Camping with 2yr old - tips gratefully received!

[Swaledale]

Hi,

Me and my OH are taking our son (2yrs) on his first camping holiday in August, for a week in Norfolk. Although me and my OH love camping and have been camping for years we are a little apprehensive about taking a little person with us.

It's mainly the sleeping arrangements that are bothering us and whether DS will settle/stay in bed/get out of the tent and go walk about.

Also what is best to sleep him in, airbed and duvet or a sleeping bag?

Any tips are gratefully received.

Thanks in advance xx

My DS1, then aged 2, went walkabout from our tent at sun-up. We realised he'd gone (from right next to DH) at 5.30 and it took until 6 am to find him, safe thank God.

After that experience, my advice (and we did continue camping) is to either tie up the zips on the outside of his bedroom once he's in and asleep, or booby trap it with a loud cat bell or similar that would wake you if he decided to "just go for a walk" as we were told.

We had our ds on an airbed in the same room as us, it was 2 rooms with a removable partition. We put the zips to the highest point so he couldn't get out. I was shocked how easily he settled and didn't wake at all, must have been all the fresh air! We also took a quilt and some extra blankets, I was so paranoid about him getting cold I filled every spare inch of car space with blankets.

We also took books and some little cars so he could play in the tent when he woke the next morning. Remember wellies and a warm fleece for the mornings too, saves the pj's getting soaked from wet morning grass.

I was so worried about it before we went but it was great!

Homebird8 how scary!

Memphisbelly it was. I'll never forget running around that campsite with a 6 month baby in my arms looking for him. We thought that me sharing with the baby as I was BFing and DH being with DS1 would be fine. Turns out the tied up zips were safer. Our tent made the zips meet at the bottom. Would have been easier in yours I think.

Like you, we've never had any problems getting them to sleep in a tent though. Long after they were dry at night they wore 'camping pants' no not a nappy darling when we were in a tent. Made it easier if anyone had an accident!

We have used a Little Life type pop up cot (inside a camper van - in the cab actually) but I think those have no zips on the inside. I think they are good till 3, and it would give an extra layer for warmth too.

We used a travel cot for a while after the DCs were out of a cot at home. It was useful because I could also drape a sheet over it in the daytime for a bit of respite from the sun while they were playing/napping.

Take a 'lead', they are so useful particularly for absconders.
Definitely lock em in with you!
Wipes wipes wipes wipes.

I took separate packs of toys and books do I could rotate them for novelty. Not big packs just a variety.
Bubbles.
Some kind of art n craft thing at their level is great while camping, certain mess can be easier to handle and art outdoors is just lovely
Have a brilliant time!

Buggy set up and ready to go - complete with winter cosy toes. The most stressful thing for us is unsettled baby/toddler and fears of disturbing others. It helps being able to quickly stick a warm hat on them, shove them in cosy buggy and get far away from camp as quickly as possible in the small hours (have torch, snacks etc ready to go too). Ime they settle much more quickly this way and transferred back to bed when sleeping/sleepy.

Mine have always needed a sleeping bag or something else that they are 'in', that can be zipped back if they get hot. Or if the weather is good, even a cot duvet cover as a sleeping bag liner under a blanket or light duvet.

It's great fun camping with little ones -different but still brilliant. I am pleased to be able to talk to my kids about tent holidays when they were babies/toddlers. Re entertainment - it's all about you! Get creative with sticks, stones, leaves etc (we acted out The Hungry Caterpillar over and over and over). Also, when our first dc was 2 we started keeping a journal of trips and adventures - knowing they wouldn't remember but wanting to reap kudos for the effort later.

Don't go to Tobermory when it's been raining - think steep-sided, slippery-banked brook in full spate. we dropped the tent peg bag & watched the wing whip it across the campsite, into the brook & then saw it carried 50 yards downstream in millseconds.

It was a sobering moment as we eyed 18mo dd2, I can tell you! The sound of the brook chuckling away fascinated her, too - she spent the entire weekend trying to get to it.

In the end we rigged up a line of enamel mugs etc to jangle if she attempted to get out of the tent. & then I slept across the entrance, because I was still convinced she'd escape otherwise. It wasn't a restful weekend.

Mine are crap at sleeping when we camp, & I've found that when they do eventually crash out, sleeping bags end up twisted around hips on anyone under 8, & then you can't easily disentangle them when they've fallen asleep like that & it's turned colder. If you've a vehicle & space, my solution is a few extra (cheap) sleeping bags that can be opened out & tucked over anyone who looks in need of it...

Homebird8 - this is entirely what I was dreading as DS is a little adventurer.

Thanks everyone for the tips. I think I'll stick to ready bed and blankets for now, and I'll put something by the door to stop him getting out.

I'm looking forward to it a bit more, me and my OH love camping, it'd be great if we could go more as a family. I'm thinking a trial run in the garden or the bed and sleeping bag at least so we know what to expect...

Ds1 was 18mo when we first camped with him (at a muddy festival!) We left him in the car while we pitched the tent...with a snack.... but probs would give him the ipad to watch now too... then he helped me get the
We took his travel cot till he was about 2.5 I think.... but got a samsonite bubble thingy for ds2 but he's not been camping yet as only 9mo and I've not been arsed!!!
I found sticker activity books or similar useful as need some quiet activities for early waking - children playing noisily not appreciated before 8 ay the earliest imo.
Loads of snacks handy and don't worry about "bedtime" they'll enjoy the campfire etc late on and, ime, sleep a little later than sunrise if they're up late!
Enjoy - I love camping with ds1 and can't wait to get going with ds2, just spotting the animals and stuff is entertaining at that age.

Our pods zip up at the top so there is no way of the boys escaping at night!

we used a travel cot. (except the time we forgot it and she slept in with us)
it is easiest to wash them if you just take them in the shower with you. Or - not to bother, depending on how long you are going away for.
you do really need a little table and chair as trying to feed a 2 year old on a picnic rug is just going to get messy.
bring a million bananas.

I am pleased to report our camping trip was a success, DS was a star, no little disappearing acts or screaming the place down. We were relaxed about bedtime and put him down when he was ready to drop and he stayed asleep all night!

Thanks for your tips xx