May camping - what should toddler wear at night?

[MrsHenPen]

We’re camping with our almost 2 year old in May half term and I’m worried about it still being chilly overnight (although hoping for decent weather during the day!) Has anyone got any suggestions of what would be best to dress him in overnight? Still using the poppers over the shoulder sleeping bags at home but I don’t know if they’ll be warm enough. But also nervous about using a normal sleeping bag in case he wriggles down. Any help really appreciated!

Our DD used to sleep in a snowsuit!

By the end of May things should have warmed up a bit. I would put on a vest and warm top, the popper sleeping bag, and then a couple of fleece blankets or child's duvet on top of that.

What will he sleep on? Blow up beds with no insulation simply conduct the cold air from the ground / your warmth into the ground. If you use blow up beds (which kids roll off anyway) put a yoga mat underneath or on top, or use the foam jigsaw playmats under your bed.

SIMs have insulation within so insulate from the ground.

Pop a hat on him overnight too.

Definitely a hat, warm socks and mittens if his hands are likely to be exposed.

We used socks as gloves! Ds wasn't 2 til the September when we went in May. I actually wore a hoody to bed. It was the coldest camping ever for me. And I'm def no wimp!
We invested in a proper toddler sleeping bag for camping after that.. It's now ddog's camping bed!

All great tips. You can also use one of those foil emergency blankets on the ground underneath the blow up bed.

Self inflating mattresses I have found I don’t get so cold on - I have one of those on top of a camp bed. I think for a 2 year old layers are key. When I go in July/August to a festival, I am always shocked by waking up at 3am shivering nearly every time lol. Do you have a kids Oodie style thing for your 2 year old op? If not, I’d get something like that - good for evenings too if you’re sitting outside and it’s a bit nippy.

Thanks all so much! I was thinking of still sleeping him in the travel cot so at least he’ll be off the floor. Gosh I really hope it won’t be hats and gloves weather but I will definitely go prepared! 🙈 The winter snowsuit might just be a great back up plan - I’d never have thought of that!

We used to carpet the floor of the dcs’ pod with interlocking foam tiles and then with camper mats (closed cell or SI). The little ones roll around and don’t stay on their mat like they may stay in a bed. It was always so lovely to peek in and see them fast asleep in a heap, like puppies! They always slept better in sleeping bags, so we’d put them in popper vest and onesie pyjama, with a jumper over, socks if there were no feet to the onesie, and the shoulder-popper baby sleeping bag over that. If they needed more warmth, and also when they outgrew the baby sleeping bags, we would put them in an adult sleeping bag but tie the bottom off with a velcro strap so that they could not slip down inside it.

We would only bring the travel cot if we had a mobile baby under 2y. But we did not use it for sleep, we used it as an outdoor playpen. We worried that the feet would damage the groundsheet. Besides, the doors to the sleeping pods in our tent each had one long, double-ended, C-shaped zip. We would zip them up to the top so that the dc could not reach to undo them. By the time they were tall enough to undo the zip, they were sensible enough not to leave the tent.

You can put small kids in children's sleeping bags if you tighten a cable tie round it half way down to stop them slipping inside.

Wellies and waterproof trousers are good for toddlers in the mornings and evenings because the dew in the grass gets them soaked.

Or shorts / pants and crocs if warm enough - legs dry quicker than trousers.

A small child size folding chair is a good investment - somewhere stable for them to sit , a tray for food, small toys, a bit of restraint while you get things done!

Can one of you put the tent up almost single handed? With a bit of steadying from the one holding the toddler?

Another trick: zip the double door zips up to the top out of toddler reach to prevent escape. 2 year olds quickly learn how to unzip an escape hole on the door. In and out - I once returned to my tent to find a 2 year old happily munching my biscuits, having let herself in, while her Dad was busy packing up their own tent oblivious.

And take wipes, Many many wipes.

A chair with tray like this mefocou Foldable Baby Dining Chair - Portable Toddler Travel Seat with Eating Tray | Baby Folding Chair with Canopy for Outdoor Home Lawn Beach Camping Travel Picnic : Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

Amazing, thanks everyone! Yes we’ve got the little chair and table etc. We did a week last summer but he was only just walking while still holding us so there’s definitely more chance of an escapee this time 😂🙈 I think wellies are a definite must for our May trip… then hopefully warmer when we’re off again in the summer hols.

Merino wool base layers and a thick fleece onesie with feet over the top worked for our toddler. We used a 3.5 tog sleeping bag. She was in a travel cot so slightly raised off the ground. We did have an extra blanket but she didn't want it.