Camping with toddlers tips please

[Callofthewild]

This summer we will be taking our DTD's for a weeks holiday camping in the UK, they will be 22 months at the time. I just wondered if anyone had any useful tips especially around sleeping / bedding. I don't think we will be able to fit two travel cots in the car with everything else so not too sure what to put them in to sleep that will contain them... One in particular is very nimble and quick. Thanks

Zip the zips to the top so they can't reach and unzip themselves out.

I suppose it would be very unethical to take one of those dog lead spikes and attach the twins to it with reins while you put the tent up / cook etc?

I once returned to our completely zipped up tent and found a 2 year old sitting happily in our tent emptying my cooking and catering crate. She had crept in under the front flap. Took me ages to find her family - she was with her Dad and some other Dads and kids, on a Dad's weekend.....

Love that story Blu sorry OP no advice as we've not attempted it yet, but we're camping in end of May with LO so will let you know!

I would/did use a readybed at around that age. Or maybe self inflating mats with sleeping bags and blankets.
We've taken our baby and toddler camping and basically divide and conquer by taking one each into each "bedroom". Not very romantic but means we can quieten them down quickly so they don't wake the whole campsite each other too much.
Keep them up a bit later and hopefully the fresh air means they will sleep well.
Take the one travel cot to use as a playpen or threat if they are mucking around at sleep time.
We've also kept them strapped in the pushchair whilst putting up the tent when the setting made it hard to supervise them.

Anything like knives/matches, string up high (plastic bags are useful for this).

Take things they are used to- ours had a special cushion/toy.

Quick brekkies- little cereal boxes/brioches. Always have an emergency meal.

I've never bothered with travel cots, as they are on the floor anyway, sometimes they've ended up sleeping somewhere else but I can then move them. You could always tie a glowstick somewhere, or use solar powered light spikes- mine love taking these to bed with them.

If you have EHU, a dvd player helps birdwatching can come in a year or two

From experience of camping with two toddlers very recently....

*Lots of bedding and warm things to sleep in
*All in one waterproofs and wellies for the mornings or rainy days
*Lots and lots of easy food and snacks
*Definitely strap them down when you're putting the tent up!
*ipads are a lifesaver when they wake up at an ungodly hour of the morning
*Relax the rules
*Take gin in a tin.

We bought a Ready Bed - and put ds in 2 pairs of pyjamas (£5 fleece onesie from Primark) at once on a night time. He was toasty with just a blanket on.

Thanks for all your help, would anyone recommend taking ikea highchairs with them?

It's probably a good idea if you can fit them in. We never had space so used the pushchair or picnic rug outside. Or would 2 little camping chairs do?

Definitely IKEA highchairs. Very handy way of keeping them in one place while you do something, and also for feeding them. We always took ours.

Blatant place mark for top tips. DH is not keen to go camping with a toddler, but the older kids love it. If I can persuade him to give it a go I need to make sure it's a easy as possible.

I also recommend keeping cereal, a cereal bowl, spoon and coolbox with milk in by where you are sleeping so you don't have to leave your warm sleeping bag/duvet in the morning when they are up demanding breakfast. That bit of nighttime prep won me a few precious minutes extra in bed on a few camping trips. We were in a bell tent though so everything and everyone was in together anyway.

Chocolate chip brioche are our early morning camping food of choice.

We just put two double sims down in the sleeping compartment and sleep in together. We take duvets and pillows as I find everyone is warmer and comfier that way (put in vacuum bags to save space). Never had the children escape. Also never needed a high chair, we just sat the kids on out laps or in a rug on the floor.

My top tip would be to bring sheepskins for sleeping on as they're very warm (IKEA ones are the cheapest).

Socks, socks and more socks. My dc get through lots of pairs

Thanks for all yout tips. I feel compelled to get some SIMs and am currently trying to persuade DH that we need to buy a new tent, I always get terrible tent envy when we go away.

Have also solved the whole packing conundrum by convincing DH that we should take both cars

Yes agree, more socks than you think you need.
A bucket is really handy for washing toddlers in if you are at a site without a lovely baby bath room.

Also, put them in an all-in-one waterproof as soon as they get up - if the weather's lovely, the dew will get them wet, if the weather's lousy the rain will get them wet.

And don't stress about bedtime.

Camping with toddlers can be fun!

Are they still in gro bags? I double bagged mine, keeps them toasty warm and hinders escapes

agree with double bagging - 1tog plus 2.5 tog bags. Also fleece on over PJs. Then put all in one/waterproof dungarees on straight over the top first thing plus wellies and let them loose.

Agree with easy breakfast too. Mine normally eat porridge but didn't have the patience. They ended up ending malt loaf and bananas first thing. Much easier, less messy, easy to eat on the hoof.

Those gorilla buckets are great for bathing. Can fire all the stuff in and use to carry to the showers, fill it half full and they can either sit or stand in it.

Bubbles - even better a bubble machine. they run after the bubbles, you get to sit down!

Not wanting to be a killjoy, but don't bubbles muck up the water proofing on tents? I'm sure I heard this somewhere and so have never let DS have bubbles when camping. I'd be happy to be wrong though.

Oh gosh yes Thumbcat. You are right (sadly). Bubbles are a disaster round tents. They are particularly bad for canvas tents apparently but not fabulous even for nylon/polyester ones. You will be very unpopular with bubbles on a camp site, unless you can find a big empty central play area to let them go maybe. And even then, not on a windy day.