Self inflating mats or airbeds?

[Waggamamma]

first time campers here. We have a 4yr old and 8month old. We've purchased our tent and sleeping bags but also been told something to sleep on is essential. What would you recommend? we're on a tight budget so it's either the aldi sim mats or Argos airbeds? we have limited space in the car too.

Our tent is a 6man one with two bedrooms and a living space but for our first few trips I think we'd all like to sleep in the one room as I'm worried my 4yr old might wander.

SIMS are warmer, as they insulate you from the ground, air beds do not. Also 4 year olds tend to jump on air beds and puncture them, or else roll off them. SIMS take up more space, probably, for packing, but you don't need a pump or all the extra warmth-making strategies. Aldi SIMS are great, and if you really want to economise the 4 year old will be fine on a cheap roll out mat.

To prevent escaping 4 year olds zip the zip right to the top of the door not the bottom. They can't reach. Also, some people put a bell on the zip so that it would wake you. zips wake you anyway. One of the banes of camping .

Thanks blue. I didn't realise that sims were insulating too, I think we'll go for 3 of those. I saw some in aldi today so hopefully they still have them when I go back during the week.