Camping in rainy cold weather

[florentitia]

Ds' school are doing Bushcraft next week and the weather looks abysmal. They will be staying in large tents and sleeping in sleeping bags on the floor. Rain every day and night. minimum temp is 6, highest 14.

What clothes should he bring? We have no wellies but supposedly waterproof hiking shoes, which are old, hope the are still waterproof? How does he keep warm at night? Doe he need thermal something? I am tempted to send some portable hand warmers with batteries or something ridiculous like that, but he wouldn't use them.

PFB mummy of an 11 year old here, share your top tips for camping and miserable weather.

I hate camping and dc have only ever been in summer but dh camps a lot and in bad weather. Agree with PPs, waterproof is more important than cold weather clothes at the moment. Layers, waterproofs, something dry to change into. Keep things in the bag dry, water can really get into backpacks. Warm layers for night as a tent will be a lot colder than a house.

On the floor, as in on a mat? Or on a little bed on stilts??

Honestly if it's straight on the floor, tent then a little mat, I wouldn't send him. He'll just end up sick.

Problem is keeping the clothes actually dry. Very hard to do when the weather is wet.

I sell DS's outgrown scout camp stuff on Facebook so there will be someone doing similar in other areas. Worth considering for a bargain.

If they wouldn't fit in the main bag, I used to label the sleeping bag and mat, then put them in a supermarket bag for life / IKEA bag, - often with the wellies. Scouts etc were fine with this. School might be less keen if it's sliding about in a coach luggage locker.

The most important thing is a barrier between him and the ground. Camping mat, yoga mat or even a picnic blanket would all do.

Plus cosy socks and a hat.

Like another poster said, pack everything into plastic bags - socks in one, pants in another etc etc. Its not space saving but it will keep everything as dry as possible. Also lots of layers and spare socks. children seem to be more immune to cold and wet than adults so they won't be as bothered about being damp as you might imagine!