Madness to consider camping with 3DCs incl. a 4m old?

[LadyBubbaAndBump]

Am I mad? Sis is trying to plan the summer and I'v said yes, rather glibly, but now wondering if I'm mad or not!

And also, our tent (vango 400) has two 'compartments', currently the 2 DCs have a kind of mini-tent/travel cot each which fills their side, and we have a double blow-up which fills our side - any comfortable way to squish all five of us in when needed?!

Depends. If the 4mo is a good sleeper, or at least easily settled, and you feel physically up to it, then I don't see any problem. Have the baby in with you at night, and use one of the travelcots for daytime naps.

Or you could have two dc in one pod, you and baby in the other pod, and OH in the 'living room' section.

You can always plan to do it, and decide at the last moment whether to go through with it. If you don't feel up to it, your OH can go with the older two dc, and you can stay at home with the baby. I did exactly this when dc3 was 9m. Peaceful bliss. (Until we both came down with a fluey bug, so we went to stay with my parents.)

Thanks SittingBull :o :o

3rd option is looking sensible PrettyCandles

Am sure Peachy did this with 4dcs and survived! But she does tend to go for fabulous tents!

Well my DH is like another DC so I wouldn't be much different to Peachey!! , but then my Vango's not huuuuuuuuge.

I don't think you are mad but I think an upgrade to a bigger tent would make things a lot easier if you could afford it. If you intend to continue camping in the next few years then you are probably going to need a new tent anyway. No need to get a brand new one either, we got a second hand tent, less than half price, that had only been used a couple of times and was in perfect condition. Maybe look at the reviews of tents on ukcampsite or ask here about what would be good for a family of five.

For beds, could you put the littlest into one of the travel cots and upgrade oldest to a blow up bed. We have a Kampa junior blow-up which has high sides to stop DD rolling out and she sleeps great in it. (she is 2.2)

Have fun if you decide to go for it!

Doesn't sound mad to me, not that I have 3 dcs.

But what's the worst that happens? It's rainy, or you want to head home after a few days - so off you pop! :)

children love camping. It's being outside all the time.

we have a vango 600 for the 5 of us and its perfect,a double blow up at either side and travel cot in the middle,still room for getting dressed at our side,
if a new tent isn't possible,could you have a little pop up travel cot for 4mo,and the older 2 on a blow up bed (thinking top and tailing on one of those kampa junior ones??)even just for a few trips to see if you need a new tent for the following yr?

our youngest was 18m last yr,he was in the travel cot,this yr i plan to have him in the double airbed with the older 2,so will have more spacein the car and in the tent without travel cot!

Think I might try the pop up beds for the older two (who'll be 2.5 and 4 by the summer) and our travel tent thingy for baby - if it's nice. You're right spidookly, what's the worst that can happen?! Bit tired and grizzly from us all, but nothing more than we can cope with.

Only got the tent last summer (in fact the first camping trip we took it on was the very same day I found out I was pg with #3!! :o)

If you line the floor of the children's pod with camper mats on top of a thick blanket, quilt, or opened-flat sleeping bag then you don't need to worry about camp-beds and the children take up less space. (Less bulk to carry, and they can't fall off, either) The younger can sleep in their grobag, with extra layers of clothing underneath, and the elder in a regular sleeping bag. That will leave room for the baby in a travelcot, if you want to put him or her in with the older children.

Though TBH I feel that a tiny baby's place in a tent at night is with a parent. They could get cold, for one thing, and so could you when you get up to go to them!

not mad a all .... don't wast money on beds for the kids ..... put the baby in a baby sleeping bag and let all the kids sleep on top of a double duvet or opened up sleeping bag. when they are all in their sleeping bags on top they will be warm and comfortable. we have done it for years with 3 DC

Thank you MankyPissFlaps

I love your name btw :o

We always camped with babies and toddlers, 3 of them, loads of people do, it's not mad at all. Campsites are full of families with lots of children.

We have a vango 400 for 5 of us and find it spacious, but we don't have a lot of "tent furniture". and often some of us sleep in the middle section. No need for squishing. there's no rule you have to sleep where the "pod" is.

We have no tent 'furniture' beyond the blow up mattress and travel tent thingies. It's a massive tent! I love it! Just wondering about the logistics...

Thanks fennel