What do you do with your LO when putting up your tent?

[mistersmum]

I know this is a bit of a funny one and there should be lots for them to do and help out, but we tried putting our new tent up in the garden a few weekends ago and our DS (3 and half) was a huge pain in the bum! We are off tomorrow to Dorset and I just wondered what you all do with your LO whilst erecting the tent. Any suggestions gratefully received!

DS tends to run off with a ball, starts exploring the campsite, helps me put the tent up, or just runs around excitedly getting in the way!

Perfectly sensible question

ATM I stay with LO and only help to do a certain parts of pitching, this means it atkes ages for Dh but as baby so young its unavoidable

various options - wet weather option is to stay in the car (there are three of them so they tend to kill amuse each other).
good weather option is to send them off with a water carrier if the tap is in sight, otherwise say "stand there and hold that pole, really really tight cos it is a Very Important Job"
if it has been a long journey, then as OMDB and give them a ball and allow them to run like maniacs!

Wow all of these replies at this time of night. Thank you
themildmanneredjanitor - that looks like the good kind of helping. My Ds was running off with the mallet and dropping tent pegs in his wake...I have packed his hammer so he can give us a hand.
Also we haven't camped before en famille -we used to camp loads in France for our family holidays with a trailer tent and my dad was almost obsessive compulsive about setting up and getting the tent up, that even the thought of it makes me feel quite stressed out!
Anyway - looking froward to any more suggestions

Not a suggestion but thought this might amuse you. We were once camping in Wales. A family turned up late in the afternoon with a people carrier and a huge trailer full of stuff. The dad parked up, unhitched the trailer, unloaded a garden chair from the trailer, got a can of beer from full sized domestic fridge in trailer and then sat and watched while his partner and many young dcs erected the tent. He did get up to switch the headlights on the car on when it got too dark so they could still see what they were doing!!!
My dh was most impressed!!!!!

My tip not really realted to kids helping though is to get your erecting instructions laminated for future use and colour code your poles with electrical tape.

Perhaps laminate the kids an extra copy as they will nick yours. Of course you will look silly using laminated instructions if it is a 2 man basic dome tent

This summer our 2yr old will be in her back pack on DH's back but guess you can't do that with a 3.5yr old. Sorry. Will watch post with interest for next year

Ds can't really help (has ASD and would just run away) so he has to stay in the car while I help dh with getting the main dome up as it does need two people. A packet of fruit pastilles usually lasts long enough and of course he's strapped in so all the doors can be open if it's hot). After that I can take him for a walk or to the toilet while dh gets on with the pegging so it's not too bad really.

I make ds help [3.8]
he is good at it
or I put him on crazy toddler sister retrieval duty
he is mr health and safety so is pleased with this role