Camping this summer with a 4yo and 22 month old. What should they sleep on?

[aderyn]

We'll be going to France in July with our two children. We're hoping to have dd2 used to sleeping in a bed by then.

Last year (UK camping) we put dd2 in a travel cot and dd1 in a single ready-bed with a blanket.

I envisage the DDs sleeping in the same pod this summer. Is that wise considering their ages? Should we get a second single ready-bed? Or is it better to get a double matress and put both DDs on that with either sleeping bags or some other warm covering?

Ideas please.....

Bumpity bump

No-one ever talks to me....

Mine both sleep in a ready bed plus extra blanket. You can get ready beds for younger children, with sort of bumper sides, but dd just has a normal one. SHe is huge though...

Is that a ready bed each?

I'd do a ready bed each

oh sorry!

Just been making turkey nuggets with dd - thank god she's eating them not me!

I'd be tempted to go for the 2 ready beds option. Will your dd's be quite tightly wedged together in the bedroom compartment? I did find that dd2 rolled off hers and ended up on the floor, but she sleeps through anything when camping - you can keep them quite enclosed and tucked in then.

In May in this country we also put a sleeping bag inside the Ready bed cover iykwim.

I've been camping once for one night .. in my entire life ... I am experienced in these matters.. ROFL

What about this one?
It has 'bumpers' at the edge and is what my friends 2 and 5 year olds sleep in in the tent

I'm sure I saw some of those in Costco last week evasmum - they were about £20.

Have just realised that was exactly what beckybrastraps was describing

God, they are a bit expensive arent they, hadnt looked at price just asked my mate what she used! My DD is 11 months and stays in the travel cot!

Sorry yes, one each.

What about this bed - £10 from Studio magazine?

You'd have to buy a sleeping bag though.

even with this sleeping bag at £13 it seems good value

just popped in for a nose at the responses

that studio blow up bed looks good

last year we went camping when my ds was 26 months and found the travel cot very useful, he still wasn't climing out of it at that stage, it was great for outdoor naps too and some times he was happy just to play in it.

The ready bed with 'bumpers' looks like a good idea.

My dd2 isn't much shorter than dd1!

We are expecting DS who willbe 15m/o at teh time to sleep on a karrimat in between his parents. Think he will fit in the middle of the tent quite well with a bag at head and foot.

My query would be about sleeping bags etc tho. Am I mad to think we wil get away with his normal grow bag Plus a blanket folded and pinned Like I used to use at guide camp.

Weight is a MAJOR concern for us as we will be cycle touring. So rady bed/ cot surgestions don;t help. Will be in Brittany in June.

Sarah - if your son is sleeping inbetween you and your partner, he shouldn't be too cold.

Last June we camped in England and my DD2 was 8 months. She slept in a travel cot with a grobag and a cellular blanket over her.

Have you seen the CTC magazine (this month I think?) It features a family with 3 children who went cycle touring in the Lake District. You might be able to pick up some sleeping attire hints from that. I haven't read it - DH pointed it out optimistically But we'll be driving to France!

we did camping last summer, dd was 15m and she happily slept on normal single airbed.i like the one from studio but i shouldn`t bother really.

My dd has a karrimat that she sleeps on.

UniSarah,
My dd was quite happy on a karrimat in a grow
bag when she was a toddler. I put a blanket over the karrimat so she had some insulation if she rolled off, and the folded the end of the blanket back over her feet. We were very cosy.

Thanks CP, thats the kind of thing I was thinking of. Blanket seems more flexible than a childs sleeping bag, and lighter.

I'd recommend a double self-inflating mat as it's easy to fall off a blow-up lilo! We had the kids on 2 single lilos last year and they kept getting stuck in the middle or down the sides. Plus they're very noisy.

Mine sleep on karrimats, then they have a sleeping bag, and fleece blankets (which can go under and over the sleeping bag.

very easy, flexible and packs up small.