possible virgin camper just need to pluck up the courage to actually do it!

[youbethemummylion]

I would really like my family to get into camping. There is me, OH, DS1 and DS2 kids are 5 and 2.

Ideally I would need a tent that was big enough so we would have 3 seperate sleeping areas and a big living area. However it would need to be quick and simple to put up as me and OH never camped before and whilst DS1 can be left in car with DS while we are putting tent up DS2 will probable need entertaining/running after when he makes a break for it. So will possible end up being a 1 man job.

Does anyone have any ideas about a suitable tent? Also what else would we need? Ive made a list maybe you can add to it or let me know what I have on the list that I won't need.

Sleeping Bags
Camp Beds/Air Beds
Camping stove/BBQ
Folding Chairs
Table
Something to keep food in(don't know what?)
Some sort of heating and Lighting
an electrical cable thingy

Any help gratefully received!

I take a duvets camping these days. It's just comfier than sleeping bags We have airbeds instead of campbeds - they're more stable and you can inflate them to suit you. Self-inflating mats are ok if you need to save space in the car.

Take a stove so you can make tea in the morning in addition to a bbq, not instead.

Hot water bottles & blankets are usually sufficient heating, we don't use anything else.

We keep food in a big plastic box with a lid to keep out the earwigs. All opened food goes in an airtight container inside the big plastic box. Also, a coolbox.

Lighting - headtorches & fairylights

Can't help with a tent with 3 sleeping compartments - we have taken 3 boys (6,5,4) plus me and DP in a 6 man tent with 1 bedroom at either end.

Can you find out if there is a tent display/camping shop near you? it may be a good idea to go and look and speak to the staff about what would suit.

Decathlon is also worth a look. they have some fab pop up tents that would be easy to manage for one. they are simple to put up and pack away, with practice, and the instructions on the bag are excellent.

Why do you need 3 bedrooms? Our dc are 5 and 8 and share a room with us in the tent. I found it easier to manage when they were younger, ds was 4 months when we first took him, andit has suited us to stay with same set up.

Your list sounds fine, you will soon discover that it is never ending anyway! dont forget pillows and some games/ toys for kids to play inside the tent for rainy days and early mornings.

Our tent is the Urban Escape Kurai 6. Plenty of living space 3 separate pods to sleep in. You can get a carpet to fit inside too. The outside part goes up first, this part is 2 person, but everything else only takes 1 person.

We have a double, and two single, airbeds camping mats to go underneath, then blankets, sheets and sleeping bags. Extra blankets on top for colder nights.

Table and stools, comfy seats for relaxing are a must. Plastic stacking boxes from b&q for food. We have a smaller table too, for preparing food and a stove with cabinet underneath for cooking and utensils.

We also have a kick arse windbreak for a bit of privacy, it's even taller than me

Oh and wellies and a plastic crate to kick them into - whatever the weather!

A friend of mine has one of these pop up family tents and she is happy with it. www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0046GA3CE/ref=asc_df_B0046GA3CE7750101?smid=A31JII93FKQ3I4&tag=hydra0b-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22218&creativeASIN=B0046GA3CE&hvpos=1o1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9623776371180170247&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=

Thanks for the tips. I think I will have to go and look around a camping shop and add up what all the little bits and bobs is going to cost on top of the price of the tent. Would a second hand tent be a good idea or more trouble than it's worth?

I would definitely look on e bay for a tent. Mine was used and is ace. Could be an idea to re waterproof it though. I have a sun camp one that sounds similar to the one you want. My Ds 13 and I managed to put the outside up in about 15 mins and the insides are a one person job. We've collected bits year on year after having spied on other tent dwellers. I would recommend duvets as much easier to get out of for early morning toilet trips.

A carbon monoxide alarm.

Pillows of some sort (we take camping pillows) kids might not care.

Something to heat water in - we have a camping kettle, but a small saucepan woud do.

Food storage is a tricky one depending on your plans. We usually plann breakfast a the campsite, packed or takeaway sandwiches for lunch and dinner out. I use a cool box and multiple ice packs. Most reputable campsites will have some facility for freezing ice packs on site and the NT ones usually have a small shop with basics.

If you are planning on cooking on site, some things work much better than others. I know a few, but as I often eat out, others may be more able to advise you.

Make sure you take washing up liquid, a cloth, teatowels etc. A big water container can be invaluable, particularly on less well-equipped sites or where you are are distance from the water supply, as can some kind of bucket for washing up in / taking stuff to the washing up area. Some folks use paper plates but you'll still have some washing up.

Never really done the heating thing as we have warm sleeping bags and are fair weather campers, but torches etc for nighttime toilet trips are a must (also some kind of shoes / wellies that are easy to slip on).

Would recommend for comfort a fleecy blanket or two to line the sleeping areas & a tarp can be handy for other areas if wet.

If in the UK we always take midge coils for the evening & I also take a spray for the tent particularly if near water (having said that, the buggers hate me so this is mainly for DP).

Not sure what an electric cable thingy is?

Viva, can you explain please?

Oh yeah and year one camping is not necessarily cheap, although it depends if you're willing to buy cheap or looking to invest in things you'll re-use. Fore, I was able to borrow until I decided I liked it (ish if a 4 star hotel isn't on offer)" so I then bought some nice kit like a down sleeping bags.

Do you have any friends you could borrow some of the basics from?

Grockle, there have been a number of camping deaths recently and another today. Campers killed by fumes from their BBQ or stoves.

I've just seen a thread about it Beaver

Awful

It would be useful if campsites or stoves displayed warnings about it.