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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

Camping with toddlers!

12 replies

Twinningaround · 22/03/2023 10:29

DH wants to take the children camping this year when the weather warms up, however I’m apprehensive! We started camping pre lockdown with DS7 and he loved it!
But we have twins that have just turned 2 and I’m worried about how it will work with them. I’m worried about them running riot - although was thinking of using windbreaks as a sort of large pen 😂
Has anyone else camped with children this young? DS is really desperate to go again so would love to know if it would be possible - would only be a maximum of 2 nights! Does anyone have any tips?

OP posts:

PuttingDownRoots · 22/03/2023 10:36

Weve camped since ours were babies.

Neither were bolters, so that was never a worry. We went to sites with decent playparks.
We used to use a travel cot as a playpen when erecting the tent.

Best camping breakfast was eggy bread.

Make sure the zips are at the top so they can't undo them at night.

Lcb123 · 22/03/2023 10:38

We camped as a family since we were all babies. I’d look for a campsite which doesn’t allow cars to drive around so kids can run around safely

Original poster

Twinningaround · 22/03/2023 13:14

Thank you both that’s great advice! My eldest wasn’t a bolter at all but the twins are a whole new level 😫 they egg each other on! It’s great to hear you’ve both been able to camp since babies. I’m thinking if we book a family friendly site people will hopefully be alright - my fear is one of them waking and wailing in the middle of the night!

OP posts:

topofbighill · 22/03/2023 19:21

There's nothing more lovely to see than young children running free and safely on a campsite.

I don't have children and try and go small and adult only but the family sites I have been on are just that - for families.

BadGranny · 22/03/2023 19:27

The trick is to have two tents. Put the kids, their toys, bedding etc in one. Pitch your tent right across the entrance to theirs. That way, if they try to escape when you are asleep, they’ll trip over your tent and wake you up.

I did it for years that way

PuttingDownRoots · 22/03/2023 19:29

A baby/toddler crying in the middle of the night, quickly comforted... People generally don't mind.

Early morning noise can make people grumpy (such as letting them ride their bikes screaming down a hill at 6.30am... something I've experienced)

Sites with EHU are generally quieter but EHU makes things easier with kids.

Camping and Caravan club sites seem to have strict rules about cars and night time noise (as in loud music and parties, not a crying child!)

JumbledE · 22/03/2023 19:31

We’ve camped with ours since they were babies and our first is a huge bolter! The first few years with our DS we would get him to sleep in the evening in his pram as it was easier than in his cot in the bright light and then transferred him. When he was 3 we actually took him for a drive the first night and transferred him from the car 😂 after that night he was so tired from all the fresh air that bedtime wasn’t an issue.

Easy meals, lots of layers and a box of water proof toys such as Duplo. 😆

Original poster

Twinningaround · 22/03/2023 20:01

This has reassured me a lot thank you everyone 😃 think we’ll do a close one night trip to start and see how they are!

Will be taking lots of these tips on board!

OP posts:

blobby10 · 24/03/2023 14:04

The biggest tip I can give is not to expect a relaxing holiday!! Just a change of scenery . We had a trailer tent from when eldest was 12 months old - he didn't sleep! We spent hours driving up and down a dual carriageway to get him to sleep then he would be up at 6am EVERY day,. Then when DS2 came along, it was the same - he was 6 months old and crawling when we first went away. DH did many miles of walking at sunrise with a DS in the buggy to keep him quiet. When we had 3, we had resigned ourselves to no lie ins together and used to alternate getting up early then going back to bed a couple of hours later. The trailer tent was great because we could shut everyone in and zip the door shut at night so no escapees!

blobby10 · 24/03/2023 14:05

Forgot to add - until we were restricted by school term times we always used to go away the two weeks before the schools closed and pitch far away from any other tents!! That way we felt less guilty about disturbing people.

Wilma55 · 24/03/2023 14:09

Take a small paddling pool, this will provide a clean place to play and can also be used to bath the twins in the shower cubicle.

Weshant · 25/03/2023 20:42

I absolutely love camping with our young kids. It's so lovely letting them run around, which also tires them out!

We have a plastic toy box that is only used when camping, so the toys are 'new'. As suggested above, Duplo is perfect, along with a cheap croquet set. We also have a really big 2m x 2m picnic blanket to chuck all the toys on when it's damp.

We had our youngest in a travel cot up until around 2.5 years old. We could then use it to store stuff during the day that we didn't want the kids getting into, rather than having to lock it in the car.

I agree that it's not a relaxing holiday, we generally take the 'divide and conquer' approach, so would always take at least one child with me if I was heading to the loo or for a shower.

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