Camping with a toddler - kit recs

[GinnyBee]

My LO will be 3 in May and I’m thinking I could take him camping in the summer. My husband works summer weekends (April to September pretty much) and I find it pretty hard work (and boring) just hanging at home and I get bored of our usual day trips so I want to do something different.

I pretty much need everything - tent, sleeping gear, food storage/prep etc, chairs and whatever else is essential.

Would love to have some lists of what gear we need, recommendations for brands etc. For sleeping I’d like something as similar to a bed as possible, I’ve never slept comfortably in a sleeping bag for how much they restrict movement and if I have my 3yo next to me too we need wiggle room. Do most camp sites have some basic kitchen facilities? I’ve been to a few camping pods before kids that had stuff like a communal kettle and a microwave or wood burning stoves, but I don’t know about tent pitch sites.

At first I’ll just go to camp sites near home for a night so if it’s a disaster we can always just pack up and go back home.

You should check the facilities of the camp site you are going to first. I have been to very few that have kitchen facilities but quite a lot seem to have nightly food vans or coffee shops on site.

for your bed I would get something like an ExPed which are memory foam mattresses and are really comfortable the only downside is you need space to store them unpacked in your house when not in use.

for a tent if you have the budget look for an air tent, they will be much easier for you to set up on your own.

BLACKOUT BEDROOMS!!!!!!!

100% my top tip particularly with little ones.

SIMS mattresses are worth investing in - much comfier than airbeds.

You can get massive sleeping bags - I tried them out in the shop after too many nights not sleeping as I like to sleep on my side with my knee at an angle so needed more space.

A huge boot or roof box.

outdoor games eg target throwing that only come out when setting up the tent to keep kid entertained/ stop running off.

Warm onesies / fleece PJs / thermal socks / hats - it's often cold at night even on warm days.

Camping / outdoor power lead plus extension lead for tent then a camping (low wattage) kettle plus heater - makes a HUGE difference to comfort

I have a big double airbed and DS just shares with me - we've tried him having his own and it just turns into a daytime trampoline which he refuses to sleep in! You can get huge airbeds now that are really high up - like a normal bed. They're great! I normally bring 2x double duvets - 1 for under you, 1 for over.

This is the tent we have - we have the large and the small ones (this is the smaller - and on sale!) but it's the perfect size for a big airbed and whatever else you need... it was a game-changer as I find it really easy to put up by myself/with DS 'helping' in about 15 mins amzn.eu/d/48WKFkn

Other things we enjoy (we go for a very 'glamping' vibe! You may not want all of it).

A little table for your camp-stove - I just find it easier to cook over one and in my experience not many sites have a kitchen area to use. I got one like this amzn.eu/d/4jOdjVN - the shelves underneath are a game-changer for keeping food bug-free. You can bring a regular saucepan from home and cook anything over the hob.

Hot water bottles - I always underestimate how cold it's going to be! I like filling them and putting them in the 'bed' about an hour before we go to bed.

Battery operated fairy lights to tie round your tent - great to see it in the dark on the way back from the loo and lots of fun to look at.

Dh and dc love camping. I went with them once and do not. They have blow up mattresses which dh bought a tiny little electric pump for and they are really comfortable. A nice little trick with the sleeping bags is to zip them around your feet to keep them snug but them mostly unzipped like a duvet over you and it is so much more comfortable if you don't like the feeling of being trapped in a bag. You also will want a few layers as the mornings can be chilly even in the middle of summer.

And yes, blackout bedrooms unless you want to wake up at 4 having only been able to fall asleep at 2...

Something like this - we have this one & it works for both sexes - for when you’re all settled in the dark, it’s just started raining and one of you needs a wee.

Like this, sorry
www.careco.co.uk/portable-travel-urinal/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADvLZE3Se9bygMLu6WXocZXPSDTCR&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvvO7BhC-ARIsAGFyToUYLOotEZx-N1lay3YnAScOc0Wa0kd5ybUJHZC9COcBNrfg4frpHJcaAkhaEALw_wcB

For short 48 hour camping trips, there’s no need to get a powered cool box. Get a hard shell, passive cool box which has good reviews from a brand like Coleman or Vango. You don’t want one that’s too big, because they work better when they’re completely full. However, you’ll need enough room for ice or freeze packs.

I have a double sleeping bag for myself. 3 year old could have a kids sleeping bag but mine always climbs out! Camping pillow! I take a massive fold up mattress takes up half the car but is comfy. It’s me and three kids so maybe you’d manage a big mattress with just 2 of you?! I’d wonder how you’d manage with two of you if you need to pee in night? I’d recommend a bottle and she wee maybe! As you may not want to leave the wee one alone?

we have camped regularly with DS since he was about 20 months:

A fleecy onesie for DC

Be careful with blackout tents don’t get one that you put a blackout insert in as they can be really claustrophobic

Table and chairs all together - like a folding pub table. The plastic ones are crap get a wooden one

we just use bog standard air beds but will probably get better ones at some point. Don’t underestimate how cold you will get at night - lots of layers to sleep in

Have fun!

Gosh, thank you so much everyone for all the brilliant advice! I’m getting so excited about this, I think it will be so fun I wish summer was closer already 😅

I’ve wanted to do more camping again for a few years but when LO was tiny everything felt overwhelming, and before I was pregnant we had a lot going on in life so it’s been many many years. Now he's finally at an age that I feel it’s not going to just be hard work and no fun but instead mostly fun.

Socks

More socks. And spare socks

Even with amazing weather, so many socks. Esp with a 3 Yr old.
My kids have been camping each everywhere since being 1. I am constantly astounded by the rate of socks and how quickly they get wet.

" crocs? No socks!"

I yell that a lot.
Anyway, if its wet ( spare socks )
Cold? Chilly at night ? Extra socks. Bed socks.
Nice morning? " child, DO NOT run on the dewy grass.in your bedrsocks, aggghh!!"

Nice day, lovely sunny... evening will be chilly. Socks!

Also, if on a budget, and concerned about night wees / urgency in the morning, rather than shelling out on a portable loo thing , a lidded bucket ( wees only) has been invaluable...

My absolute must have is a comfy bed, I use a 12cm SIM (air mattress with foam inside) on top of a campbed. I also take an eye mask and silicone ear plugs, I need to sleep in a dark and quiet place. I'm fussy about a sleeping bag, hate the mummy style ones, I like space so always get an extra wide one.

Comfy chairs, try out as many as you can before you buy. It's surprising how comfy they look but sometimes they aren't at all. I like a tub chair because it's warmer.

We got our kitchen unit, storage and table from FB marketplace. A small gas hob (campinggaz) and frying pan cooks most things, we're looking at getting an electric hot plate instead this year. Electric kettle and electric fridge cooler. Collapsible sink, water container.

A small electric heater makes a huge difference, we have the kampa diddy which is great.

We always take our duvet instead of a sleeping bag. If you have space just take normal pans instead of buying camping ones.
Don't underestimate how cold it will be - lots of layers , maybe a fleece blanket.
We have in our tent a fabric storage pocket thing (a bit like this pic) to put small stuff you need to find and grab quickly/easily - lighter for bbq/stove (in a top pocket, out of reach of toddler) car keys, toothbrushes, hair brush, sunscreen etc
Crocs or flip flops are useful for multiple visits to the loo. (I would consider a potty for toddler for middle of the night wees or vomiting as we once had to)

For toddlers, specifically:
Fleece clothes dry really quick
Yes alllll the socks! @StandardLampski
A small cheap torch for them (they will want your torch and the only thing that will be an acceptable substitute is "mine very own torch!")(but it WILL get dropped)
Snacks. More snacks. Camping always makes mine very hungry
Some kind of toy or thing they can use semi independently for when you just need to do something. We liked those water drawing books
I quite like a flask so you don't have to faff about with keeping them away from the stove every time you want a hot drink.

Good luck! Have fun!

A tip rather than kit: at night zip
the door zips to the top, out of reach.

It has been known for children to let themselves out of tents to go exploring when they wake early.