Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Flip

Original poster

What age would you recommend Taking your child camping?

23 replies

Justine2912 · 26/10/2008 08:01

We have always loved going camping, but since ds came along we havent been hes 21 months now and thinking we may try it next year (thats if the weather is half decent)

What age did you first go with your child?

Any recommendations to make it as easy as possbile?

OP posts:

acoady · 26/10/2008 08:03

A friend of mine took her dcs camping from birth, she loved it! I'd say go when you feel ready, and when you can manage to carry between you all the stuff your ds needs! With every holiday you will find you need to take less stuff!

sasamax · 29/10/2008 13:30

Vango do a baby sleeping bag for around £15 I think - 2 season.

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 31/10/2008 12:43

8 weeks! It was fine, just for a weekend.

Then we went again when she was 16 weeks old, this time for 2 months.

If you go with a toddler I'd advice taking a gazebo to cook in, maybe with a table to putthe stove on out the way. Either that or eat in a pub every night.

Kayteee · 03/11/2008 12:42

My ds was 4 weeks when we took him to a music festival and camped for long weekend. Twas easy really as I was breast-feeding so no mixing up bottles etc;
I think the out-doors is great for kids of all ages. It's a bit more hard work for you if he's toddling around though. Gotta watch them more than you would at home. Watch out for the cooking stuff, boiling kettles and the like, they can get knocked over all too easily. We used to take a travel-cot and put him in with some toys whilst we cooked or made tea (just for a while though).
Camp away from rivers, for peace of mind!
Take stuff to amuse him if it rains and you get stuck in the tent.
My kids love camping and if you take them from babies they tend not to be so difficult to settle to sleep as they get used to it from an early age.
Where were you thinking of going?

daisydora · 03/11/2008 12:51

Took dd at 23 mths, she loved it!!! Lived in her wellies or crocs (depending on weather).

Slept through the storm on the second night....it was great!!

phdlife · 04/11/2008 21:08

took ds first time when he was 4.5m - he loved it but I was a bit stressed as he wasn't warmly enough dressed.

second time when he was 17m. He loved it but was teething which was a bit of a mare. Would've been just as bad at home, but!

duckyfuzz · 04/11/2008 21:10

our twins were 9 months when we first took them, they loved it! My main recommendation would be don't try to do anything!

cheesesarnie · 04/11/2008 21:10

all mine have been from about 5 months.easier when theyre littler!

milkybarsrus · 05/11/2008 10:09

took mine at 12 weeks, which was a doddle in comparison to now. he is in the terrible two's phase and having no boundary (fences) etc around the tent means he is on the loose. didn't find it relaxing at all running around after him all day and most of the evening. maybe next year I will get to have that glass of wine in the evening without having to keep shouting 'come back here' don't touch that' or the bar-b-q is still hot don't go near it (or other peoples). feel extremely jealous of people who sit with a glass of wine and a book looking really relaxed and at one with nature whilst i'm thinking 'what the hell did i decide to do this again for?'

123bang · 11/12/2008 09:37

We took our daughter first time at 18 months, no problem at all apart from the fact we could never find her in the morning, she moved around us all night! Happy times.... she is now 7 and still loves sleeping in a tent.

duckyfuzz · 11/12/2008 09:48

any time, we went with DTs when they were 9 months and it was much easier than it is now they're older!

ShauntheSheep · 11/12/2008 09:52

Took dd at 6 months and it was great Much easier tahn it was when she was a toddler adn the pram was great for putting lots of stuff on as we went by train with rucksacks.

If anyoen in SW London/Epsom way wants a Vango baby sleeping bag they can have ours for free.

ramonaquimby · 11/12/2008 10:04

dd3 went camping for first time when she was about 9 months - used a travel cot for her.

fruitful · 11/12/2008 10:13

Ds2 was 6 months. Night feeds were a bit grim (he was bottle-fed). Although actually anything that makes you get out of your nice warm sleeping-bag in the middle of the night is a bit grim.

Think about what you'll do if you ds want to come onto "bed" with you in the night. My solution is an aerobed and 12 duvets.

And how you'll manage with him being able to wander freely away from the tent when you're not looking ...

And cooking - if its you and your dp and one child its ok. Trying to cook on a camping stove and watch a toddler and an older child while dh went off for ages for a shower was not successful!

Glo-sticks (ebay) are good if your ds wants a nightlight.

Annner · 11/12/2008 22:48

DD was two and a half, and DS was six months.

Went to France. Fabulous time, and couldn't imagine ever doing anything else now.

HaventSleptForAYear · 09/01/2009 16:03

Is it better to be on a small site with a 2.5 year old liable to wander off?

Some of the Keycamp et al. sites look scarily big...

Mercy · 09/01/2009 16:10

Ds was 18 months when he first when camping - it was a disaster!

It was much easier when he was 3½ tbh anh he really enjoyed it at that age.

HSMM · 09/01/2009 16:19

Took DD when she was 3. Hard work for us, but she loved it.

OsmosisBanana · 09/01/2009 16:21

We've been taking DD since she was 9 months. She was born in Nov hence the delay

piscesmoon · 09/01/2009 16:22

We did a weekend at 4 months.It was easy-he was bf and didn't cry and disturb people if fed.

HaventSleptForAYear · 09/01/2009 17:15

hmmm - maybe this summer is abit ambitious for us with a 2.5 yr old and a 4 yr old?

piscesmoon · 09/01/2009 17:24

Actually it is probably easier with a baby! I expect a lot depends on the weather.

cali · 09/01/2009 17:25

try a short trip 1st, we went away for 1 night 1st time when dd1 was just 3 and dd2 was 8 months.
was a lot of effort for just one night but was worth it to find out how they got on in the tent, ended up going away quite a bit after that, as they both took to life in a tent really well.

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread