We're considering starting camping again with 2 toddlers, all advice welcome!!

[SheBangTheDrums]

I've not camped for about 6 years and then it was a case of pot noodles and beer!! So enter 2 toddlers (3 and nearly 2) and I have no idea where to start.

Please could I call on the experts out there answer a couple of basic questions..........
What size tent would we need?? I want us all to sleep together and am not bothered about much space other than sleeping.

What would DCs sleep in? DS (3) has a ready bed, is that practical? DD is 22 months and still in a cot at home.

Thanks! I'm sure many more questions will crop up, we only started talking about it tonight!

Are you ok with co-sleeping with the kids?

If so, I'd honestly start with a smallish family size tent.

We have a vango ventura 500 and love it. It is big enough for 2 x double airbeds which is enough space for us all. It fits easily in the car and is up in 10 minutes. It cost about £85 iirc, 4 years ago.

However we've also camped in much smaller tents. Will you all fit in a normal sized double? (We did when there were only 4 of us). If so, get a tent big enough to take a double airbed!

Airbeds: Personally I'd go for comfort for everyone, aside from anything else, if the kids don't sleep well, you won't either! Until last year we were all on double airbeds.

We also take mats for under the beds (insulation), 3 season sleeping bags, and as many duvets and pillows as we can fit in the car.

We don't do big tents, they are just a faff and imo unecessary with little kids. You will want to either spend all day outdoors (if it is sunny) or tbh go home, or at least somewhere dry, if it is wet. You can't keep 2 x toddlers in a wet tent for a day, really not, and anyway what would be the point?

Oh and don't plan to cook, (maybe tea/coffee) on your first few trips, there is something really stressful about outdoor cooking with little kids around, plus there is then washing up which is too faffy. Do cold food/takeouts and work up to the cooking!

I do think camping with toddlers is a lot of fun and they love. Just keep it simple!

Yep, am fine about co-sleeping but am concerned about DD wriggling down into the bottom of a sleeping bag IYKWIM.

I was thinking of a double one as I just want it to sleep in really, but wnated to hear from someone who'd fitted everyone in! I agree the very thought of attempting to entertain them in a tent uurrgghh!

I like the no cooking plan! We do live within an hour of some great places to camp so would probably decide on a Sat morning if the weather was good and come back Sun evening.

Could you point me in the direction of any good websites with tents, airbeds etc on? Have googled but it all seems a little mind boggling!

Well I'd go for something like this small tent.

We have a vango ventura 500 btw but I don't think they still make them, anyone know?

Ideally you should look for a hydrostatic head (HH) ie waterproofness, of 3000 . However, I've camped a lot in rainy welsh valleys with a HH of 1500 and have never been dripped on so don't worry overmuch about this for weekend camping.

For airbeds I'd go for a really decent one, something like a coleman's with a decent (pref car operated) pump.

If you take yourself off to blacks or millets they should have the decent airbeds and a good selection of tents.

I think there is a big big list of things you can take that you might need but it is best to start simple! Until very recently, 5 of us went camping in a small car with no roofbox, we took the bare minimum and had a great time!

Thanks a lot for that, I feel much better informed!!

Just came back from 2 nights with dses, 4 and 2, and they slept in ready-beds (with emergency blankets & foam mats underneath, fleece & duvet on top. They loved it.

Also, bought Vango Orchy 600 -- perfect size for all of us, as there was ample living space and the divide between the 2 bedrooms was just a sheet that could be pulled to the side or removed completely.

Also, I beg to differ with Filly on the outdoor cooking -- we used a disposable BBQ, which the kids helped prepare, and we used a camp-stove (but one of us was cooking, the other on complete eagle-eye watch). Just as easy is to fill a cold box with pic-nic-y bits, like olives, cheeses, ham, boiled eggs, veggies, etc... Take some crackers and hey presto!

The outdoor megastore website was very useful and competitively priced -- we bought a good deal of gear from them, as well as our closest go outdoors.

Hope you have a great time!