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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.

Original poster

How much can be done as a mum with kids on her own? Camping

29 replies

Confuseddotcom12345 · 27/07/2021 16:55

Is it feasible? Is there a limit to how far you’d drive? Would it just be too exhausting? Is it too ambitious? Is there a limit to how long it could be done for (eg a week)? Kids are 7 and 12

OP posts:
Toolateplanting · 27/07/2021 17:01

It’ll be fun! I’ve done 2-3 nights but mine are much much younger. At your age and if they are appropriately helpful (the great unknown quantity) you should be absolutely fine.
Check you can put your tent up
Have spare lighter, fuel, stove.

NorthernDramaLlama · 27/07/2021 17:08

Can you camp at home to try it out? Single mum here. Started with an air bed and a tent. Bbq for tea and then played in and around tent and slept out in the tent. We never 'graduated' to an actual campsite (but have done it for a week in the garden last year during Lockdown!). We camp in the garden regularly from May - Sept.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 27/07/2021 17:11

The stressful part about campinng for me is fitting all the kit in the car, setting it up, then repacking it all at the end.

In an ideal world all we would take is clothes, food and sleeping bags. So a set up that covers all the kit would be much less stressful (for me).

gogohm · 27/07/2021 17:14

At those ages it's fine, they can help pitch the tent (I can do mine single handed anyway)

Floralnomad · 27/07/2021 17:19

I don’t camp but I have always gone away alone with mine so as long as you can pitch the tent with their assistance or on your own . I also do big day trips as I like driving .

MayflowerMaisie · 27/07/2021 17:20

Too late to book for this summer, but highly recommend ReadyCamps for next summer. Ready pitched tents with everything you need, on lovely camping and caravan if club sites.

Oakmaiden · 27/07/2021 17:21

Depends how stressful you find camping in general, really. I have gone camping with my three (two primary age and one secondary age) and a couple of their friends as the only adult and it was completely fine. But then, packing cars and putting up tents is not something #I find difficult. If the whole camping experience is new to you and you think you will find it stressful, then you probably will. But if you are accustomed to it, it is not extra stressful with children of that age.

jendifer · 27/07/2021 17:22

Are they used to camping? I think it’s fine if you all are but I’d recommend camping with another family if you’re not to share the cooking etc

Summertime21 · 27/07/2021 17:22

I've done it on my own with younger DC than that. 2-3 hours drive. I made sure I could put tent up on my own and plenty of snacks so wasn't too bothered about proper meals apart from a BBQ in the evening

Comedycook · 27/07/2021 17:23

Sounds ok...kids aren't babies

MarkRuffaloCrumble · 27/07/2021 17:29

I’ve done it with my 3 when they were younger. We didn’t travel far from home but that was mainly so I could pop home to feed the cat (And have a sneaky hot shower!)

The weather will be more of an issue than the distance tbh. Packing up a wet tent is an absolute nightmare (another bonus of being close to home, we once asked if we could leave the tent and come back the next day when it had dried up a bit).

At that age they’re old enough to help wash up etc and young enough to entertain themselves at the play park while you read a book. Ideal age I think! With teens it needs a bit more going on to keep them busy, so do it now while they’re still young enough for it to be an adventure!

MarianneUnfaithful · 27/07/2021 18:36

All my camping trips with the kids at that age were as a sole parent, the other being a camping refusenik.

It’s very doable.

Personally I preferred going with a small group of camping friends and kids. Adult company, helpful to be able to take it in turns to keep an eye out while you shower, etc.

Is the 12 year old helpful and Cooperative? Will they enter into the camping spirit and enjoy learning how to put the tent up and help fold it away? Will they take part in a family washing up session if everyone chats away?

I would start with 3 nights. Relax many standards, go with the flow.

Take a bucket or portable loo (e.g Kampa khazi) for nighttime wees.

MovingtoEssex · 28/07/2021 23:57

Definitely doable. Definitely enjoyable.

Keep it simple - 1 pot meals (pasta and sauce type). Kids wash up breakfast/lunch, I wash up dinner. Plan something to do each day.

Distance - once you're confident doing a weekend, go as far as you like. I've done 2 x 2 weeks in southern france with 3 kids similar age to yours.
Longer stays are more relaxing as hard work is 1st and last day.
Even from france, the tent came home wet. Not a nightmare, but a pain drying at home.

Upgraded to a caravan last year.

Other ideas that have worked with us....static caravans on both big sites with many and small rural sites with 1, youth hostel family rooms. YHA hostels are excellent.

lljkk · 29/07/2021 00:11

just remembering I camped in the grand canyon with 3 DC age 9-14. Mules hauled down & up our stuff. Was only one night, though.

Yosemite I camped with 9yo DS for 3 nights. We had to take tent down & set it up on a new pitch each morning.

So doable, yeah.

HotPenguin · 29/07/2021 00:13

Definitely doable at those ages, but perhaps build up gradually. Set the tent up in the garden, then do a weekend away somewhere where you can easily buy food so you don't have pressure of cooking all meals.

BiddyPop · 29/07/2021 09:19

I took my then 11 yo camping for 3 nights, which was lovely. The following year we went for another 3 night trip further away, my DSis joined us for a night but arrived late so dinner was much delayed, woke late and didn't want to hike (which had been our plan) and had to leave by lunchtime - so wasn't involved in pitching or striking either, just lots of disruption. And we had really wanted to do a decent walk there but that was out day to do it as she had originally said she wanted to.

But DD and I managed fine ourselves, and it was quite nice. Apart from missing out in the long walk.

rantymcrantface66 · 29/07/2021 11:52

I'm a single parent and we've camped 3 times now. Dd11 is quite helpful though (dd8 is not). We get everything down from the attic together and she helps pack the car. Both dc pack their own suitcases. Dd does all the washing up (for a fee). We tend to not go too far as we have some really lovely places within a short drive and I always have the car so loaded up I wouldn't like to take it on the motorway 😆. We have done 3-5 nights. And 4 was the best I found. Less wasn't worth the set up and by the morning after the 5th night I was quite tired

rantymcrantface66 · 29/07/2021 11:54

Re cooking, bacon and egg sandwiches for breakfast (plus selection packs of cereal for dc) are easy and disposable bbq's make simple tasty meals in little time and very little washing up

Heartofstrings · 29/07/2021 11:55

It really does depend. I've done 2 nights with my two preschoolers alone. Next week I will do 3 nights with them. Both times I have been relatively near to family. Two weeks later I'm off for 5 nights to Wales (about 4.5h) with them - again, on my own

MrsNai · 29/07/2021 12:01

It is well worth considering youth hostelling. You could get a private room for you all to share and with access to a kitchen and lounge it helps keep costs down and minimise the impact of bad weather. Some great locations too so you could park up and enjoy walking around the local area. Lots have activities too. www.yha.org.uk/breaks/family-breaks

MrsNai · 29/07/2021 12:02

Also with youth hostelling there is no need to get or pack any camping kit.

Heronatemygoldfish · 29/07/2021 12:10

I've been camping with DS quite a few times without DH, and though it means we have to take the medium-size tent and share the sleeping area, it has all gone well.

Taking DH is actually a lot more work as it means roof box, huge tent and awning, 10x more crap more food and less car space!

moofolk · 29/07/2021 12:12

I'm taking my three (11-13) camping for a week but we are used to it.

Bin85 · 29/07/2021 12:15

The main thing is being comfortable and warm enough to get some sleep at night!!!

EllaPaella · 30/07/2021 23:31

I took my two younger boys (6 & 10) camping in the lakes last week while my husband was working. We only stayed a few nights but it was great fun and I managed fine on my own. Just make sure you get plenty practice putting up the tent etc and it helps if you are not too far from the toilet block if they are little.