I've bought a tent, what other essentials do I need?

[ImFree2doasiwant]

I posted before, starting from scratch, camping with 2 small children. I've bought a tent! Vango icarus 5, with extension. Bloody huge.

What are the bare essentials?

I have -
Cool box, small.
Single gas ring, the sort that a little canister fits under.
Kids chairs. (Necessary? )
Loads of waterproofs, wellies etc.
Foam tiles for under beds.
Lanterns.
Fleece blankets.

To get -
Air bed or SIMs?
Sleeping bags
Er.........

I packed kitchen stuff into an old Ikea kids toy tub and used that to wash up in.

I wrapped some gaffer tape around a lighter. So I have about half a meter if I need it and no need to take roll of tape.

String.

I adore camping. But then, we have a massive bell tent and comfortable SIMs with memory foam, so I can't claim I am roughing it. I also meal prep beforehand for minimum effort whilst on site; fuck chopping onions on a wobbly table when you can just tip a mixed bag of fajita ingredients into the pan and stand there looking like the Outdoor Chef.

I much prefer it to being in a hotel. I know how clean everything is, we are not stuffed in a hot, cramped room with two bored kids and we eat and sleep on our timetable; no-one elses. There's something very special about the first cup of tea in the morning and watching the sun go down around a campfire at night.

What are SIMs?

Personally I can take or leave a table and chairs. You'd have to prise my airbed and duvet set instead of sleeping bag out of my cold dead hands though

I'm a healthy, whole foods eater normally but honestly, tinned and packet foods for the win on camping trips. Much though i enjoyed the sweet potato stew I made last time it took way too long to cook

There are 2 different ways to camp the - lets make this as nice as home (think teailer required for all the stuff) and the back to nature less is more.

If you can pitch the tent in the garden and sleep in it overnight you will work out what you need.

A table to cook at and eat at - so chairs or stools.
A bucket for wees.
A washing up bowl
Sleeping stuff
Extra tea towels/cloths for wiping wet tent floor.
A massive bottle of gin or vodka - helps you sleep without needing too many wees. (Store it out of young kids way though as might look like water!)
A smile and a sense of humour.
0ractice packing the car the week before so you can deal with it then if your stuff doesn't fit.

Plastic mallet for the tent pegs
Air beds
Pump with spare batteries
Big container for water so you don't have to traipse every time you need some
Head torches
Flip flops
Ear plugs
Eye mask
Screw top wine (lots)
Plastic cups (optional)
Insect repellent
Baby wipes

Depending on what you are doing for food, if you're planning e.g. a fry up on your camping stove, don't forget oil.

As long as you have something to sleep on, there's very little you need to but specifically, you can just take stuff from him.

Microfibre quick drying towels.

Just placemarking to read through later

Either eat out or do something easy for food, tins that can be heated up are far quicker than a proper meal.

Take lots of snacks too, crisps and biscuits taste so much better outdoors.

Forget about bedtime routines.

Either eat out or do something easy for food, tins that can be heated up are far quicker than a proper meal.

Take lots of snacks too, crisps and biscuits taste so much better outdoors.

Forget about bedtime routines.

Table: find one with adjustable legs so it can be lower height for armchairs or kids to sit at, or levelled on sloping ground.
Warm clothes and wool blanket for evening.

Crocs or slip on shoes.
Kindle paperwhite.

@MysteryParcels, SIMs are self-inflating mattresses or electronic people from a computer game....

FWIW, I feel the same way you do about duvets.

I always find duvets (with a sheet underneath) are much warmer than sleeping bags,so I'd suggest buying a vacuum-pack bag set. We got some from Amazon that came with a hand pump so we could repack things the other end without a hoover.

I agree with lots of snacks - we take choc chip brioches and cereal bars for breakfast - not such an issue now the kids are older but when they were little it meant they could eat something without having to faff about first thing, while I made tea!

Food wise. Some of my family sneered at us for taking pot noodles, but I don’t give a fuck. They’re easy and the kids like them!!

Also porridge for a slightly later brekky - easy, cheap and a one pan wonder.

Always take bacon because everyone else will, and you’ll have bacon envy as you walk past their tents in the morning and smell it! I put a little bit of oil into a small water bottle to save taking a whole big one, but if you’re planning to go a few times buy a small spare of oil, ketchup, salt and pepper, washing up liquid etc and keep them packed in with your kitchen stuff for the summer.

We always take a thermal flask so that once we have boiled the kettle we can keep the rest of the water warm for later cups of tea. Less hassle and saves camping gas.

Has anyone mentioned Gin yet

Battery’s and battery’s for all your torches and head lamps.
Sheet for under air beds
A table or two if you can
Gaffer tape
Fabsil
Extra pegs
Flip flops/sliders/crocs for wet days/showers

What about warming up milk for toddler night sleeps??? X

My tip to you would be to invest in a set of roof bars and a roof box for your car (I paid a tenner for my roof box off gumtree), you'd be surprised how much your car fills up with all the gear!!