fun, inexpensive things to do over the summer with my little ones.

Grandparents have a small but big enough garden for us to camp in and I think our children would love it! DH is saying no way!

We have camped before but never with children and never in grandparents garden :)

My children are so young I can imagine them finding this really exciting and loving sleeping in a tent, having BBQ's, sitting in the garden and playing games long after it's dark, but we will have a toilet/bath/kitchen with snacks etc on hand and will probably only do it for two nights!

AIBU for thinking this could be fun?

Anyone else done this? Did it work or not?

Real camping is good fun, but I'm not convinced you'd get the same vibe in a garden. What would you do all day without a site or local area to explore? I just don't think you'd get the real experience.

We camped from the dc being babies and generally had a great time.

No but why don't you and the 3 year old sleep out in the tent while DH and the babies sleep in the house/ at home?

Fun for the 3 year old, not so much with the littles. I'd see if it could be a special experience for the eldest with the younger two inside.

My parents took us round Europe camping (a lot of wild camping as quite some time ago and before campsites were as numerous). for weeks on end many summers. My first trip was when I was 4, with older siblings. Early memories were of absolutely loving it but can imagine it was very full on for my parents.
Such good advice here - it sounds fun done in small steps to see how it goes. Magical to sleep hearing animals the wind the trees the birds first thing etc. That’s if the baby has a quiet night

I’m so surprised by how many people wouldn’t camp with a baby! Why?

We’ve camped with ours both whilst on hiking trips and at festivals.

@Anon10 happy to camp with a baby if it's part of a camping holiday, but less fun (and less point) with three aged 3 and under when you're right next door to the house anyway. We've done it before and had loads of fun, but I wouldn't do it just yet in OPs circumstances

I would think it would probably end up more stressful than fun BUT it if your kids are in the right kind of mood and dont get too cold etc then it may be fun! And atleast you presumably have the option of leaving the tent outside and using the grandparents house/going back home if you need to? So it wouldn't be so bad if it didnt end up as fun as you first imagined! And atleast you can chalk it up to experience! Let us know how it goes if you do decide to do it!

I say madwoman! But if it’s your thing, go for it!

I don't think camping with toddlers sounds fun, no. No fire, no hot drinks, no siting down while they are at the playground, no easy way of entertaining them in the rain, no help with carrying anything or putting up the tent. It's all the grim bits without any of the good bits.

I have been taking my two proper camping since they were 3 and 1 on my own as a single parent. They absolutely love it!

Go for it

We camped with all our 3 from when oldest was 5 months old. They love it! Me, not so much, but only because of rain, wind and lack of mod cons. In a garden, no problem, though ideally the house would be somewhere in the south of France Kids don't have our hangups about such things though.

barbie it seems the opposite to me. All the best bits with none of the worst bits. The fun of sleeping in a tent but with a loo and a kettle and kitchen close by. Why can’t you have hot drinks.?

We did it when the dcs were 6&8 in our garden. Piled all of our bedding in the tent. Great fun!

But no way with a baby and little ones. Why when there’s a perfectly good bed indoors.

Jesus not with a baby. Too young.

I think it sounds great fun with the added advantage you can always bale out and sleep inside if the weather turns or somebody can't sleep. Obviously people who don't like camping full stop wouldn't like the idea but lots of people camp with babies and toddlers so why not give it a try?

Stuckforthefourthtime, yes I suppose camping is fun when you are actually away camping so there’s purpose to it. Maybe that’s a good point that it might not be so much fun when you are so close to creature comforts! We’ve taken ours camping abroad and uk and it was great but might be less enjoyable if you know a warm bed is so close by!

I honestly could not think of anything worse.

Plus I am a big worrier, my back garden is scary at night, I would be thinking constantly of a pervert climbing the fence to get at my children.

I have zero sense of adventure though, so probably best to ignore me.

Sorry not read all replies (not because I'm a cf but to rtft takes too long.) It's a great idea, it's such an adventure but tailored to meet lo needs. If you hate it you can go indoors.

I like camping with my three - babies, toddlers, I’ve done it all. But I do need a purpose - holidays or fesivals are fine but I just can’t see the point in my own garden when I have a warm bed inside. But if you can find your motivation then I’d do it with the older 2.

Stayed in a yurt with a nearly 2 year old last summer. Camping/glancing us a great idea with kids as long as you like waking up at 4am 👍

Took DC1 to a festival at 6 months and 18 months. Skipped it last year but going again this year when DS will be 3 and DD 18 months.

In some ways festival might be easier than back garden though because they can be wheeled around sleeping in the early evening and transferred to bed once it's dark.

It's been said already, but if you're so convinced it will be great and they'll love it.. go ahead but spare your poor DH the pressure to join in.

My idea of hell but I don’t call. I do beds inside :)

The baby is prob the easiest if sleeping through as will be in a travel cot and no diff to them

Toddlers and tents don’t mix. Won’t sleep at their bedtime. Up early due to light and birds and trying to entertain and wanting breakfast at crack of dawn

But try it. You can always escape into the house

I really can’t see what the problem is with camping in the garden with your children, so it if you want.