tips for camping with several little ones please

[popsycal]

I have finally given in to the tide of testosterone in the house (dh and ds1, 2 and 3!!) and we have finally bought a decent tent and have the rest of the equipment needed lined up to borrow from a variety of friends.

DH is a seasoned camper but very much on his own and roughing it.

What do I need to know/need not to forget? The muck etc doesn't bother me at all - I am more concerned about getting the tent up without divorce!!

take hot water bottles- it will be cold; also take hot chocolate for a pre-bed/breakfast drink. Enjoy!

Take more warm clothes, waterproofs and blankets than you think you'll ever need. Hopefully you won't need them but you never really know what the great British weather will throw at you

Get into your pyjamas early evening and keep warm - there's nothing worse than having to strip off to get your bra off when it's late and cold.

Use longlife milk - less hassle keeping it cool.

Don't forget the marshmallows!

We intend to put the bigger two to bed later but with ds3, who is almost 2, I don't think he will last long past 8:30 and then will be up early

what do people do with early waking kids?

Gag them!

I remember mornings camping when DC were 2+ - it is very difficult to keep a small child quiet in a tent. But 7 years on, we are still camping!

Portable DVD player great for early mornings and wet afternoons

going to bring dvd player

thank you for tips

keep them coming!

loads of layers for the little ones at night.
The tip about putting your PJs on when it starts to get cool, then ordinary clothes over the top until you go to bed, is brilliant.
Wine (sighs of currently-pregnant regret).

Some people find when camping that their DC have so much fun/fresh air leaping around outside all day that when they go to bed, DC quickly fall into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Whilst this is great, do not expect yours to do so, for fear of the most awful disappointment.....

wellies and cagoule suits for the toddlers. if they are dry then life is a lot better ,and they get very wet on campsites even if it's not raining but heavy dew.

a football, a frisby, a water pistol. a few toys like that that they can run around the campsite playing with.

very very easy food to heat up. so it doens't take long. pasta for every meal is fine.

brill thankseveryone

We are going to try two nights first...taking a pre-cooked meal for the first night
Pasta the net night

my main worry is the very early waking anf the volume of my kids
they have driven me potty

oh yes take a potty, good point... very important.

on the early wakening. Locate the tent full of people who are partying very loudly til the small hours. Set your toddlers free near this at 6am in retaliation.

i like that idea

we have just made a one night booking locally to suss out the whole thing

We found that actually 1 night doesn't give you a good perspective of the whole camping thing. DCs are so excited on the first night they stay up incredibly late, then still wake early. But by the seciond night, having woken early and had so much fresh air, they are shattered and fall asleep much earlier.
So if the one night is horrendous, don't lose hope

Children who are dry may revert when camping. A combination of cold and unfamiliar surroundings and reluctance to trog to the lavatory. If you can, take a spare sleeping bag.

just to update - we had a fab time and are heading off again in a few days time

thanks for all the advice