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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

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Original poster

Abandoned first trip

22 replies

Sweetpea1989 · 19/07/2021 07:08

We attempted our first camping trip with our one year old who was good as gold. Apart from when we put her in her travel cot to sleep. She screamed the place down, at home we would usually leave her 5/10 min crying and she would settle but we were paranoid about disturbing other campers.

We tried to put her down a few times but I’m convinced it was the fact it was really light and she was in a strange environment. She won’t fall asleep on us. We always just put her in a dark room at home.

I was worried if I left it till it got dark around 10pm and tried to put her down then the screaming would disturb other campers nearby so we packed up and left.

We bought a tent with blackout but the blackout bit is a bit crap. LO is 1 year old and sleeps 6:30-6:30 at home usually no issues. We LOVED camping before we had her, I’m feeling really disheartened we abandoned ship, any advice??

OP posts:

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 19/07/2021 07:13

Have you got space in the garden to practice at home?

Even adults need to adjust to different sleeping arrangements.

Hardbackwriter · 19/07/2021 07:17

No advice but sympathy - this is exactly why we haven't tried camping and something I find tricky about all holidays that aren't self catering accommodation with a separate bedroom and living space. We're not at all precious about sleep normally - we aren't people who expect the world to revolve around baby's naps or run our lives around them etc - but I just can't see how the evening bit would work for us. I asked friends who regularly camp and they all say that theirs just stay up until it gets dark or run around until they happen to crash out somewhere but my 3 year old wouldn't do that, he'd be screamingly, tantrumingly overtired. He's been like that since he's a baby and his baby brother seems to be similar - they both started having to have a bedtime quite early because we were getting to the point where trying to have them downstairs in the evening napping on us or in a Moses basket or whatever while the lights were on was resulting in hours of screaming.

I think the one comfort is that this is a corollary of having a child who is a 'good' sleeper the 50 weeks of the year that you're not on holiday - the people I know who find it really easy to camp with the babies and toddlers cosleep and have late bedtimes generally, which works for them but I wouldn't swap!

shallIswim · 19/07/2021 07:19

how many nights did you try? Can't speak for babies, but I often find the first night's camping is crap sleep wise, but after that I sleep really well. I think it's the adjustment to the wholly different circumstances that initially unsettles, then soothes me

Ohdeariedear · 19/07/2021 07:21

The rule in our family is that the first night of sleep while camping is always rubbish - adults included. Second rule (back when the kids were little) is that all sleep/food routines go out the window. You just have to go with the flow to a degree.

NeverRTFT · 19/07/2021 07:32

Impressed you would've attempted real camping with 1yo.
It's a given that no one gets the normal amount of sleep in a tent. Wouldn't expect 1yo to sleep normal hours in that environment

Original poster

Sweetpea1989 · 19/07/2021 07:34

We just attempted 1 night. I toyed with the idea of camping in the garden but she knows this environment and I thought it would be a good idea to try somewhere different. Luckily we didn’t go far.

I don’t know whether it’s worth trying again or just waiting till she’s a bit older.

I don’t blame the poor little soul for being utterly freaked out at being left in a tent. Maybe it should just be self catering for a while :(

OP posts:

BarryTheKestrel · 19/07/2021 07:40

When DS was 1 we went camping. He hated the tent, but to get him to sleep we put him in the pram and walked until he fell asleep or went for a drive until he was asleep enough to transfer to the tent. He then slept really well, he just didn't like falling asleep in an unfamiliar environment.

Yes at 2 stages he cried in the night and I was worried about neighbours, but the neighbours snoring also kept me awake for 2 nights as I couldn't wear earplugs due to DS, so I didn't particularly care at that point.

All routine goes out of the window when camping. You really need to go with the flow.

JimLaheysWhiskeyBottle · 19/07/2021 07:55

We've just had our first camping trip with our 22 month old.
We've camped lots of times before with our eldest from when he was 3 (he's 9 now).
Our DD is usually a great sleeper, goes down fast and usually stays down.
We live in northern Scandinavia, so no darkness at the moment and we don't have a blackout tent.
First night she went down beautifully at about 9pm, tucked up in her sleeping bag. Peeped through the window at 9.30 and she wasn't asleep at all, just lying there. Then she figured out how to unzip the tent and wandered out.
In the end, she absolutely refused to sleep, sang songs, jumped on the airbed etc etc. I was finally able to rock her to sleep at 1.10am. She woke up at 6am.
The next night we had an early tea, I showered her with that Johnson's bedtime bath and put her down by 6.30. She went straight to sleep then and slept through.

The first night is always the absolute worst!

AbsolutelyPatsy · 19/07/2021 08:02

i am sure the other campers wouldnt mind her crying for 5 to 10 minutes

greyspottedgoose · 19/07/2021 08:05

Was it hot where you where camping? I only ask because it's been absolutely boiling the last few days here and it would have been stifling in a tent, maybe your LO doesn't hate camping and it was just too warm?

AbsolutelyPatsy · 19/07/2021 08:07

and she probably didn't want to be left out of the excitement, unsurprisingly

MagnoliatheMagnificent · 19/07/2021 08:19

I remember when dd1 was about a year old. DH’s Dad was a scout leader so we joined a camp. We only had a 2 man tent so unsurprisingly it was a disaster! You don’t necessarily appreciate how much sound travels at a campsite until you have a wailing baby. I ended up walking around with her for what felt like hours. Eventually we sat overlooking the river and she nodded off about 1am. We only stayed that night, and we bought a bigger tent after that. DD is nearly 30 now and I still remember it well!

rosesandsalvias · 19/07/2021 08:21

We have been camping a few times with our now 2 year old. He hates being put down in broad daylight alone in a strange tent. So we call go to bed at 9pm I'm hoping by next summer we will get an adult evening by the campfire!

NC1602 · 19/07/2021 08:51

We camp with our children. One of ours is 21 months so last time we camped he was about 10 months and no issues... he usually sleeps 7 till 7 at home. On our most recent trip a few weeks ago he would not go to sleep at his usual bedtime. We tried the first night and he cried.. we were concerned about the noise but as it was only 7 we tried to let him get it out of his system but it didn't work so we stopped after around 15mins of on and off crying.. so hopefully not too disturbing for anyone and we weren't too close to any other campers apart from our group of friends. So he ended up staying awake until we went to bed. He also cried a little then but only for a few moments.. this worried me more as it was later by then but thankfully he settled very quickly. Then he woke up at 3am crying loads which is not like him at all. We did our best to calm him down and stop him from crying as he was so loud and we were so worried about him disturbing others.. took at least 20 minutes and I was feeling awful.. but there wasn't really anything else we could do beyond what we were already trying. Eventually he calmed and went back to sleep. Next morning we apologised to our friends and the tents closet to us.. only 1 couple heard him, everyone else said they hadn't heard him.. I don't think they were just being kind.. so I felt a bit better then. The second night he didn't go to bed either as he was so tired that day he napped long and late. So we kept him up and he was happily in his pushchair for the later part of the evening until our bedtime. Then he went to sleep with no fuss and thankfully no night wake ups. Next night totally normal bedtime and sleep. So... my experience is like other posters.. First night the worst and its a strange environment and they have to adjust. Lower expectations of bedtimes and naps and routines were needed. Pushchair sleeping /chilling was great. And that everyone around us was kind and accepting of the noise our children made day and night.. obviously we were not letting them scream or be intentionally anti social etc.. but one set of campers even said...its camping.. its what you expect! And that children need to camp so they are the next generation of campers etc. Which I did agree with, and pre and post children most normal and unavoidable noise from little ones wouldn't have bothered me or the people I camp with but when it's your kids making the noise I think it just feels the worst! So maybe we were lucky and just had loads of kind people around us but maybe next time just try again and hopefully your neighbours will be understanding when it's unavoidable but also you can try and let go of routines a bit whilst away so you don't stress so much too. Otherwise it's not a fun experience for you either! Good luck for when you try again!

NC1602 · 19/07/2021 08:53

Goodness that had paragraphs when I typed it out!

Original poster

Sweetpea1989 · 19/07/2021 09:26

I can relate to so much of everyone’s comments, thanks! Those 1am bed times sound so challenging though!

That’s really interesting that first night is the worst, I hadn’t thought about it like that.

I know most people camping nearby
would be nice and understanding, but like someone mentioned those wails feel extra loud in that situation!!

You’ve helped manage expectations that a usual bedtime will be out the window and we we might not get that relaxing couple of hours baby free before the end of the day!

OP posts:

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 19/07/2021 09:43

I always found mornings worse when they wake at 6am and want to get on with their day but its still quiet hours until 8am...

ImFree2doasiwant · 20/07/2021 11:22

I think its pretty normal. I was astounded when my then 1 yr old was a nightmare to put to bed on a caravan holiday. I swiftly realised bedtime routine needed to change the first night or 2 away. Id try again, and roll with it. Leave bedtime Jeter, go fir a walk with her in the pushchair, keep her entertained , then try later. Stay with her even.

scrivette · 20/07/2021 21:22

Completely agree with PP that the first night getting to sleep/sleeping is awful for everyone.
I have taken DD camping since she was 9 months so it's doable to take little ones.

People won't mind crying for 5/10 minutes, it's when it goes on for hours and hours its hard to be quite so tolerant!

Maybe changing the routine/going to bed later would help. Don't give up!

blobby10 · 21/07/2021 10:09

We used to camp , albeit with a trailer tent rather than tent, and either drove miles or walked around with them in the back carrier with each of our 3 while they were babies to get them to sleep before transferring into their sleeping bag. Some nights it worked, others it didn't. I don't think we ever got a 'sitting by the camp fire' evening as 1. we were knackered as they also woke at 5am and 2. it was too bloody cold most of the time . We used to be asleep by 9pm ourselves

SpecialchildSupermum · 12/08/2021 15:43

There’s a reason you see little kids running around a campsite at 9pm with their pjs on!!! It’s just so exciting for them. I don’t know anyone who sleeps the first night camping to be honest. Trying to get a one year old to sleep in a tent is very difficult as it’s 1) different bed/cot 2) noisy 3) too light 4) smells different. You’ll have to be flexible and walk them around in a pushchair, completely ware them out. It’s only the very lucky that sit outside their tent with wine in hand with the little ones asleep at 7....

Jasmine11 · 14/08/2021 08:26

We've been taking DS camping since he was 8 months old, I co-slept with him on a sleeping mat and that always did the trick. We did take a camping cot with us the first time but like your experience OP all hell broke loose so we put him in bed with me.

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