Camping with a 3 yo and 10 month old - madness?

[Jelloonsprings]

I thought I was fine with not having a summer holiday this year, but am now yearning to get away, basically all we can afford is camping but we have a fearless, energetic, running, climbing, jumping, never stops 3 yo and a crawling, pulling up, everything in mouth 10 month old. It's not going to be a holiday in any sense for me is it? How crazy would we be on a scale of 1 to 10?

We will have a BIG tent, and an electric hookup thingy so can have a fridge, heater etc, which will make things marginally easier, maybe?

I would do it, but maybe aim for a short break as a tester..just a couple of nights..then if it's a disaster you can retain your sense of humour and if it's marvellous you can do it again!

Well, with an active 3 year old and 10 month old, you are going to be pretty exhausted wherever you are, I guess. So you may as well be on a lovely campsite somewhere with a glass of wine in one hand and the prospect of an evening with two exhausted children sleeping really well while you relax....

A short practise trip is a good idea if you can fit one in. But if you can't just decide on the type of site you like - do you want a pool and lots of facilities or will a big field with maybe a rope swing and some woods suit you? And perhaps the option to have a fire and roast marshmallows - which children love?

At this time of year, there will be lots of children hopefully for your 3 year old to play with, whatever type of site you choose, and you can let your 10 month old crawl far and wide (even more so if you choose a site which doesn't allow cars by tents but there are pros and cons to that).

And bear in mind, the first night they may not sleep very well but after that, the fresh air and the running about will wear them out and they should sleep like logs.

Go for it

Oooh, thank you . Am glad of any response which isn't "ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha" - generally what I've had irl!

I am thinking of more of a basic camp where 3 yo can go feral, but with an electric hook up and hot showers & nice and peaceful for Mummy's glass of wine once the kids are rounded up and in bed. , I've found some likely looking prospects so will phone around. MummyPig, you make a good point - I can't have a worse nights sleep camping than we did last night at home

Just returned from camping with my DS (3) and DD (8), leaving my DW home alone. DD ate too much, did too much jiggling and running about, then promptly threw up in the tent - in her sleeping bag, all over her brother, all over the air beds - at midnight :-)

My DW laughed when we got home the next day. But the kids did have a hoot!

P.s this was a 1 night practice camp, ready for the main holiday in a few weeks. Can't imagine what how a 10 month old would be, but my 3 year old loved it (even if I did have to hold his hand while he fell asleep as he was frightened). He slept until 8am, and didn't wake despite me cleaning up the mess on him..... Luckily most of it went in the sleeping bag (take a spare blanket or two!)

Go for it! We've just got back from camping at a music festival with a (just) 5yo and 11m twins. Was fun! We were expecting the daylight would cause really early waking, but apart from the first morning they actually slept longer, it was bliss.
With electricity etc you wouldn't be slumming it anyway. Just place older child in field and let run :)

We are off tomorrow for 3 and a half weeks with 2 dc the same age. I say go for it, but may change my mind when I get back!

We did it with a one, four and six year old (admittedly only for a night at a time) and it was fine. I think the main thing is to have travel cot/buggy to contain 10 month old.

I'm planning just this, but with my parents to lend a helping hand.