How do you eat dinner with young children?

[sassylassie]

We are going camping on the Isle of Wight in a couple of weeks with our two boys (age 3 1/2 and 16 months). It's our first time camping as a family and I'm excited but quietly terrified! I'll be probably be posting more than once over the next couple of weeks, but for now wanted to ask...

What people do about eating arrangements at the campsite? We have those folding camping chairs for all of us, but they are not really suitable for sitting at a high camping table. We do have a small fold-out camping table but I was just going to use that for the double-burner stove. Also the 16-month old definitely needs to be strapped in or he will be off (so were thinking of using our booster seat with a built-in tray that we use at home and just having it on the floor). The 3 1/2 year old is a fairly messy eater still too, so I don't think he's ready to eat off his lap. Does everyone just eat off the floor? Thinking of my poor back too... Tips from experienced family campers please!

I'm not an experienced camper but will be in the same place around the same time with young kids too. Ours are a bit older so we all sit round a camping table but some tips from taking a few trips earlier this year.. Take a potty for the tent! Toilet blocks can be a bit of a walk. And I take a sheet of back exercises from a physio website and do them twice a day in the tent. Seems to really help my bad back cope with camping! Hope you have a good time!

I would get another table and/ or chairs .It's really tiring trying to do stuff low to the ground all the time .
Argos seem to have a £10 table www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3400298.htm

or you may find these good www.gooutdoors.co.uk/freedom-trail-anywhere-chair-p321992 if you do all end up on the ground .

these www.amazon.co.uk/KINGFISHER-PICNIC-CAMPING-FOLDING-LIGHTWEIGHT/dp/B00D44U96O/ref=lp_4245776031_1_4?s=outdoors&ie=UTF8&qid=1439128051&sr=1-4 are good .Might be cheaper in B&Q ,Homebase etc .

Sure others will have better ands more child orientated tips .

Put his plate on an upturned bucket. He can kneel in front of it to eat, sit on it at other times, and use it to store toys etc while you're travelling. If you camp often, let him decorate the outside with permanent marker pens.

We take our ikea high chair as it all comes apart and packs easily. Could you get one for your 16mo? Then chair with lots of cushions for older child!

We have a table from Go Outdoors that can be two different heights and it usually stays on the lowest and we just kneel at it. That has worked since DS was 3, though to start with he sat on a small box we take Lego in. It works well as he can get right up to the table edge

these are a godsend! Poss not ideal for your 16m old this year, but great otherwise and the idea of an IKEA high hair is a good one to use with it

Another vote for a table that goes to different heights. Decathlon do one but there are lots around. At the lowest height the children can sit on children 's camping chairs and they can usually be pushed right in. Friends we camp with have a 5yo and 2yo and the 2 year old has been eating like that since last year.

We had one of those Halfords folding tables - very reasonable. It is horrible eating from your knees all the time.

Actually everything about camping is pretty horrible (years of experience) and I refuse to go anymore with DH & DS - but hope it works out for you.

they both eat on their laps now (4 and 2) but last year we had a portable high chair with tray for the younger one.

How did your trip go Sassy?
Im hoping to persuade th OH to go camping and we will have LOs the same age as yours.