what to use for playmatt

[hettie]

hi there anyone any ideas what I could get to take with us for a two week camp trip to use to lounge about/play on with our (will be then) 16 month old. A big piece of tarp springs to mind but tarp is quite heavy stuff and we have limited space in car. All the pic-nic rugs I have seen are tiny and standard playmats too flimsy (Something with a water resistant side would be great.) Any suggestions apreciated....

Cheap shower curtain, old bath sheet

Hmm - my 16 month old wouldn't stay on a playmat now if you bribed her with chocolate, she is far too busy up and trotting around. For sitting and reading etc on I agree with Shellylou that a shower curtain (maybe covered with a rug or towels for comfort) would be best

my 16 month old wouldnt stay on it hed be so pleased he was outside and be off exploring. He just will not stay still.

A couple of cheap carrymats! You won't get a cold ar*e and they wipe clean. If you use airbeds you can store them underneath during the night!(...which will be warmer as airbeds are useless from a warmth point of view!)

I was going to suggest one of those cheap tartan picnic rugs with the waterproof backs, but you reconthey are to small?

A big plastic party tablecloth? Or two taped together? Colourful, cheap and lightweight.

I wouldn't go to huge, just keep all the toys onthe rug and let her use it as a base.

last summer my 18 mth old wouldnt stay put for love nor chocolate - forget playmat and invest in all in one waterproofs so it doesn't matter if they crawl off in wet grass/mud etc.

mme yes good point about the staying still. So far dh has only taken 4-5 tottery steps but am sure will be motoring by then (maybe I should get a bloody long piece of string! . Shower curtain sounds like a great idea though.....
are those waterproofy things not really expensive?

Some of them can be about £30 but I'm sure Millets/Blacks do cheaper ones - we got ours from Blacks for about £12. It also meant we didn't have to take the raincover for the pushchair everywhere with us.