To go camping with a toddler?

[Fourleaf]

We are leaving tomorrow for 5 days on the east coast with 20 month old DS. Are we mad?
Does anyone have any tips on how to make it bearable even more fun?

We go camping on a regular basis with up to 3 kids, but I have to say DD as a toddler was challenging and not enjoyable - but that was our fault because we packed the wrong tent and there wasn't room for the travel cot..
Kids seem to love camping, there's lots of space to play, people around all the time.
I let DD have a small plastic basket of toys of her own choice, plus a couple of books, then also take a box with all sorts of small toys, paper. pens etc.
Wellies and waterproofs are a must.
I have a great pic of DD aged about 2.5 sitting in her mini camp chair, legs crossed, swigging juice out of a mug, in full waterproofs in the tent looking as relaxed and happy as could be.

We're off camping tomorrow with our LO's (4yr & 19m). It'll be fine - we're taking the Scout Troop too to keep them entertained

Waterproofs, wellies and teddy is all you need

Take warm clothes. We went camping with an 8 week old DS2 and it was perishing. Take warm things as there is nothing worse IMO on a camping trip than lying in bed shivering. I ended up with DS2 in bed with me to keep warm. It was not all that cold in the day so the freezing nights were a shocker!

Camping is brilliant with toddlers. If your toddler still fits in a travel cot I'd heartily recommend it. It will double up as a playpen while you're putting the tent up and a sleep area at night the child can't climb out of. And if it's cold at night, a travel cot is raised off the ground which is warmer. I used to put DS on a sheepskin in a grobag with a couple of extra blankets and he was very cosy. As DrCoconut says it can be cold at night - for you, if you're on an airbed put a fleece blanket on top of the sheet - it'll make a world of difference.

In the day, camping is fabulous for little ones. Loads of freedom and running about. We've been regularly since DS was 8 weeks - he's now 9 years and still loves it.

We went camping with our best friends and their DD when she was just learning to walk - you know that stage where they want you to walk them round at a snails pace everywhere or they crawl away at the speed of light. Now I can't wait to take our DD (5 months) camping I'm just too lazy to deal with the rain at the moment. Apart from mostly good weather, these are things that helped make it work -

-4 to 1 adult to baby ratio
-a good sized tent with space for the 4 of us to sit in and hang out playing cards if it rains in the evening

• Pop up tent if possible - we now have one with 2 sleep pods and a big central room DH can stand up in, plus I can pretty much put it up on my own in less than 10 minutes.

-Family friendly campsite with good facilities - I don't mind a hike to the shower block and minimal heating, but a centrally heated shower block a stones throw from your tent is much better with a toddler. Plus they tend to be a bit more peaceful

• travel cot as others have mentioned, doubled as a cage play pen

Hope you have a great time and some good weather - I'm quite envious now as not been camping since this time last year.

You will love it just took my 22 month old ds who is i must say on the wild side of things haha!!! and i was rally panicking and anxious about but my friend said to just enjoy it...let ds get dirty and run around thats the whole point mke him feel involed with putting up the tent!!!

take a play tool kit so he feels involved that what we did and as my dh was pitching the tent with the real hammer he was helpig and it was so lovely to see! i brought a ready bed to sleep in so tha the was comfy!

just make sure its so padded for your ds as possible!! and through the early evening start layering him up ass it gets colder in the eves and middle of the night its freezing soo make sure you take your duvet an blankets and layers!!!!
just make it fun dont worry about wether it will be stressful just take each minute as it comes! i found it great after i settled down! take him a cup so when you have mugs of tea then he can join in stuff like that. g on wood land or walks and take a ucket and make him collect things so he just enjoys being outdoors!

im a townie so i was really dreading it but i lovedd it in the end just both take turns in doing diferent things with him! dnt think this trip as a negative thing as you wont enjoy it go open minded! make the most of it as they are onlylittle once!

hope you have a fantastic time! enjoy xxxx

Ha ha This has made me giggle a bit, and bring back lots of lovely memories. DS was camping at -9mths, - 6mths. Aged 5 Mths, 8Mths and all the way through til 5. When I had had a bloody nough and demanded (planes).

Travel cots, Car Seats. Wellies, jumpers waterproofs and a few toys. And lots & lots & lots of packets of wipes.

We're off camping tomorrow with 20 month ToddlerScout and 30+ Guides and Senior Section members. He loves his girlies (the Seniors) and being outdoors (and getting wet, so a big plus given the weather forcast) so it will be thoroughly enjoyable for him. It's not his first camp and it won't be his last!

It'll be fine!

Warm clothes - fleece all in one's that can roll up at the ankles (to wear with wellies) are a must.
Hot water bottle.
Co-sleep. You can guarantee that you're little one will stay warm.
Attitude - you HAVE to be able to relax about bathing, sleep-times, feeding times etc. Camping is about thinking on the spot and being spontaneous. If you can't relax, then you're in for a rough ride.

Youngest was 14 months when we first went - it was great fun.

you're little one...... should be YOUR little one.
one too many vino's sorry.

Done tons of camping with our children at every stage of their lives (they are now 18, 16, 14 and nearly 2). Never had any problems, not even 4 weeks in California with a 3yo, 2yo and -3mo in a 2 man tent in the backwoods of California and Colorado in April.

There were some hairy moments he was a damned good walker and insisted on trying to make it to the top; sadly we didn't on that occasion, but did it 4 years later. . Oh and the bears.

You will not meet bears on the East Coast of the UK. Anything else you can cope with.

I'd second whoever said that it's the families with more flexibility built in who tend to enjoy camping more. Camping is all about making do with what you have and improvising if needs be. It's great for getting back in touch with your inner coper. If you enjoy that, everything will be just fine. No other advice. re toys: ime children play with sticks and stones after about a week of moaning with boredom- ie they become resilient and discover their own inner coper, which is the aim.

Balloons. Take up virtually no space un blown, blow em up up and chuck em in a tent bedroom, zip up mesh screen and hey presto instant balloon fun soft play area! Great for packing and unpacking and cooking times.

I also used one of those folding clothes hanger stand things (bit like a coat stand) so I could hang things out of reach of my toddler.

Pop up laundry type basket for chucking toys in or playing in.

Pack of cards for the evenings after the little one's off to sleep.

Hardest was before he walked when he could see the gap between tent and ground sheet where it wasn't sewn in and kept crawling out regardless of the weather. He never though of it once he was walking though.

One of those folding kids chairs that's just a bit tricky for a little one to get off helps to slow them down a bit. Some mini packets of cereal for breakfast/snacks to eat while stuck slowed down by tricky chair.

UPDATE!
Been camping, got the (smelly) T shirt. Seriously, it was great, especially for DS. He loved all the freedom and fresh air, and slept brilliantly!

Just wanted to reassure anyone else thinking of camping with a baby/toddler.
Quite a lot of work (packing/unpacking) but worth it for the total change in environment. Travel cot, rainsuit, familiar teddies, warm woolies, sheepskin all great to have. Toys not necessary IME!
Thanks again for the great tips/encouragement :)

Took our lo his was 26 months and he loved it. One thing they wont go down for an afternoon nap, as they are far too excited. We did take a laptop with us and played some tv episodes of his to keep him happy.

All in all the only part that was hetic was putting up the tent, and then taking it down. He got bored and kept running off. Hopefully this wont happen next time as we are going with others.

Glad you liked it! My 3yo DD LOVES camping, she begs to go all the time. Like you say, a lot of work but totally worth it.

Glad you had fun! They love it :)