Camping first time with toddler, budget friendly tips?

[Workinggreen]

I’m going camping with dh and our toddler (just turned 2) with some friends. It’s a bit of a last minute trip and dh and I have never been camping. I need someone to talk me through kit like I’m an idiot.

I’m also 4 weeks pregnant and my dd still cosleeps and wakes up a lot in the night, so this is probably an insane time to try going, but if anyone can make it easier for me and suggest things I need, even better if you can tell me brands or just exact things like what tent, that would be so helpful!

I keep dithering on investing in expensive things in case we love it and will be doing it as a family of 4 in the future, or buying the cheapest things in case we never camp again.
Any advice welcome!

Pop up tent from decathlon.
Spend more than you think is necessary on a mattress
Tupperware boxes full of smallworld figures
Packets of precooked rice and tinned beans/chilli/curry are good and quick.
Hot breakfasts are always better when camping
Find something to lean on in the night if you are bf, to help you sit up

2 folding tables, one to cook on, the other to eat round
Plastic wine glasses!

Don’t spend a fortune in case you hate it!! Look for second hand. Have seen loads of complete camping kits on FB marketplace recently so you could try that and resell if not for you

This is great advice.
We found one of our pop up tents in a skip! Brand new!
But investing in at least one is a good idea as they are so easy to use and make brilliant sunshades on the beach, densvin the garden and are still bring used now by our teenagers.

A sleeping bag each

• head area that pulls in on a cord if it's cold
• at least a 2 season bag, maybe 3

Camp bed

• either blow up or with legs but something to lift you off the ground (makes a huge difference to warmth)

Padding

• to go between the camp bed and the sleeping bag, makes it more comfortable and much warmer. (we use thick blanket or duvet)

Cover

• blanket to go over sleeping bag if it's cold

Think about night time toileting

• does your son wear a nappy at night? If so, where will you change him? Will it be warm enough to change him on the floor?
• If not, how far will it be to the loos on the camp site? How will you get him there? How cold will it be?
• Do you need a portable camping toilet?

As for actual tent

• we have an inflatable one which is amazing, but expensive.
• think about how much space you want - toddler with you or in their own section
• how long to put up?
• how many people to put up?

Look at GO Outdoors they have a great range of tents and accessories and will give helpful advice too. A membership is £5 and last a year and you will save more than that on one purchase - e.g. kids sleeping bag £30 without membership £22 with.

When are you going?

If soon, this is still early and the nights will be v cold. The ground is still cold.

Talk to your friends about what you need to bring: have they got a stove etc that you can all use this time? Have they got a camp table and any spare folding chairs? Who will bring a washing up bowl? Coolbox. What stuff can they lend you? (Most keen campers have loads of stuff)

Have you got a foam jigsaw play mat? They make great insulation for the tent floor. But add to the stuff filling up the car!

Picnic rug for toddler to sit on.

Torches and lantern.

Wellies are good for toddlers, the morning grass is wet with dew.

Take flip flops to wear in the shower.

Zip your tent zips to the top out of reach of the toddler: they have been known to escape.

If you do choose to buy a tent this would be a good starter tent: https://www.millets.co.uk/search?resources%5Blimit_scope%5D=each&resources%5Boptions%5D%5Bfields%5D=title%2Cproduct_type%2Cvendor%2Cvariants.title%2Cvariants.sku%2Cvariants.barcode%2Ctag&sort_by=relevance&q=Sendeo+4+Family+Tent&xnpe_tifc=xI17xDs_xdU_OkQ.OfoJxypsafeWaeiWhFW_hfPvVue6buUDEyEWbdA1Rf43ajU_tu4vaMps4IVjbfPL4FQ.xIe.4DLs&utm_source=bloomreach&utm_campaign=20260413_Millets_BAU_NAP_New-Camping_Email&utm_medium=email

Eurohike Sendero.

Millets are also a good source of cheap camping chairs etc.

A couple of things that worked for me.

I went to my local hardware chain and bought 50cm of artificial grass - the second cheapest - and put that across the front. That was the doormat and all shoes had to wiped there or kept there. (It’s very, very sandy over here). It was almost the best thing I ever took.

If you have something like this https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/klipsk-bed-tray-white-00258882/, we put it across the bottom of dd’s bed, we had a basket that fitted neatly underneath, and toys, colourings, Barbies went in that. The pillowpet wouldn’t fit but went under her head so had special dispensation. Dd would sit at the table and do stuff, it was her little space and easy to tidy at the end.

We took a trailer. I bought a metre of that non slip matting and put that down first and loaded the trailer. It just kept stuff a bit firmer in transit.

Thanks all this is really helpful