Experienced with-small-children campers, this way please

[midnightexpress]

We have two boys, aged 2 and 3 and are thinking of taking them camping this summer - just weekends to start with. We live in the west of Scotland, so lots of lovely places to choose from, midges permitting, though if anyone has any recommendations, not too far from the Central Belt, please feel free to suggest.

We have both camped before, but more wild camping, which I am not prepared to do with LOs until they're a bit bigger. So, we're thinking about campsites, but not necessarily very fancy ones.

My question is, what would your essentials be for this sort of trip? What things would you ALWAYS take with you? Is there any kit we are unlikely to have (family size tent aside, natch)?

I've camped with all ages from 5 weeks to 9 (the age of our eldest atm).

Really tbh its normal kit plaus lots more blankets and wooly hats, maybe a few toys. Don't even try basic when you have littlies- for example i've done the whole hike to a field thinga dn will do again, but right now I have a great big tent with a carpet. And that's a good thing LOL for kids to roll about on and to insulate (even though I get laughed at on here for it )

Try and take a few familiar items of theirs- a comforting blanket, familiar plate or similar.

Oh yes: poncho's. make them or buy them but fleece poncho's can be thrown over anything, rinse and dry in minutes and can be worn in bed too. Perfect.

Actually we don't do wellies: we do crocs- rinse off uner a tap and you can wear again, ever so easy

LOL at zipper- first tent we had was a cheapy and had to be IYSWIM but there was a zip in each bedroom (cable ties sorted it); we now have one where we sleep between them and the door.

pegs and plastic bags- you can peg things like knives and matches up high.

A doormat saves so much mud coming into the tent. (cheap plastic one from wilcos is best)

Also rec fleece blankets, so useful for everything and dry quick.

plenty of wet wipes . if you have little ones and you've been camping before then you'll know exactly what i mean!

Oh thanks for all these great ideas and sorry not to have come back sooner - got waylaid by aforementioned children yesterday. Lots here that I'm sure we wouldn't have thought of.

DS1 is the type to stay in bed until got, but I suspect ds2 (still in a cotbed with sides) would do a runner as soon as he spied an opportunity, so will have to think about that when we buy the tent.

I'm getting all excited now!

Keep 'em coming if you have any more suggestions.

swim kit. if its pouring with rain,, there will be a local pool somewwhere fairly close....and belive me, you'll be desperate to leave the tent!

Small things that will entertain them for a while - fold down scooters, football, frisbee etc
Those all in one waterproof things for them to wear (muddy puddles, regatta) are good if you get lousy weather.
Torches - one for each child so they can hold them play with them when they go to bed if they are a bit nervous
Not sure if this is your neck of the wood but there is a site in North Berwick (nr Edinburgh) that is fab, not basic, great shower rooms, family bathrooms but no clubhouse etc, 5 mins from beautiful beaches and excellent park, woods, pool in town, national bird centre place (much better than it sounds) we love it there. It is called Yellowcraig.
Good luck!

Thanks for these extra ideas and the North Berwick idea. I'd been thinking west coast (we're in Glasgow), but I love that part of the coast south of Edinburgh, and it wouldn't be hard to get to, so that's definitely on the list.

And being in Glasgow, we are already fully equipped with wet weather gear

LOL at the torches suggestion. DS1 was playing with a maglite last night and ds2 got completely freaked out by it and demanded to be taken to bed immediately (now that's a first).

Which, now that I come to think of it, may be a bit of a problem on a camping holiday...

am listening for more suggestions.

anyone have a link for fleece ponchos? or are they so easy to make I'd be an idiot to pay money for them??

I can't recommend these enough - couldn't have done without it on our last camping trip!

My experiences of camping with small children in the west coast of Scotland is that you have to have plans for bad weather. Before Children, you can lounge in the tent with a book, or go to the pub if it rains incessantly. but with small children, before they are old enough to read or play cards, you need to be prepared for them getting bored very quickly if the weather is bad. We often just go home if it's raining, or we cancel the trip til better weather. Or camp near indoor activities (we used to camp in the NW of Scotland which had NO indoor facilities within an hour's drive.

Also in Scotland in particular, in midsummer, it stays light for ages, it can be very hard to get the dc to sleep. but I can't think of equipment which would help with this.

The wee l.e.d. lights that have batteries and you can stick to things are great, especially if your littlies need a night light.
We use dynamo torches (only a couple of quid) for each child to play with / use, and another wind up lantern for them to go to sleep with - it goes out overnight. Not that you'll need much light in the summer!
The one thing I struggled without the first year was a fridge. we now have an electric coolbox which we can run off the car battery - I have trouble with milk otherwise.
Campsite wise, we went to a great one in Arasaig (think it was "Golden Sands") which had a lovely little beach where the wee ones could potter around without being too far away.

Oh I think I've stayed there fromgirders, in pre-children days. Broke my ankle, and had been housebound for weeks and was desperate to get away, so convinced DP to ferry me to Arisaig for a weekend. Hobbled around, but it's sooooo gorgeous. I lurve Arisaig.

Fennel, thanks. Yes, wet weather would be a bore, which is why we thought we'd maybe start with weekends, so we could do it on the spur of the moment if the weather looked promising, maybe even for one night to start with.

Does anyone know if it's possible to buy darkish family tents? We haven't actually bought the tent yet, so if there is one that would block a bit more light, that would be grat for Scottish summers.

The sticky LED lights also a good idea.

Thanks buttercup - as we live up here anyway, we are fully kitted out with waterproof everything, including fleece-lined rainsuits. But I like the idea of crocs for camping .

Oregonian, I reckon a square of fleece with a hole cut in the middle would make a fine poncho, no? It wouldn't fray, so no sewing required even, unless you fancied some decorative blanket stitch at the edges.

I've only just thought of this, but I wonder if you could darken your tent, by draping dark material between the bedroom and the outer skin? Ours is a dark colour, but still lets in some light to the inside.
My experience is that my chidren (4 and 3 the first year) stay awake until about ten the first night, then crash out at normal bedtime thereafter! I load up my mobile (or an old one without a sim card for pref) with lots of kids stories and stuff for them to listen to.

Hey, thanks midnight, that's genius!